^^-^^^ ^". % ^^0^ v^ .•j:^'* <^. 'oK ^^-^^ - -i^ . -• • 5- ^- • a\' "^** • • . • "^0^ o. -' C^ * A - . . . .C*" "^ '" • » • -A <> ' • • • >^ • '^^. *'-•' s^"^ "^o^ 5>'^, 'A^ • .^^-"^ Remarks Suggested by Three Autograph Letters James T. Edwards / a C^nytk-^t-- <2a:A-S. T-cy^^<2:JL /<- /'>'. <2<2Z^^z''<2 2- <;Z^ ^ ^V^T, j ^ • /■- '> * ' • >L. / ' •^,- ^ ;? , . . ^ : .. _ '-_■- ^- ^ 4-'c--f^ i- ..<: X .i"<^ '^ ^>i2.xSf•^»- ^^«. ^C^- . _ , ^ , y^ ^j^ yC^^-^^;ir.y''-^> •^~- -' y£^-^ ^ t' ^ i^ ii^ /^ct. A /t-^^ 'Zy/^-> -'■ c^.t^{ £^^ ^x-jk. /y' . -.' i ^.. c,~ v^i-v- <^.<.->v. >^ 7' ■ r^ >'»' , >" '' yy - ^ ^ . ^-f^ .^^^ ^ ' ^ ^ - . ' , y ^ > ^ '^ . ^ Washington's headquakters at newburgh. REMARKS SUGGESTED by Three Autograph Letters of GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON Delivered before the McDonogh School October 19, 1897, by JAMES T.^'EDWARDS McDonogh, Md. Printed by Boys of the School 1897 GIFT MRS. WOODRCW WILSON NOV. 25, 1939 ADDRESS. It has seemed to me appropriate to commence our course of lectures for the winter by talking to you about three autograph letters, two of which were written by General Washington, and one by his wife. There is special propriety in such a talk being given to-day, as this is the anniversary of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, which virtu- ally ended the Revolutionary War, and crowned with success the efforts of Washington and his associates. The thoughts suggested by these le.tte?;s may help to inspire you to become loyal, patriotic citizens. Washington is the greatesft of Americans, and the best teacher by example of the things for which every citizen of this country should strive. There has been much debate in regard to the question, what knowledge is worth most, but it has been generally agreed that boys should learn at school what they will use when they become men. It is not always f^ote. — Some time since, Mr. German H. Hunt gave to the library of McDonogh School photographic negatives of three auto- graph letters, two of which were written by Washington, and one by Martha Washington. The engravings in this pamphlet are fac- similes of the originals. 2 THREE AUTOGj^ni LETTERS easy to know beforehand what tasks they will be called upon to perlonn ; there is, however, one line ol duties to which every boy in the United States will certainly be called — he will be a citizen of a great, free, enlightened country, and must bear some part in managing its affairs. He may not become a farmer, engineer, lawyer or doctor, but he must be a citizen, unless he is like the unfortunate described by Dr. Edward Everett Hale in his remarkable story, "A man without a country." Boys, I salute you, citizens of the great Republic, future rulers of what will undoubtedly be, in your own time, the most powerful and influential nation in the world. You must strive to be like Washington ; not that you will be as great, wise and famous, but you may have his spirit and patriotism. What is patriotism ? The love of country. How may a boy become strong in the love of country ? By learning how much there is in that country worthy to inspire love. Let me help you to set about a line of study which should be life-long and aid in making you appreciate your noble birthright. In trying to understand how great and worthy your country is, your inquiries may take three directions : first, find out about its natural resources, — its extent of territory, mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, its treasures of mineral wealth, its glorious forests, fertile plains, its beauty and sublimity, the amazing variety and richness of its products, the healthfulness of its climate, and the advantages of its situation ; second, you should learn about its people, insti- tutions and methods of government, its industries, manufactures, commerce, cities, and especially such facts as will make you intelligent voters, well acquainted with the relations of the citizen to the township, city, state and nation; third, nothing tends more strongly to cultivate the love of country than to become familiar with the biographies of the nation's noble THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS 3 men and women — those who have served it with distinction, soldiers, statesmen, orators, scholars, inventors, authors, min- isters, philanthropists, artists, and those less prominent but not less patriotic who have been the pioneers of its settle- ments, who have levelled its forests, fought its battles, and on sea and land have made the stirring chapters of our history. Such studies will make you proud of your coun- try and anxious to perform a manly part in imitation of so much that is worthy. This day naturally invites us to a brief study in the third department of inquiry which I have mentioned — the lives of the nation's