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He was appointed in 1779 minister to Holland, and on his way was
captured by the British and confined in the Tower fifteen months. He
became acquainted with Edmund Burke while in London. He was twice
offered pardon if he would serve the British Ministry, but of course
he declined. During this imprisonment, his son John, called the
"Bayard of the Revolution" for his daring bravery, was killed in
battle.

After his release, being exchanged for Lord Cornwallis, he was
appointed one of the ministers to negotiate peace in 1782. His health
was so impaired by the cruel treatment of his jailers, that he could
take no further active part in affairs, and he passed the rest of his
life in the retirement of his plantation. On his death, his body was
burned, according to his express will, the first instance, in this
country, of cremation.

His daughter Martha married Dr. David Ramsay, the historian.

WORKS.

 Political Papers [some of which have been published by the South
 Carolina Historical Society].

These are of great value in a study of the Revolutionary times.

A PATRIOT IN THE TOWER.

(_From Narrative of his Confinement in the Tower._)

[Illustration: ~Tower of London.~]

About 11 o'clock at night I was sent under a strong guard, up three
pair of stairs in Scotland Yard, into a very small chamber. Two king's
messengers were placed for the whole night at one door, and a
subaltern's guard of soldiers at the other. As I was, and had been for
some days, so ill as to be incapable of getting into or out of a
carriage, or up or down stairs, without help, I looked upon all this
parade to be calculated for intimidation. My spirits were good and I
smiled inwardly. The next morning, 6th October, from Scotland Yard, I
was conducted again under guard to the secretary's office, White
Hall. . . I was first asked, by Lord Stormont, "If my name was Henry
Laurens." "Certainly, my Lord, that is my name." . . . . His Lordship
then said, "Mr. Laurens, we have a paper here" (holding the paper up),
"purporting to be a commission from Congress to you, to borrow money
in Europe for the use of Congress." . . . I replied, "My Lords, your
Lordships are in possession of the paper, and will make such use of it
as your Lordships shall judge proper." I had not destroyed this paper,
as it would serve to establish the rank and character in which I was
employed by the United States. . . . . From White Hall, I was
conducted in a close hackney coach, under the charge of Colonel
Williamson, a polite, genteel officer, and two of the illest-looking
fellows I had ever seen. The coach was ordered to proceed by the
most private ways to the Tower. It had been rumored that a rescue
would be attempted. At the Tower the Colonel delivered me to Major
Gore, the residing Governor, who, as I was afterwards well informed,
had previously concerted a plan for mortifying me. He ordered rooms
for me in the most conspicuous part of the Tower (the parade). The
people of the house, particularly the mistress, entreated the Governor
not to burthen them with a prisoner. He replied, "It is necessary. I
am determined to expose him." This was, however, a lucky determination
for me. The people were respectful and kindly attentive to me, from
the beginning of my confinement to the end; and I contrived, after
being told of the Governor's humane declaration, so to garnish my
windows by honeysuckles, and a grape-vine running under them, as to
conceal myself entirely from the sight of starers, and at the same
time to have myself a full view of them. Governor Gore conducted me to
my apartments at a warder's house. As I was entering the house, I
heard some of the people say, "Poor old gentleman, bowed down with
infirmities. He is come to lay his bones here." My reflection was, "I
shall not leave a bone with you."

I was very sick, but my spirits were good, and my mind foreboding good
from the event of being a prisoner in London. Their Lordships' orders
were: "To confine me a close prisoner; to be locked up every night; to
be in the custody of two wardens, who were not to suffer me to be out
of their sight _one moment_, day or night; to allow me no liberty of
speaking to any person, nor to permit any person to speak to me; to
deprive me of the use of pen and ink; to suffer no letter to be
brought to me, nor any to go from me," etc. As an apology, I presume
for their first rigor, the wardens gave me their orders to peruse. . .

And now I found myself a close prisoner, indeed; shut up in two small
rooms, which together made about twenty feet square; a warder my
constant companion; and a fixed bayonet under my window; not a friend
to converse with, and no prospect of a correspondence. . . .

_September 23d._--For some time past I have been frequently and
strongly tempted to make my escape from the Tower, assured, "It was
the advice and desire of all my friends, the thing might be easily
effected, the face of American affairs was extremely gloomy. That I
might have eighteen hours' start before I was missed; time enough to
reach Margate and Ostend; that it was believed there would be no
pursuit," etc., etc. I had always said, "I hate the name of a
runaway." At length I put a stop to farther applications by saying, "I
will not attempt an escape. The gates were opened for me to enter;
they shall be opened for me to go out of the Tower. God Almighty sent
me here for some purpose. I am determined to see the end of it."

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

~1732=1799.~

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S life is so well known, it is so simple, so grand,
that a few words can tell it, and yet volumes would not exhaust it.
His mother's remark, "George was always a good son," sums up his
character; and his title, "Father of his Country," sums up his
life-work.

[Illustration: ~George Washington.~]

He was born at Pope's Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia, and became
a surveyor, being employed in that capacity at the early age of
sixteen by Lord Fairfax, governor of Virginia. He joined the English
troops sent under General Braddock against the French in 1756, and his
bravery and good sense in this expedition gained him great renown. In
1775 he was made commander-in-chief of the American forces against
the English and he conducted the war of the Revolution to a successful
issue in 1783. He was the first president of the United States, being
elected in 1789, and again in 1793, declining a third term in 1797. He
retired to private life at Mt. Vernon, his home in Virginia. Here he
died, and here he lies buried, his tomb being a shrine of pilgrimage
for all his countrymen and admirers.

Innumerable monuments rise all over our land commemorating his virtues
and pointing him out as a model for the youth of America. One of the
finest is that at Richmond, designed by Crawford, an equestrian statue
in bronze, surrounded by colossal figures of Jefferson, Mason, Patrick
Henry, Lewis, Marshall, and Nelson. The marble statue by Houdon in the
Capitol at Richmond is considered the best figure of Washin

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