tions every relic of "the father of his country" is possessed of special interest. It has, therefore, occurred to us to give our readers some account of several

to help Him find them. And there is not only a remote chance, there is a certainty that, if you are faithful to your Sunday-school and church, you will be able not only to recover one but many manuscript relics of Washington which of those jewels. Is it not an infinite shame that many, who profess to be God's children, yet love their own ease and pleasure so much that they are unwilling to lend a helping hand in rescuing these jewels of the Lord?

are at present in our possession. Though not of any special historical value, they may furnish pleasant reading, in connection with the anniversary of the great man's birth-day; and as the letters have, we believe, never been published, it may be well that their contents should in this way be preserved.

Let every Sunday-school teacher, and every elder and deacon and member of the church think of this when the next Here, first of all, is a large document temptation comes around to stay away bearing the seal of the United States, from the post of duty! Let them re-dated Feb. 24th, 1796, and signed by member that by neglecting the duty be- George Washington, as President, and fore them, they not only may allow Timothy Pickering, as Secretary of some of these jewels to remain lost, but State. It is what is known as a "ship that they are also endangering another paper," and grants permission to Capt. jewel in themselves!

WASHINGTON RELICS.

BY THE EDITOR.

Elkanah Tallman to set sail to foreign lands with a cargo of flour, soap, and candles. This permission is communicated in three languages, and the whole document has an appearance of dignity and solemnity which is hardly commensura'e with its importance. It was given to us many years ago by Mrs. L. A. Greene, of New Bedford.

A good old lady once showed us a ring, containing a lock of hair from the head of General George Washington. It had been given to her mother Here are two scraps which, as we reby the great and good man himself, ceived them from one person, may as and was, of course, highly valued by well rest side by side. One of them its possessor. Yet we could not help is a receipt, in Washington's handthinking, how easy it would be to sub- writing, in which William Skillman stitute another lock of hair for the one acknowledges having received from enclosed in the ring; and how could George Washington six shillings and one tell the difference? We have seen fourpence as a part of his wages.' Luther's wedding-ring, Franklin's cane, The other is an old-fashioned bankand Napoleon's boots; but all such re- check, of which the following is a lics are necessarily liable to suspicion. copy: Other old rings, canes, and boots might be put in their place, and there would be no way of detecting the imposition.

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To the Bank of Alexandria. No. 34 - Alexandria, 18th February 1793, Pay to Mrs. Ann Gray or bearer, One Hundred and fifty eight Dollars and eighty two Cents. Go. Washington

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100

The only class of relics of whose genuineness we may feel assured consists of manuscripts, bearing the signatures 158 Dollars. of the writers. The autographs of celebrated men, from the time of St. Bernard down to the present day, are as well known as they were during the lifetime of the writers; and any attempt to palm off as their writing that which is not, can be as speedily and as certainly detected by the experienced antiquarian, as in the counterfeit note or forged check by the "expert" bank teller.

In these days of centennial celebra

We do not know who Mrs. Ann Gray was, but think it likely that she was the house-keeper at Mount Vernon. Both of these papers were given us by an eminent lawyer of Philadelphia, who received them from a member of the Washington family.

The following letter has considerable historical interest. It was found among the papers of Governor Greene, by Mrs. E. H. Allen, of Providence, from whom

we received it more than twenty years dential term. The evident haste with

which it was written may account for several grammatical errors, to which it is not necessary to direct the attention of our readers:

Dear Sir,

MOUNT VERNON. Nov. 22. 1790.

The day is come, and the hour at hand, or very nearly, when our Journey will commence for Philadelphia.

In the letter which I did myself the honor of writing to your Excellency, the 22d instant, I informed you of the revolt of the Jersey Troops, and of the measures I intended to pursue in consequence. I have now the pleasure to inform you, that Major General Howe with the Detachment under his com- From the Stage driver's acct. the Roads in mand surrounded the Mutineers in their places, especially between Georgetown and quarters on the morning of the 27th, brought Baltimore, are almost impassable. This cirthem without difficulty to an unconditional cumstance, and the desire of not injuring my surrender, and had two of the most active In-horses, will make my movements very slow, stigators immediately tried and executed. It and they may be precarious. * is very was judged unnecessary to extend the example unwell, and my bungling smith has lamed further, as there was every appearance of one of the Horses that draw the waggon in genuine contrition. shoeing him.