noble men and women ; but as we spend only a few minutes here this afternoon, we have just time enough to consider some things connected with a few men and historical events which are suggested by the reading of three letters. The first was written to Major George Augustine Wash- ington, nephew of the President. Newdurgh 14 Nov. 1782 Dear Georjje, I have received your letter of tlie 23d. ulto. from Berkeley & am sorry to find tliat your fever & pain in Breast still continues — If they have not left you 'ere this gets to hand, you had in my opinion best take a trip southward— Dr. Craik advises one to the West Indies if there is the least appearance of disorder falling upon the lungs:— the only objection I see to this is, that the Vessel may be captured & a disagreeable captivity— perhaps imprison- ment—may add to your complaints ; when possibly a southern climate during the winter may be equally effecatious If you should make choice of the latter experiment to recover your health & should go as far as the Southern Army, this letter shown to General Green, will, I am persuaded, procure you every aid, assistance, and advice that may be in his power to afford you ; & I request you to make use of it accordingly. 4 THREE AUTOGRAP^LETTERS The Army has retired into Winter Quarters — tlie principal part of it in this vicinity, where I liave taken and sliall remain in the same confined Quarters I had last spring. There is no duty for you to return to at present, consequently there can be no cause for your anxiety to rejoin the Army,— but if there was, ill health is a suffi- cient plea for absence, & an attempt to recover it, a consideration to which every other should yield. — We have no certainty of what the British Cabinet design, — various are the reports and all equally vajjue, — My own opinion of the matter is, tliat the unwillingness of the King & his present Prime Minister Lord Shelburn to acknowledge tiie Independency of this country, is such, as to induce them to trust to the chapter of accidents ( altho' by so doing they hazard all ) rather than swallow tiiis bitter pill. — The negociations are going on — but very limpingly— this winter will, no doubt, bring them to a conclusion ; but whether they will terminate in a peace or protraction of the war, is beyond my ken. — Remember me in the most affectionate manner to your Father, Mother & all friends; and be assured that I am with great truth, & affection, & best wishes for your recovery, — Yrs G. Washington. While these letters are not without some defects in spelling and punctuation, one cannot fail to notice the neat- ness and clearness with which they are wiitten, especially those of Washington ; the penmanship is handsome and they furnish a very good illustration of the painstaking thorough- ness with which he performed all his duties whether little or great. When he was a boy, his copy books showed the same accuracy which characterizes the account books and state papers of his later life. In one of his miscellaneous books, when he was under sixteen years of age he wrote out for his guidance fifty-seven "Rules of behaviour in com- pany and conversation," and added several moral maxims, the last of which gives the key to his character: "Labor to THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS 5 keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, Conscience." The three places where these letters are dated are well worthy of our remembrance in connection with the struggle for independence and the organization of our government ; they are Newburgh on the Hudson, Mount Vernon by the Potomac, and Philadelphia on the Delaware. The first is situated on the west side of the beautiful river, often called the Rhine of America, sixty miles north of New York, just above the High- lands, in which locality were enacted so many stirring scenes during the Revolution. The old Dutch house, built of stone, where the first of these letters was written, is now owned by the state and is annually visited by thousands of people. Here Washington performed the noblest act in his great career by declining to become a king, and thereby proved to the world how unselfish and pure was his love of country. You must know that the long war had impoverished the people and there was great discontent in the army because neither officers nor soldiers had received any pay for many months. Congress saw no way to help them, and many people seriously doubted whether such a government as existed would be strong enough to rule the country efficiently. They thought it would be better to model our government after that of Great Britain and have a king. When approached upon this subject, Washington replied as follows : "I am at a loss to conceive what part of my conduct could have given encouragement to an address which to me seems