Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-31
EARLY VIRGINIA HISTORY.
TIE NAME OF MT. VERNON.
No II

! Mount Vernon and has read the story
of the services of the renowned patriot
whose dust is enshrined in its soil, not
one in hundred perhaps knows the
origin of the name.
James, the unfortunate Duke OF
Monmouth, nephew of Algernon Sid
ney, but who claimed to be the son of
Oh aries II. of England, and who by 8
life of intrigues sought to make himself
king and in consequence lost his life on
the scafold in 1855, had private Sec
retary named Vernon, who after the
dukes death found favor in influential
quarters and under the reign of Will
lam III. became Secretary of State.
He lett son, Edward, born 1854, who,
much against his fathers wishes and
rntreaties, entered the navy, and serv-
ng with distinction st the beginning OF
lis career rose eventually to the rank
admiral of the British navy. In
1922 he was elected to the House OF
"mmons. and having in July 1879 de-
Jared there in speech that Porto
& llo, coveted Spanish town on the
Suuth American coast, might be re
ia, ed with six sail Of the liue, and that
~ would stake his life and his
putation on the success of such
an expedition, he was according
in. despatched soon after with squad
ron to make the attempt then consid-
ed chin ericsl one He was succ, ss-
ful, and made himself exceeding Y pop
ulsr, at least with his men, by dstrib-
uting among them generous bounties
in captured Spanish doubloons, which
had Just arrived from Spain to pay the
Spanish troops defending the city. On
returning to England he was welcomed
with acclamation and his prowess as
naval com mmander was everywhere ac-
knowledged. He received the thanks
of both houses of parliament and was
voted the freedom of the city of Lon
don. From that time, however, his
star declined.
An expedition which he undertook
against Carthageua in l740-'42, signal
y failed of its purpose. Smollet, at
thst time naval surgeon, accompanied
the feet and has told the story OF it in
"Rhoderic Rsndom," one ofhis novels,
in which ne compares Vernon and Gen.
eral Wentworth, who at the attack
commanded the auxiliary land forces, to
Cesar and Pompey "The one," he
SAWS would not brook the authority OF
a superior, while the other was impa-
tient of that of an equal, so that be-
tween the pride of the one and the in
solence of the other the enterprise
was failure. A part of the land forces
under Wentworth auxiliary to Vernon
at Carthagena consisted Of regiment
of volunteers from Virginia in which
Lawrence Washington served as cap
tain, and apparently be was either very
f4vorably impressed with the personal
| qualities of the admiral or Of his abili-
ties as O commander, for he gave his
name to the new home which his father
! Augustine had been establishing for
him on the Potomac during his absence
on the seas, and so it came to pass thai
one of the fairest situations W lich ever
crowned river eXpanse or smiled be-
meath the radiance of summer sky has
been known the wide world over for q
hundred and fifty years rs Mount Yer
| non.
How this situation, the Ducleus of the
subs. quent great "estate" If eight
thousand acres became q part of the
| Washington possessions has already
been told in 8 previous paper OF this
series, the "O!d Mill at Epsewasson."
Lawrence Washington lived 10 enjoy
his new home but ten years. Alter his
death, in 1852, it became the inheritance
of his brother George by the provision
of his fathers will, contingent on the
death of Sarah, only surviving child Of
Lawrence and Anne Washington, which
occurred very soon after that of her
father.
It will be remembered that Lawrence
Washington through the Influence OF
his friend the admiral secured for his
brother George an appointment as mid
shipman in the British navy, which he
was only prevented from accepting by
| the earnest protestations and entreatles
of his mother, which saved him from a
life and career which might have given
him but little public prominence for
the mission which was to bring him his
world wide renown.
Vernon's popularity with the masses
| Oh tu6 IuSlISu pOOPio w GO 81 SAoNS NAS~'
despite his unfortunate Carthagena e1-
petition he was actually elected mem
ber of parliament from three districts at
the same time after his return. Prob
ably his known hostility to the OK
istiug government has much to dc with
his popularity. The enemies of Wal
pole exalted his praises till his heroism
was made proverb, his birthday sig,
nalized by celebrations and boDfires and
his head was selected as favorite or
lament for sign posts. In l745 he was
detailed to watch with his feet the
North sea, in view OF the movements
of the pretender's sdherents. The next
year serious quarrel ensued between
him and the British government which
resulted in his writing two pamphlets
which so much e1aspera'ed the authori
ties that by the Kings express COM
mand his name was stricken from the
list of the admirsls. He died in 1857 8.
his seat in Suffolk, and, notwithstand-
ing his disgrace, handsome monument
4 a l.