I hope this will completely extinguish the spirit of mutiny, if effectual measures are taken to prevent its revival, by rendering the situation of the soldiery more tolerable than it has heretofore been. Without this it may be smothered for a while, but it must again break out with greater violence. It is not to be expected that an army can be permanently held together by those ties on which we have too long depended.

I cannot omit doing justice to the Detach ment which was sent on this service. There was in its behaviour every Mark of fidelity, obedience, disapprobation of the conduct of the Mutineers, and a conviction of the necessity of bringing them to submission and punishment. They made a long march over mountainous roads, and thro' a deep snow with the greatest patience, and obeyed every order with alacrity. I have the honor to be with great regard and esteem,

With reference to the incidents to which the above letter refers, Lossing says, "First Century," p. 329: "These even's had a salutary effect. They aroused Congress and the people to the necessity of more efficient measures for the support of the army."

In addition to the above manuscripts we have several minor relics of Washington, of a somewhat different character, which we may perhaps describe on a future occasion.

We conclude with an interesting letter, which is now in the possession of our friend Mr. D. M. N. Stauffer, of Philadelphia. It was addressed by Washington to his secretary, Mr. Tobias Lear, on the eve of starting for Philadelphia to enter upon his first presi

I think Mr. Page has judged very wisely in not sending his new Coach for me. I thank him for offering to send it to meet me at Chester, but as it is my wish to enter the City without any Parade, tell him, the old Coach will answer all the purposes of the New one.

Austin and Hercules goes on in this day's Stage, and will, unquestionably, arrive several days before us. Richmond and Christopher embarked yesterday by water, the latter not from his appearance or merits, I fear; but because he was the son of Hercules, and his desire to have him as an assistant. Comes as a scullion for the kitchen.

Your mare shall receive the same usage, care, and attention that my brood mares doand you are very welcome to the jack. She may remain yours, or be mine at your own price, as is most agreeable to yourself.

I fear from the acct. you have transmitted of the Buildings and House I am to occupy, that I shall be exceedingly incommoded. I shall have twelve horses with me-if nothing therefore is done to the stables, Hiltzheimer's † must be engaged for such as cannot stand in my own. I have only time to add our best wishes, and that I am Yours affect

THE SABBATH-A BULWARK OF FREE principles and premises. But the his

INSTITUTIONS.

BY REV. CYRUS CORT.

Free institutions are such as promote and secure self-government among the people. Man is free only as he cultivates the power of rational choice, as he regulates his will by the will or law of the great Creator in whose image and for whose glory he was created. Only vulgar and immoral people imagine that liberty consists in doing as they please, regardless of the claims of law or the rights of their fellow-men. This is to confound liberty with license or the unregulated and unrestrained indulgence of natural appetites.

tory of the human race bears ample testimony to the fact that the cause of human freedom has been promoted and secured by the proper observance of the Lord's day. Free institutions depend for their vitality upon the virtue and intelligence of the people.

An ignorant and immoral community can neither establish nor preserve free institutions. Whatever promotes virtue and knowledge of the right kind must be regarded as a handmaid of liberty and a bulwark of free institutions.

This the Christian Sabbath does in a pre-eminent degree. It cultivates those activities and dispositions of mind and heart which form the very life-blood of Republics. Not all kinds of knowlThe planet can only be said to be edge contribute necessarily to the growth free as it moves in its orbit in obedience and stability of free institutions. to the law of gravitation, the fish is free Knowledge may be a powerful evil as as it moves in the water, and the bird is well as a powerful good. The golden free as it cleaves the air. Each and age of Roman art and literature was in every creature rushes to bondage and the reign of Augustus Cæsar when the ruin just to the extent that it departs foundations of the Republic were being from the sphere or element for which it destroyed. Science, art and classic was originally created. But freedom learning have often served as instruin the proper sense can only be rightly ments or gilded ornaments of tyranny predicated by self-conscious personality. and despotism. Genius has often alMan is a person. Reason, will and lowed itself to be tied to the chariotconscience are elements of personality. wheels of the oppressors of mankind. Only as man uses these God-given faculties in harmony with the law of God, does he realize the true idea of freedom. Intelligence, morality and religion are essential factors of human nature, and without these in healthful operation, there can be no true freedom, either for individuals or nations. Whatever tends to bring the life and conduct of men It sets forth the universal Fatherinto harmony with the law of God, hood of God and brotherhood of man. must be regarded as beneficial to the It humbles the lofty and exalts them of cause of human freedom. As the Sab- low degree. It places rich and poor on bath is both a civil and religious insti- a common platform, and admonishes tution, based upon the explicit appoint- them that the Lord is the Maker and ment of the Almighty, its observance Judge of them all. It teaches us to must of necessity promote the liberty love God and keep His commandments, and happiness of mankind. In the to love our neighbour as we love ourvery nature of things the Sabbath must selves, and to do good unto all men as be a bulwark of free institutions. It is we have opportunity. While it requires based upon the law of God, founded us to submit to "the powers that be," upon the eternal fitness of things, and to obey civil rules in the lawful exercise as a necessary consequence, must con- of their official functions, it also insists duce to the liberty and prosperity of that in matters of conscience "we ought individuals and nations. to obey God rather than men."