big with the greatest mischief that can befall my country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable. Let me conjure you, then, if you have any regard for your country, concern for yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your mind and THREE AUTOGRA£iI I.K ITKUS /^i never communicate from yourself or any one else a senlinient of a like nature." With tact and kindness but with the greatest firmness he counselled patience and utterly refused to listen to any sug- gestions of personal ambition. Thus, like Cincinnatus, he was even greater in declining and surrendering power, than in assuming responsibility when summoned by the call of duty. You will notice that Washington, in the letter, refers to the delay in securing peace. Cornwallis had surrendered his whole army of about eight thousand men at Yorktown on the 19th of October, 1781, yet, at this date, November 14, 1782, George III. still refused to let the colonies go free ; but, only sixteen days after this, a preliminary treaty of peace was signed by the Commissioners at Paris. This was not fully ratified, however, until five months later. Here at Newburgh a cessation of hostilities was proclaimed April 19, 1783, just eight years to a day from the battle of Lexington, where the first blood was shed in behalf of independence. The proclamation of peace was read at the head of every regiment, and Washington issued orders that "the chaplains of the several brigades will render thanks to Almighty God for all his mercies, particularly for his overruling the wrath of man to his own glory and causing the rage of war to cease among the nations." MT. VERNON. THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS 7 Fifteen miles south of the capital, on the west bank of the Potomac, amid beautiful scenery, is Mt. Vernon, a shrine toward which the loving thought of every American turns. Forty years ago, the house and six acres of land surrounding it were purchased by the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association for two hundred thousand dollars, and the place is now pre- served as a national possession. It was named for Admiral Vernon, with whom Lawrence Washington, an older half-brother of George, served in the British Navy. Here Washington spent his happiest days, and here he died December 14, 1799, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, his last words being, "It is well." The letter which follows suggests many interesting in- quiries, but is unusually valuable as revealing his fondness for rural life, his love of trees, and his desire to advance the material interests of the states by facilitating transportation, of which, we must infer from what he writes about the difficulties of travel, the whole country stood sadly in need. Mount Vernon 6th Jan. 1785 Dear Georjie, As soon as I got your letter announcing your intention of spending the winter at Charleston I wrote you by Post under cover to Col' Willm Washington — sometime after by Mr Laurens — by whom also I forwarded the articles of clothing you desired might be sent to you — there can be little doubt (as the Post now goes regularly) of both getting to hand. I need not therefore repeat any part of the contents of those letters. — I had the pleasure to hear yesterday from Col' Parker of Norfolk — that you had left the Island of Bermuda with encreased health. — I flatter myself the mildness of a Southern winter will perfectly restore you — in addition to this, a trip in the Packet to Philadelphia when you determine to return to Virginia may be of service — this at a proper season w. be I conceive the easiest, cheapest, and best method of getting back, as the Stage from Philadelphia comes to 8 THREK AUTOGKAPH LKTTERS ^GRJ Alexandiia twice a week regularly — You would by this iiitMiis avoid the dreary roads & bad accomodation wliicli is to be en- countered I am told all throu<;li North Carolina. — Since my last Col' IJassett has been here and brought up Fanny, who is here with us. — She has been sick all the Fall, as most others in this country have been — she is not yet recovered ; but the change of air and exercise will soon give her health. We have nothing new in this Quarter — our assembly has been sitting since the middle of last October — but we have little infor- mation of what they have done— A plan is set on foot for improv- ing & extending the navigation of this river by private subscription & opening a good road between it and tlie nearest western waters — I hope it will succeed, as the Assemljly of this state & Maryld. seem disposed to give it their Countenance. If it is not too late in the Season to obtain them, I wish you would procure for me in S' Carolina a few of the acorns of the live Oak — and the seeds of the Evergreen Magnolia — this latter is called in Millers Gar- deners