San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-09-17
A wAsHINGTONIAN ISTERLUDE IN
CONGRESS LONG AGO.
Noble Utterances OF Mr.. Summers, Of
Virginia, and Eloquent Speech Of
John Quincy Adams on the
Occasion.
In the House Of Representatives Of The
United States.

In the House OF Representatives OF I'M
United States.
WASHINGTON, Feb. T., 1843.
Mr.. Summers, one of the represen
tatives from the State of Virginia
rose and addressed the House as fol
lows:
Mr.. Speaker: Irise for the purpos,
OF discharging an Office not connect
ed with the ordinary business Of I
Legislative assembly. Yet, in asking
permission to interrupt, for mo
ment, the regular order Of parliamen
tary proceedings, I cannot doubt thai
the proposition which I have to sub.
init will prove as gratifying as it may
be unusual.
Mr.. Samuel T. Washington, citi
zen of Kanawha county, in the com
monwealth of Virginia, and one oi
my constituents, has honored me
with the commission of presenting in
his name and on his behalf, to the
Congress of the United States, and
through that body to the people Of
the United States, two most interest
ing and valuable relics connected
with the past history of our country,
and with men whose achievements,
both in the field and in the cabinet,
best illustrate and adorn our annals
One is the sword worn by George
Washington, first as Colonel in the
colonial service of Virginia, in Forbes
cam paign against the French and In
dians, and afterwards during the
whole period of the war of Indepen-
dence as Commander-in-chief in the
American army.
1t is a plain couteau, OF hanger,
with n green hilt and silver guard.
On the upper ward of the scabbard
is engrayen -, Bailey, Fish Kill. '
1t is accompanied by a buckskin belt,
which is secured by a silver buckle
and clasp, whereon are engraven the
letters "G. w." and the figures
s1757." These are all of the plain
est workmanship, but substantial, and
in keeping with the man and With
the times to which they belonged.
The history of this sword is per-
fectly authentic,and leaves no shadow
OF doubt as to it's identity. The
last will and testament of General
Washington, bearing date on the 9th
day of February, 1893, contains,
among great variety of bequests,
the following clause:
"To each of my nephews, William Au-
gustine Washington, George Lewis, George
Steptoe Washington, Bushrod Washington
and Samuel Washington, give one of the
swords, or couteaux. of which l may die
possessed; and they are to choose in the
order they are named. These swords are
with an injunction not to un-
sheath them for the purposes of shedding
blood, except it be for self-defence or in
defence of their country and its rights; and
in the latter case, to keep them unsheathed,
and prefer falling with them in their hands
to the relinquishment thereof"
In the distribution of the swords
hereby devised among the five
nephews therein enumerated, the
one now presented fell to the share
Of Samuel Washington, the devisee
last named in the clause of the will
which 1 have just read.
This gentleman, who died a few
years since in the county of Kanawhe,
and who was the father of Samuel L.
Washington, the donor, I knew well.
I have often seen this sword in his
possession, and received from himself
the following account of the manner
in which it became his property in
the division made among the de
visees:
He said that he knew it TO have
been the side-arm Of General Wash
ington during the revolutionary war;
not that used on occasions Of parade
and review, but the constant service
sword of the great chief; that he bad
himself seen General Washington
wear this identical sword, he presum-
ed, for the last time, when, in 1874,
he reviewed the Virginia and Mary
land forces, then concentrated OF the
Cumberland under the command Of
General Lee, and destined to coop
crate with the Pennsylvania and New
Jersey troops, then assembled at
Bedford, in supprcssing what has
been called the "Whiskey Inshrrec-
ton"
Gen. Washington was tbenPresident
of the United States. aud as such was
commander-in-chief Of the army. IL
is known thar il was bis intention 10
leld the army in person upon that
occasion had he found il Necessary. 4
and he went TO Bedford and Gambler
and prepared fer that event The
condition Of things did not require IT, 4
and he returned to his civil duties At
Philadelphia
Mr.. Samuel Washington held the
position Of q Captain at that time
himself. and served IN that campaign,
nuanv Of The iDcde1ts Of which be
bas re ated 10 ne
He ras anxious 10 olytain this par
i;cular sword asd preferred 4 70 ~