New-York tribune., 1890-04-20
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
WASHINGTON RELICS OFFERED TO THE
GOVERNMENT
SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE PREsIDENT-A THRIFTY
MEMBER OF THE HoUsE-IHE SPEAKER
HUMOROUS MooD-PHILAN
TUgcPY on CREDIT.

Wash
qinia submitted in the senate the other day bill
.o,dirc for the nrchasc cf certain original Journals
o,d o,bcr relics CT George Washington. now owned
hv Lawrence Washington, Of Fauqucr County, Va
,ccomnanying the bill is q Ii. Of the articles, a.
follows: \ Journal kcp; by Washington the greater
mart Of which Is in his own handwriting from March,
i-o3 70 March 1907: a pitcher that belonged to
pnshrod Washington a statuettc Of Neckcr ; sword
broken at the point and the scabbard missing spy
class 1b,cct glass hrokcn: four engravngS. In cir
crlor frames colorcd picture in frame, view of an
old chuch near Limerick (glaSs brokcm; portat oi
:. robn in frame. picture in frame. entitled g FAN
~ the Bastllcr mirror. badly broken. All oi thcsc
o,iccts. with the exception OF the pitcher were IN
hor,,od nv Lawrence Washington. the present owner
from his father Colonel John Augustine Washington
and bv him Inherited from Judge BGshTod Washington,
=, ,rho, thcv ,rcre bcaucathcd by George Washington
rho communication also gives clauses Of Washingtons
will Lcoueathng these articles, ana also quotes from
Loss,ng's History as 10 INC mehuy OF 'hc articcs'
of the sword Lawrence Washington says that during
thc Civil War il was laid with other valuablcs In an
old n,ccon house on the property Of Edward C.
Turner where II remained from 1901 TO the close OF
,ho war bu, II was so injured by dampneSs that the
,,,,o ,ras ol,ltcrated and the scabbard destroyed
r, c,rc NJ the destruction Of the Bastllc together
with IN. aev which was presented To the MI. vernon
Association. was placed in the hands OF Lafayette
and in 17so he sent II to Thomas Paine. thcn III
Iondon 10 he forwarded as present TO Washington
vith .lc.c LAFAYETTE mcloscd letter TO Washington
dated March u. in which lie >"u
..Givc me- leave my dear General. to present you
,et, picturc Of the Bastllc just 1t looked few
da,. oner ordered It's destruction. with the hey
- ,hc fortrcss of dc~pOtlsm. II Is tribute which
o,r to INV adopted father an aide dc-camp to my
conceal A. a missionary oi liberty 10 It's patriarch.
rhc whole collection remained at Mount Vernon
ur,u thc property sold to the Ladies' A'socia
,o,, and has Away been owned by the male mem
,'., q, vo.hiurton's family This Is the hr-t time
they have ever been offered for sale.
rho uon ~ Ecn.s Lc Fcvrc cx-Congrcssman from
onjo il very Justly noted for always having a good
and sufficient excuse for all his msdccd' as Wei aS
rc,dy answer for all pcrplcxlng questions. Not long
o he engaged himself to preside at dinner. and his
vel known ability to I'll ,ach an Office made atcipa
tlon run high. Bat when the time came no " zen.
Ic Fc,fc came with and the pleasure Of the dinner
tn.r,for, va. seriously marcd. \ Few DAYS later
one of tho ruc-i> met the c> Congressman and asked
him why be was not present. The expression tha'
,a.-ei over L. Tr,rcs ftcc plainly tod that ne an
rt-erly forgotten the dinner and this Wa, TIE 'i nm"
if had been recalled TO him. Iut he gathered himself
In an instant and said
WHY man. that dinner was on Wcdnc'day'
~Yc-.r
ash Wednesday,
yes
L. rcyrc stopped If that ought TO be explanation
enough.
what has Wednesday to do with it, asked
the intcrrosator.
~WAy blank II, man" sail Bcn.' " YOU don't sup
noe ! would preside AZ dinner on A-h -hNedncsdaS'
do Won, Do You think have no religious scruples
at all p
An amusing incident occurred at senator MoFrH 5
rccopiion ON Monday night. IL tho occasion 81 HIS
c,htictn BIRTHDAY. Although the President does no'
,,-ilallv appcar Al any but Cabinet houses, ne dc
n,rt,d from the custom IN this Instance aS an cpecal
u,rl 81 respect 70 the gentleman In whose honor Ic
rcccption WAS given Mrs. Harrison vas also pi'"ch'
and IN the carly part o. tho evening They sioH near
the host Later thcy moved into the second drawing
room While there IA. President noticed a lady smii
uq a; him. q. If .he expected some mark "i rc'"HhN
ton After awhile shc came toward him. 7tlll WIN
the same look Of expectancy. When quite near the
President gave her d., hand and said
"G0od evening. Madam. am slad 10 see YOU
She looked al hlm del. shtcdl' and said. Just iri'
sur, when saw you entering the room that Lad
,ue, g., known You. hut viii you excuse me II | ask
,on voar name II has slipped my memory
The people who heard 10 "nioycd the twinkle III
tho ,y. ard the ha humorous gravity on the Pr"'i-
don't. fac. a. hc couriroasl, gave the desired nfor
nation Iu another minute tho episode Vas being
l,,ailcd al o,cr the hoA-c.