dictionary greater Magni)lia — it rises according to his ace' to the height of Eighty feet or more, flowers early and is a beautiful tree — but unless these seeds grow in cones and the cones are yet on the Trees, there is no chance of obtaining them at this season, in which case prevail on Col' Washington, or some acquaintance on whom you can depend to supply me next seed time. — The Acorns and seeds of every kind should be put in dry sand as soon as they are gathered, and tiie box which contains tlieni might ( if no oppertunity offers to Alexandria, be sent either to Mt. Vernon or Norfolk, or to Col' Biddle of Philadelphia with a request to forward it safely & by first oppertunity. — If there are any other trees ( not natives with us) which would be ornamental in a grove or forest and would stand our climate I should be glad to procure the seeds of them in the way above mentioned. All here unite in best wishes for you. and Mrs. Washington too joins me in compliments to Col' Washington and Lady, & other friends of our acquaintance. With great esteem and regard I am Dr George Yr Affect friend G, Washington. THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS 9 P. S. Your father and family were well some little time ago and I have heard nothing to the contrary since. G W. Col. Wm. Washington to whom reference is made in this letter was a kinsman of Washington, and like him was tall and well formed — General Washington was six feet two inches in height. William Washington was an able soldier, frank, generous and popular with the army, but very modest and no orator. It is said that he declined an election to the Legislature because he could not make a speech. He was ingenious in stratagem as well as brilliant in a charge. At Clermont he captured a log fort defended by an embankment and abatis, by bringing up a quaker gun, which consisted of a log, shaped and painted like a cannon, mounted on two wagon wheels. Deploying his cavalry he sent in a flag summoning the garrison to sur- render instantly upon pain of having their castle battered about their ears. Col. Rugely, the commander, and one hundred and twelve men gave themselves up as prisoners of war, outnumbering their captors. At the battle of Cowpens he charged with his dragoons upon Col. Tarleton, the latter narrowly escaping capture. This gave rise to a keen retort made by an American lady, Mrs. Ashe. One day in her presence Col. Tarleton sneeringly remarked, "I would be happy to see this Col. Washington." She promptly replied, "If you had looked behind you. Col. Tarleton, at the battle of Cowpens, you might have had that pleasure." Nothing can be more delightful than the picture of Washington's domestic and social life at the time this letter was written. The war was ended, the land free, and while many grave matters of state remained to be settled, for a brief interval he enjoyed sweet repose and those peaceful occupa- tions which always possessed for him the greatest charm. lO THREE AUTOGRAl'Il LETTERS Washington Irvint^, whose Hie oi Washington you would all enjoy reading, in a delightful way decribes him as engaged, this very year (1785), in beautifying his grounds and indulging to the fullest extent his love of nature. He says : "We find in his diary, noted down with curious exactness, each day's labor and the share he took in it ; his frequent rides to the Mill Swamp, Dogue Creek, the Plantation of the Neck, and other places along the Potomac in quest of young elms, ash trees, white thorn, crab apples, maples, mulberries, willows and lilacs : the winding walks which he laid out, and the trees and shrubs he plants along them. Now he sows acorns and buckeye nuts brought by himself from the Monongahela ; now he opens vistas through the Pine Grove, commanding distant views through the woodlands ; and now he twines round his columns scarlet honeysuckles which his gardener tells him will blow all summer. His care worn spirit freshens up in these employments. With him Mt. Vernon is a kind of idyl. The transient glow of poetical feeling which once visited his bosom, when in boyhood he rhymed beneath its groves, seems about to return once more ; and we please ourselves by noting, among the trees set out by him, a group of young horse- chestnuts from Westmoreland, his native county, the haunt of his schoolboy days, which had been sent him by Colonel Lee (Light Horse Harry), the son of his "Lowland Beauty." A diagram of the plan in which he had laid out his grounds still remains among his papers at Mount Vernon ; the places are marked on it for particular trees and shrubs. Some of those trees and shrubs are still to be found in the places thus assigned to them. It is deeply interesting to find traces of these toils in which Washington delighted, and to know that many of the trees that give Mount Vernon