The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-04-20
washington letter.
(From our regular correspondent
AeuIsGToS. APRIL 1G, 1889.

feel dnly penitent for the wasted time oil
the past fortnight, most of which was
spent in the most furious form OF filibus-
ter;sg. and that they will endeayor to
atone this week for recent sins, By hard
work.
To-morrow is the day set for calling up
the Mills tariff bill Its friends say moth
ing. has been lost by delaying 50 long the
great work OF the session. Time was
needed. not only for the preparation oil
bill. ont for the creation of ! pnblic senti-
ment that wouid press it through. Both
of these objects. they say, have been at
tanned. The revenue reiormers expect
victory. whether they have sufficient rea-
son to do 50 or not.
Since wrote you, the Senate, not per-
turbed in the least by the House dead
lock. has been moving along at its usual
digniiied pace. Ii has listened to tariff re-
form speeches, high protection speeches,
and speeches on the admission of Dakota
TO the Union, and the question Of buying
General Washington sword.
The Senate grew very patriotic last We'd
nesday. After passing bill to pay STU
900 for pair of swords which had be-
longed TO Gen Shields, bill to erect
monument in Boston to Gen. Warren. who
fell at Bunker Hill in the war OF the Reyo-
luton. and some other bills for mo2u-
ments- to other deceased generals, there
came up bill to purchase one Of George
Wasbington's swords from Miss Virginia
Taylor Lewis at $50, 900. Then followed
debate which was half sublime and nalf
ridiculous, the sentimental and CONNER
cial value Of the relic being presented by
Senators Evarts, Vest, VOORHEES,, Hoar and
Cockrell.
The Senator from Missouri (Mr. Cock
rell) thought it was very expensive
sword and wanted to know if there was
any Identification of it.
The New York Senator Mr.. Eyarts) who
had charge Of the measure. said its anthem
ITCHY and its relation to the great event of
the surrender of Washington commission
were indisputable 1t could be seen in the
historical picture of that event. 1t had
been Of use 20 the United States when used
by its former owner. In that relation it
had value As mere scabbard aud blade
it was not worth much 1t was one of the
five swords mentioned in General Wash
ington's will and bequeathed to different
ones of his kindred The first Of them was
that one which had the traditional credit
Of having been presented 10 Washington
by Frederick, the Great, 18th the message
that it was from the oldest soldier in the
world to the greatest general in the world
That sword was owned by the State OF
New York, having been purchased with
other artcles) for the sum Of $50 600. Mr..
Egarts said the price mentioned in the bill
| now before the Senate ($20, 000) was that
| fixed by the representative of the leGatee
of the sword. The committee which re-
ported the bill did not feel at liberty to
cheaper the sword. Ifanybody else were to
cheaper it, it ought not to be the Senate OF
the United States.
But Senator Cockrell was not converted.
He still insisted that the price asked was
exorbitant The Shields swords were set
with Jewels and therefore had an intrinsic
value Mr.. Egarts here interposed that
| the price fixed had no relation at all to the
money value of the blade II was inesti'
mable, it was the sword Of Washington.
| Senator Cockrell was then reinforced by
/ Senator Vest, who said he had no idea o
voting to give $40, 600 for this sword. Il
this bill were to pass, every relic of every
other distinguished man would be brought
here and Congress asked to buy it at al
enormous price. A monument, the grand
est in the world, had been erected to Tho
memory Of his mother. There was prop
osition before Congress TO construct an av
enue from this city to Mount Vernon a.
great expense. In all sorts of ways tht
American people had tried to evidenc,
their generation for the "Father of hii
Country" aud Mr.. Vest had no disposition
to depreciate the gratitude and honor which
every American citizen should feel 10: th'
memory Of Washington, still he did no
propose to pay the heir who wanted t.
make this sale, any such price for th'
sword
SenatorV oorhees said he would Just al
soon vote sl00,0 900 for this sword as any
other sum. It was not question of money
Senator Hoar suggested that Senator Yes
amend the bill 10y substituting the price
81 so for the SEQ 600 Mr. Vest replied
that he had said nothing to justify such I
suggestion. He had simply said that thu
price asked was enormous. IL they " ishet
to express their estimate of the services 0
Washington, they should make the prc'
of that sword ten millions, or rather, on
hundred millions Who, he asked, hao
brought that sword here as a matter of com
merce? Who was willing to take monel
for that priceless reIicg WESTON
Woman's Christian Temperance Uniol
was formed in Media Pa. last Friday
with fifty four charter members, every on