So much we must admit as a conclusion of reason, drawn from fundamental

But the knowledge of God's word, which the observance of the Sabbath invariably promotes, is a knowledge that tends to true freedom, both of body and soul. The Bible exalts our conceptions of the dignity and sanctity of human nature, even in its weakest forms.

The Bible teaches self-denial, chastity, honesty, industry, frugality, charity and

Lord's day is habitually profaned. When men recklessly trample under foot the civil and religious enactments which hedge about the Christian Sunday, they will not scruple to violate any law, human or divine. It takes ten times more soldiers and police officers to keep the peace in southern Ireland than in northern Ireland and Scotland. Where the Sabbath is profaned the people will not be a law unto themselves. Large military establishments must be maintained and a standing army is always injurious to the cause of civil and religious liberty.

The Puritans of New England, the Presbyterians from Scotland, the Reformed Christians from Holland, Germany, Switzerland and France, who fled from oppression in the old world and laid the foundations of this great Republic, were God-fearing, Sabbath-keep

Because the Sabbath promotes the constant and systematic study of the Bible, which sets forth our duties to God and our fellow-men, do we regard it as a bulwark of free institutions. No Bible-reading or Sabbath-keeping community has ever been, or can ever be, permanently enslaved. The Sabbath is the poor man's friend. It shields him from the oppressions of the rich and tying people. rannical. It promotes meditation, selfrecollection, and all the graces that exilt and adorn human nature. Constitutional liberty has always found a welcome home in the hearts of the people who remembered the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as a season for secular rest and religious worship.

Protestant nations and communities have always shown more regard for the sanctity of the Sabbath than Romanists, and hence have enjoyed in a corresponding degree the blessings of civil and religious liberty.

Protestant Great Britain with the forms of monarchy enjoys far greater freedom than the so-called Republics of South America, which are largely under papal influence, and make little account of the Sabbath. Scotland and the north of Ireland, where the Sabbath is hallowed by Protestant communities, are far in advance of the adjacent counties of Ireland, where Romanism prevails. This is the case not only in matters of religion, but in point of intelligence, morality, enterprise, and every element of substantial prosperity. The Protestant Cantons of Switzerland show a similar contrast with the neighboring Cantons, who are still under the papal yoke, and where greater Sabbath desecration prevails.

There is no proper security for life or property in any community where the

If we are to preserve and perpetuate the heritage of liberty, which our sires bequeathed us, we must imitate their virtues. Especially must we keep the Sabbaths and reverence the sanctuary of the Lord our God. "Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary; I am the Lord." They that honor Me I will honor." "The heathen shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God." "If ye continue in My words then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." The greatest blessings are liable to the greatest abuse. This fact makes it specially incumbent upon Christians to hallow the Sabbath day and guard against its profanation. Properly kept, the Sabbath is a joy and a benediction, yea, a bulwark of free institutions. But when it is profaned it becomes the prolific source of intemperance, debauchery, immorality, and every vice in its worst forms.

Communities that desecrate the Sabbath cannot stop with the mere negative disregard of God's holy law; they rush to the lowest depths of human depravity and degrade body and soul in the service of the devil. New Orleans refuses to keep holy the Sabbath. As a consequence, it reaps a carnival of crime on the Lord's day. Gambling, horse-racing, drunkenness and lawlessness prevail on every side.