its present um- brageous beauty were planted by his hand." It is perhaps amid such familiar scenes as these that THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS II Washington brings himself most completely within the range of ordinary sympathy and appreciation. After all, the boy and the man are greater than the Commander-in-chief and the President. There is something awe-inspiring and remote, especially to boys, in the Washington of the canvas and the marble. The majestic face of yonder picture looks down benignantly upon us, but there is such impressiveness about his person, particularly when associated with his great qualities, to say nothing of the impossible virtues which some historians have attributed to him, that he does not always stand before the youthful mind as warm flesh and blood, with passions like our own. Think to-day, if you will, of Washington the boy and the man, rather than the warrior and the ruler. The former made possible the latter. His running, leaping, wrest- ling, pitching quoits and throwing bars, swimming, riding, rowing, fishing, hunting, and all other youthful exercises in which he delighted, were the expression of a robust healthy nature, and fitted his body and resolute spirit for endurance and the performance of worthy deeds. He was at school to nature for the training of the clear eye, the quick ear, strong hand, swift foot and healthy brain. There was a relation between that tossing of the silver dollar (Irving says it was a stone) across the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, and his "flinging an English sovereign across the Atlantic." I like to commend to you to-day this spirited boy, this lover of horses, and dogs ; the lad who liked to stop with his gun the wild duck's flight, and feel the keen thrill along his nerves when a big fish struck his hook ; this youth who, long before his majority, was surveying the wilderness, fording its streams, or, in perilous journey over the Alleghanies, matching his strength and skill against those of the savage lords of the forest. This was 12 THRKK AUTOGRArH LETTFRS "manual training" of a very substantial kind in a ruj^ged yet kindly school. There is an increasing interest in the efitbrts of educators to realize the ancient ideal of "a sound mind in a healthy body." You are to be congratulated in having here at McDonogh, on this wide estate, so many opportunities for strengthening and perfecting that delicate and wonderful instrument of the soul, the human body. But some may say, "All cannot be large and powerful like Washington, and some may have infirmities which are beyond remedy." To such there comes the comforting assurance that the will is superior to the flesh. Dr. Kane, the arctic explorer, always a man of delicate health, once said, "The will can lift the body out of its boots." Lord Nelson had but one eye, and a left arm only, and was generally sick when the sea was rough, but he became the greatest of naval heroes and won the battle of Trafalgar. The Duke of Turenne, the ablest general France has produced next to Napoleon, was a physical coward. One day, as he was mounting his horse upon the eve of a great battle, he said to his trembling knees, "You would tremble worse if you knew where I am going to take you to-day." Never forget that while physical perfection is greatly to be desired the soul may be and should be king of the body. Martha Washington survived her husband two years and a half. Shordy before her death she destroyed her entire correspondence with him, not wishing that their confidences should become a subject for public discussion. The letter which follows is devoted to domestic affairs, but there are allusions which suggest matters of general importance. Philadelphia, July tlie 29111 1794 My dear Fanny I am Rlad to hear by your letter of last week that you and your cliildren are all well— I ihank you for your kind offer of THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS I3 liaviiig tlie curtains taken down — I shall be obliged to you" to make Caroline take all the curtains and winder curtains down and all the cotton curtains washed before they are put away — be so good my dear Fanny to have everything in the garrets cared out, to air all the beds and bed clothes of all sorts and kinds A good airing now may serve till the spring. I am truly sorry to hear that Mrs. Craik is so much afflicted, as it was an event that she must have expected long before it happened, I really pity them both — I have often been told that he was a very promising youth. I think that the President is very much the same as he was when he came home, the complaint in his back confines him a good deal to the liouse, he has never been on horseback since his return nor does he seem to have any inclination to ride on horseback — Nellie went up to