Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-21

ton she used to entertain and console
her distinguished husband by playing
him sweet melodies and singing psalms
to her own accompaniment during the
dark and anxious hours that he passed in
this house in the most trying period of
the revolution.
Congress refused to support him: the
army was In revolt because of it's i'll
treatment and discomfort: the people OF
the entire colonies were discouraged but
il was only an illustration of the old
proverb that 1T is always darkest be-
fore dawn, for while his headquarters
were mere Washington saw the most SUBJ
stantlal victories of the war and the sue
cessful elimination of the long and he
roic struggle for independence.
Martha Washingtons watch is on ex-
hibition and another interesting relic is
a link of the chain that was stretched
across the Hudson 10 prevent the British
ships from coming up the river. 1t is
about two feet in length, six inches in
width and the iron is as large as mans
arm.
south side OF the grounds for which the
state legislature appropriated $4,000.
Quaint Hasbrouck House.
The Cd Hasbrock house is without
question the most interesting of all the
various buildings that are associated with
the revolutionary war excepting only
the mansion at Mount Vernon and Inde-
pendence Hall at Philadelphia, and it is
as quaint as It IS interesting. Mrs. Wash
ington accompanied her husband and
kept house for him during his entire stay
and two or three OF his aid-de-camps and
secretaries boarded with them.
Knox, Greene. Wayne, Hamilton, Steu-
ben. Rochambeau, Norris Lafayette and
almost all of the revolutionary heroes
visited him here and remained for days
at time as his guests. Some of the most
serious and consequential conferences OF
the entire revolutionary period We're held
around the d table which still remains
In tue room which Washington occupied
for his office, aud II the walls could speak
they might make .ome very important
contributions TO history.
Built by Patriot.
The house was built by Col. John Jona-
than Hasbrouck. a stanch patriot who
vacated it and offered II to Washington
for a residence. At that time it was sur
rounded by dense woods through whose
branches could he seen a score or more
of substantial. dwellings, which had taken
the place OF the log cabin of the earlier
settlers.
Beyond. north south and west. lay the
well titled DIS from which the farmers
drew their hardly raised crops over rutty
roads TO the village, to he shipped In
times of peace to New York, by s!oops,
"LicH SdllS0 lifllllST twice Il week, Tor al
ready Newburgh Was beginning to be
noted for its shipping. Tall masts were
frequently seen at the docks, for con-
siderable business was done direct with
Liverpool and the West Indies
Washington was living in the Has
brouck house at the time of the con-
spiracy 10 kidnap him. 1t was there he
refused the crown. You will remember
that short y before the evacuation of
New York by the British our troops were
IN state of mutiny because of their
treatment by Congress. They had not
been paid for a year and a half; they had
received no supplies of clothing, and dur
ing the closing months of the war. While
encamped about Newburgh. they were in
a desperate situation
Louis Nicola. colonel from Peunsvl-
vania, and Gen. John Armstrong. after
ward Madison's Secretary of War. after
many conferences with other officers. pre-
pared a memorandum setting forth the
advantages of monarchy over q re-
public. In the name of the officers of the
continental army they proposed to form
a liberal monarchy with Washington as
king.
Washington Refuses Crown.
The document was submitted to the
general at the Hasbrouck house. and