A pictorial description of the United States; embracing the history, geographical position, agricultural and mineral resources (1860) (14591225340)

Identifier: pictorialdescrip00sear (find matches)
Title: A pictorial description of the United States; embracing the history, geographical position, agricultural and mineral resources ..
Year: 1860 (1860s)
Authors: (Sears, Robert), 1810-1892. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, R. Sears
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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l Washington. The road issomewhat intricate, and has but few in-habitants ; so that the stranger, unless hegoes in a steamboat, will need to makecareful inquiries. The house stands onan eminence, looking down upon thePotomac. The buildings which projectfrom each end are deformities, whichgreatly mar the effect. The key of the bastile of Paris ishung up in the hall; and a miniatureportrait of Washington, from an earthenpitcher, is preserved, which is consid-ered by the family the best likeness ofhim ever made. A beautiful lawn, partlyshaded by trees, extends from the frontof the mansion to the verge of the preci-pice which overhangs the Potomac, andaffords a delightful view upon the riverand a tract of hilly country above andbelow. This is the place to which Washing-ton retired after he had accomplishedthe independence of his country, andagain when he had presided at the con-solidation of the government—volun-tarily resigning the stations he had con-sented to accept, and the power he
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340 DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. had exercised, only for the good of hiscountry. To an American this place isinteresting, in a degree which no lan-guage can either heighten or describe.Whoever appieciates the value of pri-vate and social virtue, will rejoice tofind it associated with the traits of apeisonage so distinguished and influen-tial ; the consistent politician will rejoiceto reflect that the principles of naturalfreedom are not restricted to any portionof the world, or any part of the humanrace ; while any one who can duly esti-mate the extent of the blessings he hasconfened on his country, and the influ-ence of his actions on the happiness ofthe world, will wish that his history m.ayever be cheiished, as a model of sincereand disinterested patriotism. Last Illness of Washhigton.—OnThursday, the 12th of December, 1799,while riding over his farms, Washingtonbecame exposed to a severe storm ofrain, hail, and snow, with a sharp, pier-cing wind. He took a cold, but it