Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-11-14
FROM TIE PHILADELPHIA NORTH AMERICAN.
washinston's Farewell Address.

washiDston's Farewell Address.
BY an advertisement in another column, il will be
seen that the Administrators CT Mr.. Ciaypoole, the
eminent printer who died recently in this city, i'm
his ODD year, will dispose by public sale of the orr
ginal manuscript of Washingtou's Farewell Ad-
dress, document which has been, and must con-
'tinue to be. held in the highest estimation by the
people Of this country The manner in which this
Invaluable paper came into the possession Of MIR.
Claypoole, is fully explained in the following men,
orandum of a conversation held with him in 1925,
by the late venerable William Rawle, which men,
orandum is verified by similar statement, of near
the same date, in the proper handwriting of Mr..
e.. himself.
We had the pleasure yesterday Of examining the
"small quarto book" which inspired MIR. Rawe
with such reverence and deghp'- feelings which,
we are sure, must be shared by all who enjoy sim
(ilar opportunities. No who has ever seen Gen.
Washngton's manuscript can fail instantly to rocog
nize in this all his peculialites and the circum.
stances referred to by Mr.. Rawle--the erasures,
and nerinealions aud transpositions-to those
customed to composition, admit of no doubt that il
was the sole and unaided production of the illus
trious man whose signature it bears. Even the
date, which Mr.. Rawe thought might possibly be
in different handwriting, is to Judgment clear
ly the same that of The whole body Of the Ad
dress.
This manuscript, is in excellent preservation, and
when it to be sold it has to be, in the set
Element of Mr.. Claypoole's estate, we hope it will
fall into the hands of the general government or
some public institution by whom it will be suitably
cherished.
DECEMBER To- 1926.
CONVERSATION WITH DAVID G. CLAYPOOLE
Having been informed that MIR. ClaypooIe was
in possession of the original Ms. of the Valedicory
Address o. President Washington, | had written 10
him to inquire whether he was willing 10 deposit
1T with the Historical Society. In polite letter.
dated December 9th, he declined parting with it,
j wrote another letter, expressing wish To hear
from himself account of the conversation he had
with the President in respect 10 the printing the
address,-an he this day called on me- and related
that the President having sent his private secretary
10 him, desiring 10 see him. he called at the appoint
ed time, and found the President alone.
The latter then informed him that he wished him
to print, in his daily paper, address from himself
TO the people of the United States. Mr.. Caypoule
answered that he felt himself highly favored by the
selection for that purpose, as he considered ii as
mark that he approved of the mode of his conduct
ing the paper. The President bowed, as asserting
TO IT, aud asked how soon it could be DONE Mir.
Claypooe replied that it should be done at any
time he would fix. He requested it might he
as soon as possible, and expressed wish 10 have the
proofs sent 10 him.
Tie next morning the manuscript was sent down
by the same person who brought the message, and
to pIeSS-UOln prOOlS and
the revtSes were sent 10 him, and the publication
appeared on the l9lh September, 1886, about four
days after the first interview.
After this Mr.. Caypoole called on him with the
manuscript To return it, but at the same time he
told the President, in the most respectful manner,
that he should consider it inestimable favor if he
would allow him to keep it. The President an
swered, if ii wolld be any satisfaction TO him. he
was welcome TO it-and they then parted-Mr
Claypoole retaining this valuable autographed pa
per, and the possession Of which he has never part
cd with.
After relating these facts, Mr. Claypoole produc
ed to me the original and saw wiki reverence and
delight small quario book, containing about thirty
pages, all in the hand writing of This great man.
1t bears throughout the marks of original compost
ton there are many erasures and interlineations-
transportation of paragraphs, and other indications
of its coming Immediately from the hands of an I'M
assisted individual. | counted the number of lines
in the whole work, which answered to 1856, and
Of lines erased there were IA.
Being perfectly acquainted with the hand writing
OF President Washington, am satisfied that every
word in the text, whether written in regular course
or interined, is his, and his alone. The date Sep
TENDER 10, 1896, was the only part on which had
doubt, and of that can only say, that being well
acquainted with the hand writing of Alexander
Hamilton, do not believe it was written by him.
1t may have been written by the private Secretary
Mr.. Claypoole, however, believes i: 10 have been
in the hand writing of the President himself.
(Signed) w. RAwLE.