the Delaware works last week to Mr. Morris Country seat she was to return tomorrow but there has been so much rain that it will be very inconvenient to travel for this day or two— when the rain holds up — this is the third day it has been raining. Wash and myself are very well Mr. Dandridge is better— I don't.know what is tiie matter with him — he has never been well since he came from Mount Vernon— he was sick all the time he was there in the fall — My love to tiie children— the President joins me in love to you— be so good as to remember me to Mrs Craik and all inquir- ing friends. I am my dear Fanny your most affectionate M. Washington. I expect to go to Germantown sometime this week I hope the change of air will be of service to us all— it is about six miles from this city. The Fanny addressed was a niece of Mrs. Washington and the wife of her husband's nephew, George Augustine Washing- I4 THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS ton. After his death, she became the second wife of Mr. Lear, a warm i'riend of the President, whom he served as secretary, and wlio has given us the fullest account of his death. Mrs. Washington was short in stature, having light hair and hazel eyes. Mr. Custis, her first husband, was nearly twice her age when he married her at the age of sixteen. While in every way fitted to adorn her high station it will be seen from this letter that she was also an excellent housekeeper. She was very industrious, and during the dreadful winter at Valley Forge she set an excellent example to the wives of officers by knitting stockings for the soldiers. This letter was written in Philadelphia, where Congress had just been in session, having adjourned June 9, 1794. Its meetings had been held in the old State House, now called Independence Hall, one of the most celebrated structures in the United States ; for here the Declaration of Independence was voted July 4, 1776, and here assembled the Convention, presided over by Washington, which framed the Constitution. The famous bell of Independence Hall first rang out the message of freedom. It had often been used before to sound alarms or lead rejoicings. At midnight, October 23, 1781, a tired horseman rode into the city and knocked so loudly at the door of Thomas McKean, President of Congress, that a watchman threatened to arrest him. Put his rudeness was overlooked when his tidings were told. When the watch- man, going his rounds, next announced the hour, he added "All's well, and Cornwallis is taken." Then this old Liberty bell roused the people from their slumbers with its loudest peals of rejoicing. Philadelphia was at this time the largest city in the Union. It had sixty thousand inhabitants. Now it has more than one million one hundred and fifty thousand. Marvelous growth for a hundred years ! It was at the date of •^rr A.i'v A'^ /X. .WC, A'*--'' ^-"^ f ^.^>'~t */.^t J>V^ ^.^A^^ ; i<^iti.v - ^ iZv>v.v <->v.T -x/^^y v:^ ;%_*. Vv^-?Vv w^c "i ^.<•^^ .'V'-^ C7 ■v ^ - ", ft k .^^ : "^"^^ ^^; -^ '^ x^- ^ . / "^ ^yW. INDEPENDENCE HALL. INDEPENDENCE HALL IN 1876. THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS I5 this letter the seat of government. Washington with his family was still detained in the city though Congress had adjourned. It is worth remembering that nine different places have served as the capital of the country. Named in their geographical order from north to south they are as follows : New York, Princeton, Trenton, Philadelphia, Lancaster, York, Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington — the last continuously since 1800. Washington was now serving his second term. He was inaugurated April 30, 1789. Since that time inaugurations have taken place on the 4th of March, although, for several reasons, it would be better to have them occur on the former date, which marks the time when the new government went into full operation under the Constitution. Washington de- clined an election for a third term. We have had two kinds of government in this country. Colonial and National. The colonies were of three kinds as to the manner in which they were governed. One was ruled by a man called the Proprietor, who had obtained by purchase or otherwise great privileges from the King of England. Maryland under Lord Baltimore is an illustration of this. Other colonies, like New York and Virginia, were ruled by governors sent out directly by the English sovereign. The third kind, like Connecticut, received a charter from the king, which defined their duties and guaranteed their rights. Such charters were highly prized : you will remember the incident of the Charter Oak. The colonies sometimes came together in the persons of their delegates, to act as one, in times of common peril, especially during the Revolution. They were first called the "United States of