Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-10-18
From the Lowell fMass.) Journal.

WAsHINGTON'S OPIxIONS.-Ihe read
ers of Mr. Summers Free Soil Address
and Resolutions, will remember that he
claims Washington as Free Soiler and
an abolitionist, upon the strength Of his al
legged declaration that "for any legislative
measure for The abolition Of slavery his
suffrage should not be ,canting." This
sentiment is given in capitals or italics in
both the address and resolutions. Though
we could not refer 10 the letter contain
ing it, we felt confident that it was gar
bled extract--quoted out Of connexion
with other sentences. The Salem Ca
zette has published the letter, which
proves that Mr. Sumner has been guilty OF
a fraud in his pretended quotation. As
Washington's letter has not probably been
seen by many Of our readers, we copy it
below, and call attention to the extraordi-
nary and deceptive use which Mr. Sum
ner, by misrepresenting historic truth, has
made of it, 10 give currency to his dec|ar-
alton. The Salem Gazette says,-"Let
it be borne in mind that Washington was,
with Taylor, military hero, Southern
planter, and to the day of his death, great
Shareholder, and every man can appreciate
the outrage upon truths and facts, Of in
scribing his name upon the Free Soil
Van Buren, banner. But as Mr. Sumner
has paraded this fragment Of sentence
from Washington, for the purpose Of his
party, we call upon every honest man of
that party to read the letter from which
the quotation is extracted, and see for
himself how he has been imposed upon.
The present government had not then been
established. There was no other legisla-
tive power, at that time, than that Of the
States. The letter proves, therefore,
what, the Wings have always affirmed
was Washington's opinion, that slavery is
the proper subject OF State Legislation, and
that SO far as the general government IS
concerned, it is to be controlled not by
executive influence, but by the legislative
power"
MOUNT VERNON, IL April, l776.
DEAR S1R.-I give you the trouble Of
this letter at the instance Of Mr. Daily Of
Alexandria, who is called to Philadelphia
to attend what he conceives to be "a vexa-
tious lawsuit respecting slave of his,
whom society Of Quakers in the city,
formed for such purposes, have attempted
to liberate. The merits of this case will
no doubt appear upon trial. From Mr.
Dalby's state Of the matter, it should seem,
that this society is not only acting repug-
nantly to Justice, so far as its conduct con-
Germs strangers, but in my opinion impoli-
ticly with respect to the State, the city in
particular, without being able, except by
acts Of tyranny and oppression, to accom-
plish its own ends. He says the conduct
of this society is not sanctioned by law
! IL t,--~------l----r ~ It.
nv respect for the policy of the State
would on this occasion have appeared in
my silence because against the penalties
of promulgated laws one may guard, but
there is no avoiding the snarcs of individ-
uals or of private societies. If the prac-
tice Of this society, Of which Mr. Dalby
speaks, is not discountenanced, none Of
those, whose mis- fortune it is to have slaves
as attendants, will visit the city if they
can possibly avoid it; because by SO doing
they hazard their property, or they must
be at the expense land this will not al
ways succeed) Of providing servants OF
another description.
| hope it will not De conceived from
these observations, that it is my wish to
hold the unhappy people, who are the sub
iect of this letter, in slavery, | can only
say, that there is not man living, who
wishes more sincerely than do to see
plan adopted for the abolition Of it; out
there is only one proper and efsctual mode
bv which 1t can be accomplished, and TINT
is 6y Legislative authority ; and this, as far
as nv suffrage will 60, shall never he want
ing. But when slaves, who are happy
ana contented with their present masters,
are tempered with and seduced TO leave
them when masters are taken unawares
by these practices when conduct OF this
kind begets discomfort on one side and re-
. sentiment on the other and when it hap.
mems to fall on a man, whose purse vii!
not measure with that of the society, anc
he loses his property for want OF means
to defend it; it is oppression III s"ch
case, and not humanity in any, because II
introduces more evils than ii can cure.
will make no apology for writing tt
YOU on this subject, for, if Mr. Daily has
not misconceived the matter, an evil exists
, which requires remedy; if he has m,
intentions have been good, though ma,
| have been too precipitate in this address
, Mrs Washington joins me in every goo'
and kin! wish for Mrs Morris and your
$ family, and am &c.
: GEonGE WAsuIScToN.
D TO Robert Morris.
Lamartine we have already stated ha
become bankrupt, and we have also CIV
en- the evidences Of his supposed insanity
After making efforts almost as great a
: those Of Sir Walter Scott, TO save his pa
: ,rimony, it is at length to be inev''abI
consigned to the auctioneer's hammer