National Republican., 1878-07-27
GEoRoE WISHING TON RELICS.
Their Safe Arrival In This City.

Their Safe Arrival In This City.
During tho last session Of Congress the sub
jcct Of the purchase Of certain relies Of Wash.
ington, in the possession of q. W. Lewis and
others, was presented to tho House Committee
on Appropriations, and the subject was referred,
with the papers, to tho Secretary Of the In
terror with request that tho Commissioner
, ofPatents" examine into the character and value
of these relics and tho propriety and advisn-
bility of their purchase"
Commissioner Spear, under instructions from
the Secretary Of the Interior, visited Virginia
and examined the relics, and in May last sub
mittcd report to the Secretary, which was
transmitted to the Committee on Appro-
| priations, and upon IL q clause was inserted In
the sundry civil appropriation bill as follows:
| For the purchase Of relics Of George Washington
| from the Lewis family. Of CLARK County, Va. the
purchase 10 bo made by the Secretary Of the Treas
| nry. at price not exceeding si2OJO or 50 much
thereof as may be Necessary.
In accordance with the above provision Sec.
retary Sherman made the purchase and tho
articles reached this city yesterday.
Having no place for their exhibition or even
storage In the Treasury building, and decming
| the Patent Office, where the other Washington
relies are kept, a more suitable place for their
| deposit, Secretary Sherman yesterday address
| cd II note to the Secretary Of the Interior, ask
ing that Department to assume the custody OF
| these things
Secretary Schurz accepted the trust and
designated the tOmmiSsioncg OF Patents rs the
custodian, and the goods were accordingly de-
| livered there last evening. Owing to the
present crowded aud disarrIngcd condition OF
things, on account of the fire. the relics will
rot be at once put OH exhibition, but will re-
main Ia the boxes until provision can bc made
| for their exhibition with safety.
The following is from the report made by the
| Commissioner:
Tho relies consist of large number OF articles,
chiefly Of personal aud holl'ch1ld use. The follow
| ing inventory was made by the family aud has
| been carefully verified 10y me:
ono large mirror two small mirrors.
oae dozen handsome parlor chairs.
| Two hrIn-chairs
one large casy.clIair. in which the General sat a
few minutes before his death.
one double brus' candll stick, 10y which the Fare
we'll Address was written.
| Two SvcrplntCd CaudlCsiiCks.
| one Large and two small plated walters.
| one field d.glHss. used In tho Revolution.
| one spy-gluss. also used In the war.
| one lC'lgrr kept mostly by the General.
Knives Rnd forks.
one large mahogany box, In which silver plate
was kept
Two mahogany fJots,ools and three carpet coy.
| cred fOutstOnls
| 4 portrait OF Washington.
| The rphe In which he was christcned.
| lhr"G silNcrplatc'l lamps.
| Hall dozen silver. plated Salt'cclsrs.
| Thiuy.six pieces Of Chinawurc.
One bcistcad, presented to Mr.. Lawrence Wash.
| iug,on by his friend Admiral herman. and by Law.
| renee LETT tu his brother tho 'iCuCrnl.
several surveys made by the General himself
ono marh!e,top table, four feet in length by three
| feet In breadth.
One guitar presented by General Washington to
| Miss Nellie Gusts.
| Miniature portraits of General and Mrs. Washing
| ton OH wood. painted by rrumbull
| One shaving glass in irHmc, with drawer.
| An engraving Of the Countess OF huntington
presented by her U General Washington.
| several souvenirs Of Whshington's. consisting OF
| ornamental works aud household Articles
! All these relics have been continuously in
| the possession of the Lewis family since the
death OF General Washington. They were re.
cciycd by Mrs. Lewis who was tho adopted
daughter OF General Washington, aud the wifo
| OF Major Lawrence Lewis. his nephew, and
were in her possession until her DEATH in lSJ2
when they passed into the hands of the family
now having them IN charge. They are all in
an excellent state of preservation, and Of the
VrnuinenesS Of every article there can be 10
doubt whatever.
some OF the relics are Of special interest
The haf.length portrait of General Washing.
ton Is Of life size, Is perfectly clear, and well
preserved. 1t Is II matter Of tradition in the
family, preserved especially by Mrs. Lewis
and also by Others that this portrait was always
considered the best Likeness of Washington
ever painted. The miniature portraits were
considered excellent likenesscs, Gud are now In
good condition.
Of moro interest even than this is ledger
| which contains the record Of all Washing
| tons private business transactions for more than
twcnty.onc years. The record is exceedingly
| minute, and Il large part of 1t Il in his Own
handwriting Every item of receipts and
expenditures, including even his losses aud
gains at cards, Is set dOwniwth tho most
scrupuOuS cNaCtnCSS.
In addition to these arc many miscclla.
ncOus papers in General Washington's own
handwriting, including chiefly records of sur
veys made by himself
The articles of household Use are all in their
nri sinal condition. aud illustrate the style
Of living of the first President of the United
states, Tho whole collection is far superior
to that now in tho possession of the Govern
mcnt. Many of the articles Of domestic use
are parts OF sets now In the custody of tho
Interior Department.
The total number of articles CiDiimeratcdlis
more than ninety, and added TO those now In
the possession OF the Government, they would
form, think, by far the largest aud best col
lection Of the relics Of Washington that could
now be made.
The family were reluctant to part with these
relics but were compell,d by the consideration
that inevitably in few years, with the sepa.
ration of the family, the articles would be
scattered, and, perhaps, large number of them
in tho course OF time lost or destroyed. They
felt also that every citiH1n Of the country WHIT
shared with them an interest In Washington
would bc glad u have these relics male public
property, and placed where they would be &C
cessiblc to all.
Tho SUN suggested for them $4,000 does
not appear to me TO be an oxOrbitant price
In my Judgment they could he sold for that
amount and perhaps moro TO private persons
The small collection now in the possession ol
the Government is visited by thousands o
people every year. The addition thereto oi
these articles now offered would constitute II
most complete aud interesting collection, and
would insure the preservation of these valuable
relics
B.iSE-BILL.