Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-31

| WftuOut d SlTuSSlcs ne was July lIupItoSou ~
the beginning OF his complaint, as well q
through every succeeding stage Of 1t, that Its
conclusion would be mortal; submitting to tn G
severa, ezertons made for his recovery rather the;
efhcacy. He considered the operations OF deatf
upon his system as coeVal with the dlSeaSe
and several hours before his decease
after repeated efforts to be understood, sue
ceeded In expressing desire that he might be
permitted to die without interruption.
During the short period of his illness he econ.
omised his time In the arrangement OF such few
concerns as required his attention with the ut
most serenity. and anticipated his approaching
dissolution with every demonstration of thai
equanimity for which his whole life has been 81
uniformly and singularly conspicuous.
| JAMES CRAIK,
Attending Physician.
| ELISHA DICK,
/ Consulting Physician.
| "7ne signature OF Doctor GustdUus Br0,cn. O
Port Tobacco, ,rho attended as consulting physi
cidn on account OF the 4'enaOte,less of his resi-
dence rom the place, has not been procured Il
| the foregoing statement"
THE ACTION OF CONGRESS.
| This issue also contains communication O.
President Adams to Congress, transmitting tht
following letter and the proceedings of Congress
thereon:
MOUNT VERNON, December Is, 1899.
SIR:-It is with inexpressible grief that have
| to announce to you the death of the great and
| good General Washington. He died last eve
| ming, between 10 and II o'clock. after shor,
l
tnf1ammatory sore throat, which proceeded
from a cold, of which he made but little
complaint on Friday on SATURDAY
| Craik attended him in the morning, and
| DIR. Dick of Alexandria, and DIR. Brown, of Port
| Tobacco, were soon after called In. Every medi-
| cal assistance was afforded, but without the de-
| sired effect. His last scene correspondent with
| the whole tenor of his life. Not grOan nor
complaint escaped him in extreme distress.
| With perfect resignation and full possession
| Of his reason, he closed his well spent life.
l have the honor to be, &C.,
TOBIAS LEAR
| The President of the United States
In the House of Representatives, December
10, Gen. Marshall, after expressing in strong
and eloquent terms, the deep regret which was
| universally excited by the death of Gen. Wash
ington, presented four resolutions, one of which
| was as follows:
'Resolred, That committee, in conjunction
with one from the Senate, be appointed to con-
slider on the most suitable manner Of paying
honor to the memory of the man, first in war;
country"
[Note;;.The resolution is published in Mar
shalls Life, and the words OF the eulogy con-
tanned In the concluding portion are given as
follows: "FirSt in war, first in peace, and first
In the hearts Of his tellooc-citizens." The in-
scripti0n upon the statue east of the Capitol in
this city, reads: "First in war, first in peace,
and first in the hearts of his co,tratryn,en."
The issue OF December 81 contains further ac-
counts of the demonstrations of respect in the
various states and cities of the country, the
tolling OF BELLS the wearing of emblems of
mourning by civil officers and the military,
professions and orations of the Masonic lodges
in different places, funeral discOurseS by the
clergy, an elega1c ODE the resolutions OF both
houses of Congress, their addresses to the Pres
ident and his replies Gen'l Marshall, from the
joint committee OF arrangements in honor OF
his memory, reported several resolutions to the
effect:
That monument be erected by the United
States In the Capitol in the city of Washington,
TO be so constructed to commemorate the
principal martial and political events OF his life
That procession be formed at Congress Hall
TO proceed to the German Lutheran Church,
where funeral Grafton shall be delivered by
member OF Congress to be appointed by the
president Of the Senate and speaker OF the
That application be made to Mrs. Washington
for the body Of the general, in order that 1t may
bel Inferred beneath the monument.
That the President, by proclamation, recon-
mend to the citizens the wearing of Grape for 30
days.
Mr.. LEAR's NARRATIVE
From the narrative of Mr.. Lear it seems that
Washington, on the morning of the 18th, went
out, as was his custom, about 10 o'clock to make
the rounds of his estate. and did not return
until In the afternoon. About 1 O'Clock 1t
began to snow, soon after to hail, and then
turned to settled cold rain. When he returned
the snow was hanging from his hair, and Mr..
Lear expressed fears that he had got wet, but
Washington said mo, his great-coat had kept
him dry" In the evening che appeared as well
as uSuaL"'
ON the following day it was evident that he
had taken cold from his exposure to
the Indictment weather of the day before,
night but he seemed to think nothing
of it and in response TO Mr.. Lear's suggestion
that he should take something to relieve it he
said, $40, you know l never take anything for a
cold. Let it 90 as it came" In the evening he
was taken i'll with ague and difficulty OF breath
Ing, and a gargle was prepared, but In attempt
ing to swallow II he was convulSed and nearly
Suffocated. RawlinS, one OF his over5eorS, bled
him and the physicians were sent for.
He was not far advanced in years, and all ac
counts agree that he had not previously exhib.
tied any signs OF physical decay. Irving says
OF his retirement TO Mount Vernon that ''fuli OF
health and vigor, he looked forward to his long
cherished hope, the enjoyment OF a serene ola
age in this home of his heart" and MI
Carne, OF Alexandria. the well-knoEn journal
list, in an exceedingly interesting contribution
to the February number of HLrper's A1g1zine.
entitled washington as Burgher" states
that ION Thursday, the 18th of December, he
was In town (Alexandria) erect and strong with
the promise of years yet to come"
HOW WASHINGTON WAS BLIsTERED, BLEED AND
PURGED.
In view of these facts. and the course pursued
by his medical attendants as certified to by
themselves, it may now well seem an open
question, whether his death was caused 50
much by the '.force Of the disorder" as by the
nature OF their treatment, which was probably
according to the theories and accepted rules of
the time. However this may be, there can eX-
iSt but little doubt that the one effectively sup
plemented the other in accomplishing that re-
suit.
After considering the facilitating influence
OF the "CoplouS" bleedingS bliSterlngS, purges
and Emetfcs, and the ''Coplous discharges from
the bowels" the unconscious sarcasm and SIM
pllcity of the medical opinion that "the powers
OF life seemed now manifestly yielding to the
force OF the disorder is truly refreshing: and
when upon all this followed further applications
of bliSterS and cataDlaSmS, the repeated
efforts" OF the unfortunate victim, in trying to
make them understand his desire ''that he
might be permitted to die without interruption"
viii not be wondered at.
Had he not succeeded in conveying this init
nation, what further tortures he might have
been subjected to at their hands, can only be
conjectured Treatment according to the i'm
proved methods and In the light OF the medical
skill and knowledge of the present day might
have saved him. II. Il. 7.
An Odd Month.
IN. Y. Times.l
The coming February viii be an odd month
in several respects. IL will have in the first
place an odd number OF days, owing to its leap
year distinction. 1t will have an odd number
OF SJlndayS-fiVe-which is very odd for the