The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-06-15

1u6 SCCIy IIoIn SAo S~AA
lows:
Exhibited i'm Baltimore.
ssThe eyes of the people of Balti-
more are just now gratifled with the
exhibition of a magnificent relic OF
Revolutionary times, which belongs
to South Carolina, and which we
should earnestly wish might still con-
tinue to be possessed in this State.
This is the gold, and richly diamond
ed snuff box, which was presented
by Louis XVI, king of France, to Col.
John Laurens, the EBayard,' as he
was called, of the Revolution, the
aid-de-camp, and intimate friend and
correspondent of Washington, who,
with Alexander Hamilton, more COM
pletely shared the confidence of that
great chieftain than almost any other
persons, and to both Of whom he so
frequently confided the task of fur
nishing his correspondence from his
own notes and memoranda. The box,
which has so lon g been an heirloom
of the Laurens family, is of the pur-
est gold, the exterior beautifully
enamelled and studded with dia-
monds. The top contains finely
painted miniature of the king, encir-
cled by thirty-four diamonds. Twen-
ty-four. diamonds encircle it's outer
edge.
Valued at $4,000.
ssIt's value was estimated, III
money, at $4,000. But it possesses
value beyond that which lies in it's
gold and diamonds. AS the memorial
of a great king, presented by his own
hands to one of the bravest chieftains
of the Revolutionary war, under pc
culiar circumstances, it is one OF
those relics of eventful times which
q family will always fondly cherish,
and which the collector Of beautiful
antiquities will eagerly seek to Sc
cure. The circumstances under
which this costly gift was made to
Col. Laurens involve, of themselves,
q very interesting history. The read
er who is curious will find this his
tory in one of the early numbers of
the American Quarterly Review, pub
lished in Philadelphia, under the edi-
torial charge of Robert Walsh. We
condense the substance of this his
tory in few sentences. 1t was at
the most trying period Of the war,
when the exigencies of the American
army had reached it's utmost point at
which it could endure and hope, that
it became necessary to appoint a
special minister from the army itself,
and under the special appointment of
Washington, to solicit material aid
from the crown of France to save the
country from the reconquest of Great
Britain.
Laurens Chosen for Mission.
Franklin was our minister at the
French court, but was doing nothing,
and it was very we'll understood In
the South, at least, that between
philosophical and scientific seances
and fashionable society, which he
greatly affected, he was neglectful OF
the interests of his country. Ver-
gennes, the French premier, was sup
posed to be adverse to sending the
desired succor to the Americans. He
was probably weak in the knees,
when he thought of the power of
Great Britain and the great conflicts
between that power and his own,
which were likely to follow from
French interposition. Nothing could
be done with him. To say the least
of it, he was cold. The mission was
a difficult and very delicate one; and
for this mission, Washington selected
John Laurens. He knew his man
Laurens was not merely daring sol.
dier, who had already acquired great
reputation for gallantry and gooo
conduct, but he was a courtly gen