Engraved by ADaggett. from the original Painting by Colonel Trumbull

WASHINGTON.

at Trenton N. J. January 24 1777.

This Print is copied from a painting deposited by the artist (the aid of Washington in the Trumbull Gallery at New Haven, Conn. Washington is represented viewing the enemy rust after the cont lict at the Greek bridge -Every part of his dress, the trappings of his horse &c. were drawn from the original objects.

ARTHUR LEE, M. D., minister of the United States to the court of Versailles, was a native of Virginia, and the brother of Richard Henry Lee. He was educated at the University of Edinburg, where he also pursued for some time the study of medicine. On his return to this country, he practised physic four or five years in Williamsburg. He then went to London, and commenced the study of the law in the Temple. During his residence in England he kept his eye on the measures of government, and rendered the most important services to his country, by sending to America the earliest intelligence of the plans of the ministry. When the instructions to Gov. Bernard were sent over, he at the same time communicated information to the town of Boston respecting the nature of them. He returned, it is believed, before 1769, for in that year he published the Monitor's Letters, in vindication of the colonial rights. In 1775 he was in London, as the agent of Virginia; and he presented, in August, the second petition of Congress to the king. All his exertions were now directed to the good of his country. When Mr. Jefferson declined the appointment of a minister to France, Dr. Lee was appointed to his place, and he joined his colleagues, Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane, at Paris, in December, 1776. He assisted in negotiating the treaty with France. In the year 1779, he and Mr. Adams, who had taken the place of Deane, were recalled, and Dr. Franklin was appointed sole minister to France. His return had been rendered necessary by the malicious accusations with which Deane had assailed his public conduct.

In the preceding year Deane had left Paris, agreeably to an order of Congress, and came to this country in the same ship with the French minister Gerard. On his arrival, as many suspicions hovered around him, he thought it necessary to repel them by attacking the character of his colleague, Dr. Lee. In an inflammatory address to the public he vilified him in the grossest terms, charging him with obstructing the alliance with France, and disclosing the secrets of Congress to British noblemen. He at the same time impeached the conduct of his brother, William Lee, Esq., agent for Congress at the courts of Vienna and Berlin. Dr. Lee, also, was not on very good terms with Dr. Franklin, whom he believed to be too much under the influence of the French court. Firm in his attachment to the interest of his country, honest, zealous, he was inclined to question the correctness of all the commercial transactions in which the philosopher had been engaged. These dissensions among the ministers produced corresponding divisions in Congress; and Monsieur Gerard had so little respect for the dignity of an ambassador, as to become a zealous partisan of Deane. Dr. Lee had many friends in Congress, but Dr. Franklin more. When the former returned to America in the year 1780, such was his integrity, that he did not find it difficult to reinstate himself fully in the good opinion of the public. In 1784 he was appointed one of the commissioners for holding a treaty with the Indians of the Six Nations. He accordingly went to Fort Schuyler, and executed this trust in a manner which did him much honor. In February, 1790, he was admitted a counsellor of the supreme court of the United States, by a special order. After a short illness, he died, December 14th, 1792, at Urbanna, in Middlesex county, Virginia. He was a man of uniform patriotism, of a sound understanding, of great probity, of plain manners, and strong passions.

During his residence for a number of years in England, he was indefatigable in his exertions to promote the interests of his country. To the abilities of a statesman he united the acquisitions of a scholar. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society. Besides the Monitor's Letters, written in the year 1769, which have been mentioned, he published "Extracts from a Letter to Congress, in answer to a Libel by Silas Deane," 1780; and "Observations on certain Commercial Transactions in France," laid before Congress 1780.

BUSHROD WASHINGTON was born in this county, and educated at William and Mary. He studied law in Philadelphia, and commenced its practice with great success in this county. He was a member of the House of Delegates in 1781. He afterwards removed to Alexandria, and thence to Richmond, where he published two volumes of the decisions of the supreme court of Virginia. He was appointed, in 1798, an associate-justice of the supreme court of the United States, and continued to hold this situation until his death, in November, 1829. He was the favorite nephew of Gen. Washington, and was the devisee of Mount Vernon. He was noted for sound judgment, rigid integrity, and unpretending manners.

WYTHE.

