The Washington times., 1917-04-09
WASHINGTON RELICS
TO GO AT AUCTION
They Include Wine Glasses
Which Were Used At
Mt. Vernon.

NEW YORK, April 9.-Historical
original documents and letters relat-
ing to the formation of the Consti-
tuition OF the United States, will come
into the auction market when the
William Lanier Washington collection
| is placed on view in the Anderson
Galleries on April 12. Mr.. Washing
ton is a descendant of two of George
Washjngton's brothers, and is the
hereditary. representative of General
Washington in the Society Of the Gin
cinnati, the objects in the collection
having come to him by inheritance
through five family sources.
These relics include wine glasses
used at Mt Vernon, silver teaspoons,
plates. the sword belt buckle. that
Washington wore lin army service,
his silver drinking cups, snuffbox,
reading glass, writing case, the we'd
ding ring OF Washington's mother
and Martha Washington's purse. 1t
| IS the largest collection of relics of
George Washington that ever appear
| ed at auction. and II Is not likely
that any more important group Will
ever be sold. as most of the accredit-
ed relics are already In public
| museums.
The portraits include statuettes of
Washington and Franklin. busts, re-
lief portraits in wax and silver, Stat
| fordshire pieces. a painting of Wash
| ington by Rembrandt. Peale and
portrait of the mother of Washing
ton. This last Is of great interest,
| for the face has an unmistakable re-
semblance to the famous Gilbert
Stuart portrait of Washington, a
| work which while admired as a work
of art has not been accepted by all
critics as being the best likeness OF
the FIRST President. The portrait OF
the mother is so like that of the son,
however, that ii will more than ever
Confirm those who believe literally
as. well as aFtistically In Gilbert
Stuart
Attributed to Pine.
| Mrs. washington's portrait is at
tributed by Charles Henry Hart to
Robert Edge Pine, a British painter
who came to America in 1874 and died
in Philadelphia in 17sS. He went 70
Mt. Vernon to do a portrait of Wash
ington, as the great painter records
in his diary, and remained three
weeks, accomplishing In addition to
the portraits of Washington and
Fanny Bassett pictures OF Mrs. Wash
lngton's three grandchildren.
The historical documents consist Of
the Mason Papers" in regard to the
formation of the United States Consti-
tuition; the unpublished manuscript
journal Of James McHenry, a delegats
to the Constitutional Convention, re-
cording the events of the meeting:
Governor Randolph's draft, and let
tiers of Richard Henry Lee. in which
| - NJ ha nF,-tI Nryo y
The George Mason OF these docu-
ments was one of the greatest states
men OF Virginia. Jefferson described
him as a "nfan OF the first order OF
| wisdom" and Madison said he was the
ablest debater he had known. He II
was who drew up the twentyfour res
olutions in 1T74 recommending a Con-
gress and urging nonintercourse with
the mother country, and he drafted
the Declaration OF Rights and the
Constitution OF Virginia in 1870. He
repeatedly declined the highest public
offices. but served in the convention
to frame a Constitution for the United
States and was active in It's debates.
! hason's Dissatisfaction.
The documents show that he was
in favor of the establishment of the
House OF Representatives.. TO be elect
ed by the people. and the election Of
a President by the people for a term
of seven years with ineligibiIity after
ward. He was dissatisfied with the
extended and indefinite powers that
were conferred on Congress and the
President.
on his return to Virginia he was
chosen a member OF the convention to
which the Constitution was referred
for ratification or rejection. With
Patrick Henry and others he con-
tinued his efforts to make the Con-
stitution more democratic. Some Of
the amendments he proposed were
afterward adopted.
In James McHenry's journal of the
proceedings OF the Constitutional Con-
vention the following significant pas
sage occurs. 81 saw Mr.. Mercer make
out a list OF members names who
were attending the convention with
for or against marked opposite
most OF them-asked carelessly what
question occasioned his being so par
ticular. upon which he told me laugh
ingly that IL was no question. but
that those marked with a for were
for a king. ] then asked how he
knew that. to which he said, No mat
ter. the thing is So"