Part 50 (2/2)

”He devoted one hour every other Tuesday, from three to four, to these visits. He understood himself to be visited as the _president_ of the United States, and not on his own account. He was then to be seen by anybody and everybody; but required that every one who came should be introduced by his secretary, or by some gentleman whom he knew himself. He lived on the south side of Chestnut street, just below Sixth. The place of reception was the dining-room in the rear, twenty-five or thirty feet in length, including the bow projecting into the garden. Mrs. Was.h.i.+ngton received visitors in the two rooms on the second floor, from front to rear.

”At three o'clock, or at any time within a quarter of an hour afterward, the visitor was conducted to this dining-room, from which all seats had been removed for the time. On entering, he saw the tall figure of Was.h.i.+ngton, clad in black velvet; his hair in full dress, powdered and gathered behind in a large silk bag; yellow gloves on his hands; holding a c.o.c.ked hat, with a c.o.c.kade in it, and the edges adorned with a black feather about an inch deep. He wore knee and shoe buckles; and a long sword, with a finely-wrought and polished steel hilt, which appeared at the left hip; the coat worn over the blade, and appearing from under the folds behind. The scabbard was white polished leather.

”He stood always in front of the fireplace, with his face toward the door of entrance. The visitor was conducted to him, and he required to have the name so distinctly p.r.o.nounced, that he could hear it. He had the very uncommon faculty of a.s.sociating a man's name and personal appearance so durably in his memory as to be able to call any one by name who made him a second visit. He received his visitor with a dignified bow, while his hands were so disposed as to indicate that the salutation was not to be accompanied with shaking hands. This ceremony never occurred in these visits, even with the most near friends, that no distinctions might be made.

”As visitors came in, they formed a circle around the room. At a quarter past three the door was closed, and the circle was formed for that day. He then began on the right, and spoke to each visitor, calling him by name, and exchanging a few words with him. When he had completed his circuit, he resumed his first position, and the visitors approached him in succession, bowed, and retired. By four o'clock this ceremony was over.

”On the evenings when Mrs. Was.h.i.+ngton received visitors, he did not consider _himself_ as visited. He was then as a private gentleman, dressed usually in some colored coat (the only one recollected was brown, with bright b.u.t.tons), and black on his lower limbs. He had then neither hat nor sword; he moved about among the company, conversing with one and another. He had, once a fortnight, an official dinner, and select companies on other days. He sat, it is said, at the side, in a central position; Mrs. Was.h.i.+ngton opposite; the two ends were occupied by members of his family, or by his personal friends.”

FOOTNOTES:

[152] Fraunces was a man of taste in his profession, and was fond of display, regardless of expense. On this account the president had frequent occasion to reprove him. He desired to live conformably to his high station, but he naturally abhorred waste and extravagance, and insisted that his household should be conducted with due regard to economy and usefulness. An ill.u.s.trative anecdote is given. The first shad of the season was bought by Fraunces for the table of Was.h.i.+ngton, who was very fond of fish. It was served for breakfast in the best style, and set before the president, who asked the steward, ”What kind of fish is this?”--”A fine shad,” replied Fraunces. ”It is very early in the season for shad,” said the president; ”how much did you pay for it?”--”Two dollars,” responded the steward. ”Two dollars!” exclaimed the president. ”I can never encourage this extravagance at my table; take it away--I will not touch it.” The shad was removed; and the steward, who felt no repugnance to the fish on account of its cost, made of it a hearty breakfast for himself.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON MEMORIALS.

In the Doric Hall of the Ma.s.sachusetts State House, in Boston, near Chantrey's statue of Was.h.i.+ngton, may be seen two stones with inscriptions commemorative of the father and uncle of the two Was.h.i.+ngtons who emigrated to America in 1657, as mentioned on page 20 of Volume I. The history of these stones is revealed in the following correspondence:

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, COUNCIL CHAMBER, BOSTON, March 15, 1861.

_To the Honorable House of Representatives:_

I have the honor to present to the General Court, as a gift to the Commonwealth of Ma.s.sachusetts from one of its citizens, certain memorials of great historic interest.

The home and resting-place of the ancestors of GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON were until recently unvisited by and unknown to Americans. In the genealogical table appended to the ”Life of Was.h.i.+ngton” by our distinguished fellow-citizen, Mr. Jared Sparks, it is stated that Lawrence Was.h.i.+ngton, the father of John Was.h.i.+ngton (who emigrated to Virginia in 1657), was buried at Brington; but though both Mr.

Sparks and Was.h.i.+ngton Irving visited Sulgrave, an earlier home of the Was.h.i.+ngtons, neither of these learned biographers appear by their works to have repaired to this quiet parish in Northamptons.h.i.+re.

Our fellow-citizen, the Honorable Charles Sumner, on a recent visit to England, identified certain inscriptions in the parish church of Brington, near Althorp, as being those of the father and uncle of John Was.h.i.+ngton, the emigrant to Virginia, who was the great-grandfather of the Father of his Country.

Earl Spencer, the proprietor of Althorp, so honorably known as an early advocate of parliamentary reform, sought out the quarry from which, more than two centuries ago, these votive tablets were taken, and caused others to be made which are exact _facsimiles_ of the originals. These he has presented to Mr. Sumner, who has expressed the desire that memorials so interesting to all Americans may be placed where they may be seen by the public, and has authorized me to offer them to the Commonwealth, if it be the pleasure of the Legislature to order them to be preserved in some public part of the State House.

I send with this a letter addressed to myself by the learned historian of Was.h.i.+ngton, bearing testimony to the great interest of these memorials, and expressing the desire that they may (Mr.

Sumner a.s.senting) be placed in the Capitol.

A letter from Mr. Sumner to Mr. Sparks also accompanies this Message, describing the church at Brington, and some of the a.s.sociations which cl.u.s.ter around the resting-place of the ancestors of our Was.h.i.+ngton.

JOHN A. ANDREW.

MR. SPARKS TO THE GOVERNOR.

CAMBRIDGE, February 22, 1861.

DEAR SIR: I enclose a copy of a highly interesting letter from Mr.

Charles Sumner, describing the church at Brington, near Althorp, in Northamptons.h.i.+re. In this church were deposited the remains of Lawrence Was.h.i.+ngton, who was the father of John and Lawrence Was.h.i.+ngton, the emigrants to America, and who was therefore the last English ancestor of George Was.h.i.+ngton. A copy of the inscription on the stone which covers the grave of Lawrence Was.h.i.+ngton, and also of another inscription over the grave of his brother Robert Was.h.i.+ngton, who was buried in the same church, are given with exactness in Mr. Sumner's letter. As far as I am aware, these inscriptions are now for the first time made known in this country.

The Earl Spencer has sent to Mr. Sumner two stones, being from the same quarry, and having the same form and dimensions as the originals, and containing a _facsimile_ of the inscriptions. It has been suggested that these stones ought to be placed in the State House, where they may be accessible to the public, and my opinion on the subject has been asked. As they are unquestionably genuine memorials of the Was.h.i.+ngton family, and possess on this account a singular historical interest, I cannot imagine that a more appropriate disposition of them could be made. I understand that Mr. Sumner would cheerfully a.s.sent to such an arrangement, and I cannot doubt that your Excellency will be well inclined to take such measures as may effectually aid in attaining so desirable an object.

I am, Sir, Very respectfully yours,

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