American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-06-08
From the National Mteiiigencer.
WESTINGHOUSE PAPERS.
| LETTER H.
From Mr.. Jared Sparhs to the Honorable Joseph
I iSfOrU.

LETTER II.
From Nh Jared Sparhs to the Honorable Joseph
Story
MouNT VERNON. May 7. 1897.
DEAR SIR Having in former letter present
ed you with brief account of the character and
importance of General Washington's papers, as
they are preserved at Mount Vernon. now pro-
coed TO explain the manner in which it is contem
plated to prepare them for the press, and send
them out to the public. You will recollect that it
was stated to have been his custom from early life
to retain copies of his letters and other papers,.
These copies amount to more than sixty manuscript
folio volumes. besides others on file, which were
never transcribed the whole embracing his public
and private letters, nearly all he wrote, in fact,
military, political, civil, agricultural, and miscel-
aneOus subjects.
1t is obvious, that it would be quite nexpedient
to print, in detail. such mass OF papers, which the
public can neither spare money to purchase nor
time to read yet, every American will desire to
have preserved in durable form, such portions of
the writings of Washington. as illustrate his own
great deeds and character. and reflect honor on the
country whose national existence and prosperity
his services contributed so much to create and es-
tabsh. A iudicious selection from the whole,
therefore, is all that can, with propriety, be at
tempted. Limits should be fixed. which will not
be so as to exclude any thing of essential
value. nor yet so broad as TO ncumbcr the work
with materials that will add more to its bulk and
expense, than to its interest and utility. At this
medium It is my intention to AIM Amidst such a
multitude of papers, treating topics various,
and relating to events of the first magnitude, as
well as to the npumerabe incidents of private life
the task of selection and classification will not be
without its embarrassments. How far these may
be effectually overcome, must remain to be proved
by the experiment.
| Notes and historical additions will be inserted
throughout the work, tending to calculate the tex,
and to place in the clearest view the motives, opin
ions, and actions, of Washington. In dischargin2
this duty. however, special care will be taken to
avoid proxty, and to introduce nothing which shall
not have direct bearing on the subject in hand
for it is not my purpose to connect with the writ
ings of " ashington history OF the times, any far
thcr than that history may be developed b, the wr
tngs themselves, and by the introduction of such
facts as have an intimate alliance with them. But
r to lead you to more exact understanding of my
plan, Shall descend somewhat to particulars, ant
draw out the scheme which, upon mature reflection
: | have concluded to follow. A general method
!, by which the materials may be thrown into proper
classes, is the first requisite; and the next is
skillul arrangement of those materials in their re
: spective divisions, accompanied by appropriate
$ notes and historical calculations. To compass boil
: these ends the work will be divided into parts
: in each of which, papers of a similar description
will be included, according to the order now to b,
: specified.
i PART l.
r Letters and other Papers relating to Washington
> early military career, in the French Hars, ant
as Commander Of The Hrginia forces.
!. This period will occupy comparatively small
: portion of the work, yet it will by no means b.
the least valuable. When it is recoilected, tina
Washington was then mere youth, engaged u
hazardous enterprises, to which he was led by hi