Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-13
HINTORTC1L p1PERN
'Mcn and Women Of the Revolution"
\ SEltlI.S on VALUABLE AND ENTERTAINING
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TilE rEN OF THE
EMINENT HISTORIAN,
BENSON j. LOSING, Ill. u.
No. XIII.
WnShington's Inst Surviving HOud-
woman.


On the ith of March, 1853, | stood for
nearly two hours in the open area at the
eastern front Of the Capitol at Washington,
with thousands of my fellow citizens, pelted
with sharp sleet driven by a keen northeast
wind, to witness the Inauguration Of the
fourteenth President Of the United States
/ had 'no friends at court to secure shel
ter for me under the superb and spacious
portico Of the Capitol, where the great oll
GERS Of State, Of the Judiciary, Of the
Army, Of the Navy, and foreign ministers
were congrcgated.
For the purpose Of this quadrennial coro-
nation Of II Chief Magistrate Of the Repub-
lie, a rude platform Of rough boards had
been erected over the entrance steps Of the
Capitol The whole ceremony was severely
simple The recipient Of the exalted dig
nifty about 10 he conferred was clad in
plain suit Of black cloth a small mahog
ony table covered with red cloth, Of the
value Of five dollars, and bearing a Bible,
brown stone pitcher full Of cold water, and
a tcnprnny tumbler, constituted the entire
paraphernalia with his head barred to the
pclting storm, and his right hand lifted to
ward Heaven before the Chief Justice Of
the United States the new President pledg-
ed his fidelity to the Constitution by allirma
ton Then turning to the multitude pres
cnt, an integral Of the whole power which
hc represented, he enunciated the fuuda-
mental principles which should govern his
actions The multitude shouted prolonged
plaudit,. The President bowed and retired,
and that was the end Of the matter
How little-hnw exceedingly insignificant
To- the eye Of the true philosopher and hope
rul apostle Of freedom would any ruler by
the grace nf hayuurt and gunpowder have
appeared upon that rough platform of New
llnmpshirr pinr, with all his gaudv trap
pings and pomp Of manner, by the side Of
FRANKLIN Pierce. the chosen servant of state
Of a mighty people. who stood there in all
the dignity Of "A true sovereign but uudis
tmguishei in form and hearing from the
bninhl. citizen. bv ribbon or cross bv star
nr carter bv scepter or crown!
Among those who sat under the shelter Of
tin. Grand uortico Of the Capitol on that oc
ca,ion was George Washington Parke Gus
It's. the alupted son If the Father Of his
. Country. the first President Of the nation
/ and the, only survivor Of the executors of
/ the .,r.lt uatrint', will He was present
when hi, foster father took the oath of Of
frr administered hy Chancellor Livingston.
/ i'm the street gallery Of the old City Hall at
I New York. sixty four years before lie
Lnd ,,itu...rd the inauguration of every
President from Washington to Pierce I'm
mindful of the wind and sleet. he had crossed
fla. pptoruac from Arlington House in an
open boat. To- assist at the august ceremo-
NAL accented his cordial invitation tu
spend "A f,.w ,layS at Arlington House, where
. had been "A guest a few times. | crossed
the ferry at Georgetown ON the first bright
morning thereafter. and found Mr. Gusts
iu hi, studio giving some touches to his pic
,rr,. nf Tho surrender of Yorktown"
The mansion wet standmgD occupies a
..,nuaudiny site over three hundred feet
above tide-water. overlooking the cities OF
Wo.hiu,,tnu and G.nrpetown. with tn,
broad Potomac flowing between. The build
inc * of brick. and presents a front. in
cluliug th. t,yo WINGS of one hundred and
r,rty feet The grand porticn. having
.i,Lt massive pnri,. columns. occupies an
area # sixty feet front and twenty five
feet in d.uth 4 mark of two hundre,
ncr.,. dotted with groves of oak and chest
uut trees and cultivated ON the river bank
slnu.J eastward from the front and he
hind the mansion was an old forest abound
u., with patriarchal trees centuries old. AND
.,,,...,iu,, hills and dales over eight hundre,
,,.r.s 4 unrtinn nf this forest has sine,
Ji.,nr.nr-I and tn, soil is OCCUPIED by th,
remain, of thousands Of Union soldiers wh,
p.rish4d i'm the great civil war of 1861 90
On the verge Of this cemetery stands
rbaste marble. monument erected to tin
n.,n,rv nf Mr. Custis. Near the northern
end nf the mnusion stood a venerable weep
in,, ,ill,w. th. otT,priug of IA twig plucke,
I,, =. ,,,,,,,,., H.itisb ntlicar frnu, the famou
vill,y, planted by Pope at Twickenham
AMI ,,,,.Iant.l IN tbr father of Mr.. Custi
. Inv that officer at Cambridge in l1i1. Tha
tt,i, ,yLi,b tb,. ald,r Custis planted at Ar
lin,rt,n L.,.nm. the uro,.nitor Of all tn
,,..,.,,;n,, ,yilloyys in the United States
Arlin,,tnu House was plethorir with pre-
,i,,,s nrmentnes of the Washington am
Cu.tis families. consisting of some rar
,,,,rl. ,C ART ,lot4 china. furniture. orna
r,.,,t. and a lar.,n nunntity of valuabl
s ,n,nn.,rn,ts On the wall hung Kit Ka
t ,,,,.tr,it In. sin. Of col Daniel Parke. th
p a,,,..tn, nr MIR (u,tis. who carried I
nmo.., Ann. the news of Marlborough
;ct,r,. nj Rl.nhaim If was naiuted by 81
e GoIfr.v Kuell.r Near il hung a pictur
, nr nm nlJ Rerormer. painted by Van Dyk,
e II,'..., .I., ,,.,.,. tb, three n,iarter l.n,t
u,rtrnits of Daniel Parke and Martha Gu,
{ Il. Lv Wnnlaston There we're other pol
tr.,it. ,f th,. Washinpton and Custis fam
Gss One of these was the portrait ,
W,.b,n.,ton in the costume of Virpini
. nainnJ ot TN. noe of forty vears. painte
In. rbarIss Watson Penle Near tbis nj,
tHrs .,isnepJnJ from the ceilin., was a Ia,
!, earn, r,rmerIv the prnnerty Of Lawren,
-. Washin,,tnn which huu,, in the great ua
s,',,. ot Nnunt Vernon fully eighty wear
rLnr. was nIsn the black walnut sidcboar
n.nj in the dninp room at Mount Vernon
~ .l.,,ont ,ynrkmnnsbin Washington
) nossivs silver ten service. made at Ne
II vi n, l,so nr th, nld family plate al,
,inr~s If the Srvres porcelain dinner an