National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-23

lulon tnere was good deal more solid
style put on by the planters and magnates
OF the land than ia witnessed in this genera
ton. And particularly was this the case
with the Weather class of Virginia and the
Carolnas. We are told by the chronlclers Of
that date Of tho brlght-colored silks, the
laces, the frills, the ruflles the ponderous
gold watch chains, the diamondset knee
buckles, and shoe-buckles that our fore
fathers thought necessary TO their personal
adornment. The pride Of birth and family
amounted almost TO passion with the an
cient gentry in spite Of the fact that they
fought like Turks for eight long years
of hardship and suffering TO establish a re-
public, IN which all men should be "free
and equaln and birth should count for
nothing. OF course, this was the theory,
but from all accounts In reality the fore
fathers were just about as exclusive and arls-
tocratic In their Tenderness and associations
after they had established the republic as
they were before the tocsin OF the war Of in
dependence had been sounded.
Now the old Virginia gentleman, next to
his pride OF birth as an +. +. ", took pride
in the family plate, and then his horses and
his hounds came In for their share Of proud
affection. AS regards the family silver IL
was carefully cherished and preserved, aud
was handed down from generation to gen.
CihtiOH hb HelIlOOulS Ill u manner TO keep III
together as far as possible, and as each
owner felt IL rellglously incumbent TO add
TO the collection, IL may well be believed
that, in very many families, vast amount
OF plate was accumulated. Although
much OF the stock Of plate throughout the
country was melted down to supply the
continental army with provisions and mu-
nitions Of war, still large amount re-
manned.
Among others who had fine and val
liable collection was Gen George Washing
ton. 1t is said that after he became Presi-
dent he made frequent purchases of silver
ware, and was somewhat Of a connoisseur
therein, taking an especial pride in relat-
ing the history OF rare pieces which he had
inherited from his mother and his brother
Augustine, or which had come to him by
his marriage with the rich and aristocratic
widow Gusts.
BEoUEATHED TO THE LEES.
Gen. Washington bequeathed the bulk, II
not the. entire mass, of his plate to his
adopted son, George w. Parke Custis by
whom 1t was carefully preserved until his
death. Mr.. Gusts having died without
male issue, the plate descended to his daugh-
ter Mary. who was the wife of Robert L.
Lee, confederate generallssimo. All the
plate left by Gen. Washington was scrupu-
lousy kept together by Mr.. Gusts and his
daughter, being doubtless far more priced
because OF its historic associations than for
Its intrinsic value as plate. II may be seen
by an examination Of the Washington rel
les now In the national museum that no sill
yer appears among them. All the plate be-
longing TO the father Of his country is now
in the possession Of the Lee family-and, IL
] have been correctly informed, when Mrs.
Gen. Lee died, in her will 1t was found
that she had made an especial devise Of the
her eldest son, who succeeded his father as
president OF the Washington and Lee Uni
versity at Lexington, Va.
REMOVED FROM ARLINGTON.
When, In 1861, Col r. Z. Lee resigned
his commission in the United States army
to share the fortunes Of his native state, his
family removed from the Arlington manor
house, taking the Washington plate with them
TO Richmond, If l mistake not, where IL
was lodged in secure quarters, for 1t was
too precious prize to leave 1t In any dan
ger OF capture In the fluctuating fortunes
of campaigns. But, however this may be,
when Gen. Joe Johnston was badly
wounded at the Seven Pines and the COM
mand Of the army had devolved on Gen.
Lee, and the battle of the seven days had
resulted In the retreat Of Mcclellan, and
Lee had determined on the first invasion of
Maryland, 1t was deemed that Richmond
was too insecure place TO have the plate
sudden bold dash in force on the part Of the
cavalry and flying artillery of the enemy
would be exceedingly apt to enter the con-
federate capital, even II IL was not held
long enough to destroy the accumulated
military supplies and public buildings, and
as matter OF fact Gen. Fitzpatrick came near
being successful in just such movement
some time afterward.
SENT TO LEXINGTON.
Gen. Lee, when he started ON the Mary
land campaign, left scarcely q corporaps
guard, as 1t were, TO defend Richmond. Ac-
cordingly, the boxes containing the historic
valuables were taken from the bank vaults
and were sent to Lexington, Va, which
seemed at that time to be a place most Sc
cure from any sudden eruption of q federal
force, and, In fact, until late In the last year
OF the war the town had immunity from the
presence Of any federal troops. The trust
OF providing for the safety Of the treasure
was confided to Col. Frank Smith, superin-
tendent Of the state military academy.
When In the latter days Gems. Hunter,
Sigel, and others made heavy assaults upon
the valley, and the corps of cadets was
called out under Gen. Smith to aid in the
repulsc OF these attacks, and 1t was thought
that Lexington was no longer safe from
capture and occupation by the federals,
Smith called into his service superannuated
sergeant Of the Cd United States cavalry
tnow the 9th cavalry, who had served un-
der Gen. Lee when he was lieutenant col
onel of that regiment In the old service.
HIDDEN UNDER A LOG CABIN.
On adark night the boxes were surrepti-
tiousIy loaded on wagon and taken to
log cabin some ten miles from Lexington,
and the old soldier was installed as house
holder and caretaker 1t may be said at
this point that he was as true as steel to
the interests OF his commander. Alone and
unaided he dug receptacle as part of the
chimney OF the cabin, and deposited his
charge therein, arranging stones, bricks,
nnn ~ tI.a axyiN,
that the boxes would receive no damage
from the heat of his moderate fires. Then
he went about his bachelor daily house,
keeping, putting his pipe In serene CON
hdence, waiting quietly for whatever
might turn up.
Now it was supposed that no one but the
sergeant, Gen. Smith, and the Lee family
knew anything about this disposition OF the
washington treasure, and the disposition
was made so that, even II the army OF north
ern Virginia should be forced into North |
Carolina, the humble nature OF the sur |
roundings and the fact that the old veteran,
living with his chickens and his pigs on his |
acre of ground, had an honorable discharge |
from the United States service and was |
superannuated, would ward off any suspicion |
That he had any valuables of any kind In |
his charge, much less treasure of nesti- |
mable importance.
THE SECRET LEAKS OUT.
But we never know how secrets are re- |
yealed when we least suspect IL, and some |
how or other In the autumn OF 1864, when |
the confederates had been pretty well |
thrashed In the valley, the northern general |
operating in the valley ESQ It was learned |
by the confederate war department from It's
secret emissaries) had obtained an inkling
OF the fact that the Washington plate was
secreted somewhere in the vicinity of the
Virginia Military Academy. / suppose, as
it was mainly valued us a historic relic, the
United States government would have con
hseated II with as little hesitation as they
afterward did the Arlington estate n IL