WYTHE was formed in 1790, from Montgomery, and named from George Wythe, an eminent jurist, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence; it is 24 miles long and 20 wide. The greater part of the county is a mountain valley, included between Walker's mountain on the Nw. and Iron mountain on the SE. Wythe valley is an elevated table-land, about 2,200 feet above the level of the ocean. The surface is drained, principally, by New River and its tributaries. The soil is good, and peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of grass. Gypsum is advantageously used in agriculture. Wythe is rich in minerals, in iron, lead, and coal. Pop. in 1840, whites 7,632, slaves 1,618, free colored 125; total, 9,375.

Wytheville, the county-seat, is on the main turnpike from Harper's Ferry to Knoxville, Tenn., 248 miles southwesterly from Richmond, 55 miles from Abingdon, and 27 from Newbern. This town was established by law in 1792, on land given by Stophel Zimmerman and John Davis; and the following gentlemen were appointed trustees: Alexander Smyth, Walter Crockett, William Ward, Robert Adams, James Newell, David McGavock, William Caffee, and Jesse Evans; it bore the name of Evansham, until changed to its present one in 1838. It contains 8 mercantile stores, 2 newspaper printing-offices, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Protestant Methodist, 1 German Lutheran, and 1 Catholic church, and about 700 inhabitants. The village is neat, well built, and flourishing.

About nine miles easterly of Wytheville, on the great road, anciently stood Fort Chiswell, which was occupied by British troops in Braddock's war. This spot was once the county-seat of Mont

gomery, and there is now standing a log tenement that was used for a jail. Tradition points to a stump at this place, as being the remains of the identical tree to which Daniel Morgan was tied and whipped for beating a British officer. We doubt the authenticity of the tradition. This occurrence, we believe, took place several hundred miles further north. The circumstances have been variously stated. We here give them as we received them from the lips of an officer of the revolution, who served under Morgan..

Morgan at that time had charge of wagons transporting baggage. An officer on this occasion came out and asked him why the wagons were not ready for the march. He replied that he had been delayed, but would have them ready as soon as possible. The other insultingly replied, if he did not hurry he would run him through with his sword. Morgan gave him a tart reply. The officer thereupon fell into a passion, and made a lunge at him with his sword. The latter parried the blow with a heavy wagon whip, broke his sword, and gave him a severe drubbing. A courtmartial sentenced him to receive 500 lashes. After receiving 450 of them, Morgan fainted. He was then allowed to go free, as it was feared the complement would kill him. The officer afterwards becoming convinced of his error, asked Morgan's pardon.

The LEAD MINES of Wythe are about 13 miles easterly from the C. H., on New River, opposite the mouth of Cripple creek. Formerly they were worked with great profit ; but the discovery of lead in the far west has operated disadvantageously to the interest of the proprietors of these works, situated, as they are, so far inland, and away from easy means of transportation. These mines were discovered very early, and were extensively worked in the revolution. The first proprietor was Col. Chiswell, an English gentleman, who built a frame house-the first frame house erected in this section of the country-which is now standing, in a dilapidated condition, near the mouth of Mill creek. The Col. attempted unsuccessfully to extract silver from the ore. He killed a man in a quarrel, and died in prison. Col. Lynch then came in possession, and after him, Moses and Stephen Austin,* who worked the mines for several years until 1796. Since, the mines have passed through the hands of several proprietors. They are now owned by the heirs of Col. James White, David Pierce, and Thomas Jackson. Formerly, shafts were sunk perpendicularly at the top of the hill, from 50 to 150 feet, until the ore was struck, when the excavations were nearly horizontal. From the bottom of the shafts the ore was raised by windlasses. In 1840 an excavation was commenced at the level of the plain on New River, and runs in horizontally, at the present time, 1000 feet in solid limestone rock. The material excavated is carried off by a railroad. Dr. Morse, in the 1st edition of his geography, published in 1789, has a description of these mines.

WOOD.

WOOD was formed in 1799, from Harrison, and named from James Wood, governor of Virginia from 1796 to 1799; it is 35 miles long, and 30 wide. Nearly the whole of its territory is embraced in the valley of the Little Kanawha and its tributaries,

Stephen Austin, whose name is intimately connected with the early history of Texas, was a son of the above. He was born at the mines.