Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-17
JARED SPARKS.
LETTER II.

win be the subject of another letter.
JARED SPARKS
LETTER II.
When is censured for his acts opinions, the
reasons and grounds which they rest especially if he
has frankly and fully disclosed them ought, in all fair
ness, to be made known at the time. How else
impartial judgment be formed the real merits Of
case be understood These dictates justice and candor
were overlooked by the writer in the Epenng Post well
as by Lord Mahon, who have followed closely in
his steps. No intmaton is given that the editor of
"Washingtons Writings had explained with precision
and fulness the plan of the work. and the principles by
which his editorial abors to be directed and that
he had carefully adhered this plan and these principles
Readers, kept in ignorance of these facts might easily
be led by the writer's charges and nvectves to entertain
the suspicion that the editor had pracsed deception
upon the public, at least had taken liberties which he
designed to be concealed As nothing be further from
the truth, such suspicion should have been prevented
by the more candid course of presenting the subject in its
complete aspect and just relations.
The following passage illustrative Of these remarks
and not even alluded to by the writer in his structures is
taken from the introduction to the first volume of wash
lngtons Writings that was published being the second
in the series:
at has been task of difficulty determine what
general principles should be adopted selecting the parts for
publication from the whole body Of left by Washing
on In the first place, the Of manuscripts which
tends to eighty volumes, consisting chiefly Of letters, is
large preclude the idea of publishing than
paratvey small portion Again. from the nature Of the cor
respondence being mostly Official and many of the letters
having been written different persons the subject
ticuars constantly intervening which, though essential at the
time in the transactions which they relate have longer
any interest moment or this description the nnumer
able details incident to the subordinate arrangements of
such supplies provisions clothing camp equipage
arms, ammunition and other points of minor consideration
which engaged the ncessant Of the
and entered largely into his correspondence with Con-
gres and the highest officers both civil and military. To
print all the materials Of this kind would only be useless
ITSELF but would add much expense of the
work at the time to make it cumbersome and
readers and raise its above many
/
and authentic memorials of the acts opinions and character
/ Of the Father Of his Country.
Under these circumstances have endeavored pursue
such course would the most efectuay attain the object
to be desired in bringing papers before public
y exhibit the writings Of Washington a will
render strict justice the impershabe of their author
and contribute the greatest advantage his counymen both
at the present time and in future ages For this purpose
have laid down two rules which have abored follow with
as much discrimination possble first TO select such
have permanent value Of the historical
which they contain whether in relation to actual
the political designs and operations in which Washington
leading or conspicuous agents secondly to comprise such
other parts contain the views opinions counse and reec
tons of the writer all kinds Of topics showing thereby the
structure Of his mind its and and the
and varied points OF his character Upon this PLAN has been
study 90 carefully through the manuscripts without
gard what has heretofore been made public and gather from
the whole, and combine body the portions
portant for their intrinsic value and historical characteristics
that the work. in It's complete FORM be depository of
all the writings of Washington which IL is essential to pre-
serve, either illustrating his political and private life the
history Of his country during the long and brilliant period Of
his public career
4
features above described will be printed entire aswl in
every the addresses speeches. circulars and
other State papers issued by him from time time Bumany
Of the letters both public and private
for the already assigned will necessarily be printed
pics facts in their temporary their
design Special will be TAKEN nevertheless in all such
omissions that the shall not be married. meaning
of the writer in any perverted obscured
this difficult because the omitted passages usually upon
separate and distinct subjects and may removed without
! injury to the remaining portions of the letter.
ought to be that,
scripts for the press have been obliged sometimes to use
latitude Of discretion rendered unavoidable by the mode in
which the papers preserved They are uniformly
copied volumes and this task appears been per
formed except the Revolutionary correspondence by in
competent very careless anscrber Gross bundcrs
stanty which not unequenty destroy the sense and
which could have existed in the original drafts In
have course, considered il duty apperain
ing the functions Of faithful editor hazard such
the construction Of the manesty
cool judgment dictated On occasions the writer
himself through haste nadvertence, may have fallen into
awkward Of words faults OF grammar inaccuracies
Of STYLE and when such from this source have equally
felt bound them II would be act Of unpardon
able injustice TO author after his death, 70 bring forth
compositions and particularly letters written with desgr
TO their publication and commit them 10 the press without pre-
viously subjecng them careful revision This
Of an editors duty however have thought allowable
tend only to verbal and grammatical mistakes inaccuracies
maintaining scupulous caution that the authors
ana purpose should thereby in degree be changed at
are 50 full and clear free from disguise and ambiguity
direct and explicit in their details that cannot nov
perceive upon careful revision how any reader cou
misapprehend their meaning. They went out to tn
world with the first specimen Of the work. and during it
progress o. four years through the press critic, friend
y or hostile, no individual, within my knowledge eve
limited that the plan or the rules for executing 1t
ID founded on erroneous principles perverted
n their application If objections had been offered for
any quarter in candid spirit accompanied by adequat
reasons they would have led to the subec
and perhaps to modify the plan for IL must be eyden
that could have no other motive than that Of executn
in the work in such as would be annroved Inv
or enlightened public opinion This approval WINS
ed in numerous instances and without any censoriou
h. comments qualifying suggestions that have come TO m
T. knowledge
In regard to omissions it be recolected that N
ad whole work is only selection purport TO be nothn
on This is abundantly explained in the above
he from the Introduction am certainly safe in saving ~
MS than two-thrds Of the whole collection Of man,
scripts necessarily omitted in consequence Of ii
ar limited extent which il proposed to carry Il
work
Lord Mahon has discovered passage in Marshall
md Life Of Washington which he pains to inform
am readers is not found in the " Writings" How was
lch possible to compress matter sufficient for thirty