Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-03-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
CFrom our Regular correspondent,

From our Regular Correspondent,
In the model hall of the Patent
Office Department there is division
known as the blue corridor, where
may be seen collection of curiOsi-
ties, as interesting, perhaps to pa
triotic Americans, as can be found
elsewhere In our country. During
the hours that the Department is
open TO visitors scarcely a minute
passes that a crowd of sightseers
from some part OF the United Stat
es is not lingering around the large
glass cases in which these memen-
toes of past events and famous per-
sOnages have been deposited. 1t is
miscellaneous collection, gathered
originally from various quarters of
the globe, but each article has an
interesting history, told in many
instances on q card of explanation
attached. Conspicuous among them
is the suit worn by George WASH
ington when he resigned his COM
mission at Annapolis in 1888. The
coat isof blue cloth, with outside
facings of a soft, buff, wooden text
ure, held in place by immense gilt
buttons. The pants, which extend
to the knee, and the vest, are of
the same buff material. The suit
is perfectly preserved, but in con-
trast to it hang the tattered rem
nants of his silk window curtains,
so disfgured and mOth-eaten that
they are scarcely recognizable as
window drapery. About two dozen
pieces of blue china are displayed
on a stand of shelves, with his
chrystal candelabra, little brown
teapot, blue glass finger-bowles,
and a few pieces of Powered china
presented to Martha Washington
by Lafayette. A washstand of Gu
rious designs and a tall mahogany
bureau, with its snowy brass ham
dies and 36 by n inch mirror would
be invaluable treasures to lovers of
antique furniture, apart from the
interest they possess as relics of our
first President. There is his hand
some china punch bowl with large
piece broken out of its side; two va
ses that were presented to him /; and
the bulky old-time compass which
he used as surveyor. His travel
ling secretary is musty,= leather
encased box with leather pockets
for papers. The hall lantern from
Mount Vernon is here, with some
chairs, tables, andirons, bellows, and
wooden tea-board imported from
France just after the Revolutionary
War. Some course wooden blankets
and bed-curtains embroidered by
Martha Washington are curious
objects. Here is the heavy iron
camp-chest with its outfit of pewter
plates, steel knives, and twO-prong-
ed forks, that followed him in his
many retreats and marches. One
can look into the Identical, oval,
gilt-fra med mirror that has so often
reflected the features OF the father of
his country, and oftener still, no
doubt, those of Mrs. Washington.
The tent-poles, tent-pins, and sleep
ing tent, the latter now. only tat
tered bundle of linen canvass, but
eyer venerable as the canopy that
sheltered General George Washing
ton are all displayed in this case.
But by no means can all of these
curiosities be claimed by Washing
ton. For here are the only known
relics of Thomas Paine, clumsy
pair of iron trimmed SpectacleS, and
a set OF large Ornamented steel shoe
buckles. The rifle of Sam Houston
is shown, with two guns presented
to Thomas Jefferson by the emper-
or of Morocco, which are rich and
expensive weapons, but would be
considered but poor fire arms now.
Here may be seen the coat worn by
General Jackson at the battle of
New Orleans with his case of vic
ious looking old fashioned fint-lock
pistols. A coat, richly embroidered
in gold, worn by General Santa An
ma in the Mexican war, near which
lies the reddish leather war saddle
of Baron De Kalb. Among the many
handsome swords placed here is the
one presented to U. S. Grant by the
Spanish Republic; Others that were
presented to Capt. Perry and off,
GERS of the Z. S. Ship Concord,
when at A exandria in 1882, by the
Pasha of Egypt. But by far the
handsOmest one is in blue satin
case, with scabbard heavily noun
ted in gold presented to Lucien
Young, U. S. Navy, in recognition
of his heroism in saving life at sea.
But L think the most interesting
souvenir of the past is the printing
press at which Benjamin Franklin
worked in London 158 years ago as
a journeyman, which was presented
by London Printers to Mr.. Murray
of New York, and by him deposited |
here for safe keeping in 1872. Com |
pared to the Hoe, which Invention |
and progress have brought to its
present state of perfection, it is a
very primitive looking machine. |
but it no doubt served an excellent |
purpose in its day. i
A pair of large drab- cOlored buck
skin gloves, of exquisite workman
ship, made by measurement for the
hand of Abraham Lincoln but
which were not received in the city |
until after his death, lay beside the
little model of a mechanism for
lifting vessels over shoals invented
by him, and patented in lS49. Mr..
Lincoln must have had this inven-
ton in mind when he said during
the war: "The U. s. Navy can go
anywhere that the ground is little
lamp"
Washington, March %, 1888. TEE 4
No More Public Hang,ngs.
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