New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-23
RETROSPECTIVE CHANCES.
THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY AS HIS
TORY. FICTION AND PORTRAIT
URE SHOW HIM.

THE CONWAY LETTER OF GENERAL WASHING
TOMS TINE AS vExINa THEN AS THE
DE LONE MIssrvE OF TO-DAY.
Ono hundred and twenty years ago at this time
George Washington spending those anxious
and trying days Of which his winter at Valley
Forge gave him many. He was harassed on all
sides. and suffering too. from the unavo!d-
ably unpleasant suggestions which would ntrude
themselves in consequence Of tho trouble concern
Ing the extract Of General Conways letter to Cen
eral Gates. 1t had succeeded In making those VINO
knew Of It's existence and who were concerned in
it as anxious and uncomfortable, filling them with
as much amazement, at this time little more
than century later. the De LONE letter has done
for Washngton's latest successor.
Nor is this the only point OF history which In a
certain way repeats itself now. Tho struggling
colonists had been looking with longing eyes to a
great and established Power for help and recogni-
ton; thcy had asked and their fate had remained
undecided until in this month OF February Of the
year i778 France acknowledged the independence Of
the United States. and the treaty Of alliance and
commerce between the two nations was signed at
Paris. Benjamin Franklin acting in behalf Of tho
United States
True II Is that the same treaty was so broken
twenty years later that French cruisers were the
enemies OF American commerce. and war i'm
minent fortunately. however that calamity was
averted. and with lapse of friendship Americans
regard with gratitude the timely aid Of a
foreign people That aid Washington over apprc-
csted TO the full. and never failed to acknowledge
II beautiful Mount Vernon seems a spot OF rest
and peace to the tourist OF to-day, what must II
not have appeared to the war-weary man who re-
turned to It after many years Of hardshps. The
Congress Of Daughters OF the American Revou-
ton now meeting in the capital. will during the
week find one OF their plea santest days spent in a
m he n he
town OF Alexandria will be found to be almost the
quantity primitive village Of its earliest history.
when It reached only by the great stasecoach
or post carriage and the humming trolley was
undream med Of. So undsturbed and unaltered has
Alexandria remained that it has been called the
only finished town in America" Here stands the
old Christ Church. which contains the carefully
preserved pew OF the Commander n-Chef OF the
Continental Army; and the decorations OF which
In the vesry-room there are t, preserved among
ture. together with that Of seven other men; VINO
declared that their pews In this little church shall
he charged with an snnual ss,s, 96 iSs
fact that RH The hsss p,Ss gsS for pew
Weir Mitchell makes Jack Warder say OF the
say so He might have been. and yet have had hi.
hours Of unsoyerned rage or 0f Other yn 90
speech concerning his creed"
The art Of ietier-writng had not been lost in
those
times OF telegraphc dispatch and brevity. and
Hugh Wynne himself says OF Washingtons letters;
THE handwriting betrays no mark OF haste, ana
seems penned with such exactness as all his cor
respondence shows. 1t may be composed slowly;
and thus Of need written with no greater speed
than his thought permitted. ! at least found II
hard TO explain how. In the midst OF AFFAIRS wor-
rted Interrupted. distracted, he does at no time
show in his penmanship any sign OF haste
But then the era was not one or hurry. although
separate actions might require II.
The earliest portrait OF Washington was painted
when he was nineteen years OF age by John SYM
bert when thu two men met at the mansion OF
Lord Fairfax Following the custom OF the day,
Symbert travelled about the country. painting
portraits at any Of the big houses where his art
was appreciated and desired an interesting and
plea SAINT manner OF life for young men or those
fond Of country hospitality and country amuse-
ments This portrait is said by Judges to be an ex-
cellent picture and seems to be a good likeness
Colonel John Trumbul an ade-decamp Of Wash
ngton's was Of the best painters America mas mas
seen and a collector we'll To him - due inc
nreservaton of this earlier likeness Of a man whose
face in extreme youth gives evidence OF the char.
acter which distinguished him through oriiiah'
/