America" in the Declaration of Independence, in 1776. For five years after this they were held together by their mutual interests in the l6 THREE AUTOGRAril LETTERS war, without any written bonds of union, being governed, with general consent, by the will of Congress. On March 2, 1781, Congress assembled under the direction of a set of laws called the Articles of Confederation, to which all the states agreed ; but these laws were soon shown by experience to be very defective, and after much discussion they were laid aside and all the people of the states agreed that they would be governed in accordance with another series of fund- amental laws which, taken together, are called the Constitution of the United States. As mentioned before, this went into operation at the time of Washington's inauguration, and has remained, with but few changes, the law of the land ever since. All laws made by Congress or the legislatures of the states must be in accord with the Constitution. To repeat, it will be seen that our country as a nation has been governed in three different ways, as follows : For the first five years the will of Congress was supreme ; from 1 78 1 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation were the law of the nation ; since that time we have been under the Consti- tution. Some reference should be made to three persons men- tioned in the letter of Mrs. Washington. Mr. Dandridge to whom she alludes was doubtless a relative, as this was her maiden name, she being a daughter of Mr. John Dandridge. Mrs. Craik was the wife of Dr. James Craik who for forty five years was devotedly attached to Washington, sharing many of his dangers, and was present at his bedside to per- form the last sad offices of affection in the closing scene. Washington once spoke of him as "My compatriot in arms, my old and intimate friend." Dr. Craik has given us an interesting fact in connection with his commander at the battle of Monongahela where THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS I7 Braddock was defeated. An Indian chief told him some years after, that he had been on a visit to Colonel Wash- ington, who, he believed, was under the especial protection of the Great Spirit and bore a charmed life ; for in this fight he had fifteen fair shots at him, and had also ordered his warriors to fire at him. Washington was unhurt, al- though every other mounted officer was either killed or disabled, and he received four bullets through his coat and had two horses shot under him. The "Mr. Morris" mentioned was Robert Morris, the great financier, who again and again aided the government by raising money to feed, clothe, and equip the soldiers. It has been said that without him the campaign which resulted in the surrender of Cornwallis could not have been undertaken. Yet he spent four of his last years in a debtor's prison, it being then the cruel custom to imprison for debt. He had engaged with Gouverneur Morris in large commercial enterprises in the East Indies and China and finally lost his fortune. Washington and his wife wrote to Mrs. Morris, urging her to come to Mount Vernon and stay under their roof as long as she should find it convenient, saying, "Be assured that we ever have and still do retain the most affectionate regard for you, Mr. Morris and the family." Gouverneur Morris, who was so closely associated in business with Robert Morris, was the person into whose hands was placed the draft of the Constitution of the United States for final revision. He was a man of dauntless courage. Being in Paris during the French Revolution, his carriage was attacked by a mob who cried "Aristocrat." He thrust his wooden leg out of the carriage window and shouted, "An Aristocrat ! yes, one who lost his leg in the cause of American Liberty !" They cheered, and let him pass. l8 THREE AUTOGRAPH LETTERS One other scene is suggested by this letter. On the day of the funeral of Washington, Congress was assembled in Independence Hall. A profound sadness oppressed the members. Although four days had clasped since the death of Washington, such were the difficulties of communicating intelligence that they had just learned of this event. The next morning, John Marshall, afterwards for thirty-four years Chief Justice of the United States, arose on the floor of Congress and delivered an eloquent eulogy upon the character and services of the illustrious dead ; he concluded his address by reading resolutions of respect which had been prepared by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. These close with the familiar words which will always be associated with the name of Washington, — "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his fellow-citizens." f 84 •-"^^^ ... V "^ ,<^^ .... "V^ •-'\.^° ... '^^. 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