New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-10
vAsuI.sroxs OPINION OF SLAVERY.

We published in The TRIBUNE of July 81
so ne observations on tie character OF Washington
yindieapQ that great an from the impuation Of ap
proving Slavery, and showing beyond all question
rom one of his own letters that he continued to aoli
Save property only because circumstances beyond his
control rendered il impossible for him to do other
wise. To exhibit the manner in which subjects OF
this sort are apt to be treated in southern and other
prO.slayery journals we copy in another column a
Leading article from Of the oldest and most infu-
entail papers Of Virginia, The Petersburg iagsaesr
il which reply TO remarks is attempted, ani the
extinct OF aletter OF Wellington which we published,
is disposed of in manner peculiarly Nirginian.
Ii will be perceived that our Petersburg cotem-
uoIaIy adrlits without hesitation that Washington's
letter which rst appeared in print in the columns Of
TIE TRIBUNE, proves that Washington felt an utter
getsgnance 10 SdrtJy. and anxious to be rid of
bis slayeslf that letter was not forgery and on
this point have great pleasure in being able TO
give The IattgfncT such Information cannot fail of
being perfectly satisfactory to its ingenious aud
suspicious soul. 1t asks with amusing simplicity:
"WbO ever heard before Of Tobias Lear, as an in.
'timate ard confidential friend Of Washington"
We snswer that all those who had personal relations
with Washington during the eight years in which he
WAS PRECEDENT Of the United States, must have
heard of Tobias Lear" as his Private Secretary,
and il should not have been difficult conclusion that
this officer was most eliminate and confidential
friend" iemust ave beeJ sometimes heard ofn this
capacity by those persons also who visited the veneer
able chief after bis final retirement to Mount Vernon,
where b. Lear resided with him till his death, having
teen solicited in afectonate letter to accept the
general suyefintendence Of his private affairs, and to
reside in bis family. Tie editor Of The iatcUgsHeer
r1sy have seen an engraved picture, not uncom
mon in Virginia representing the Closing Scene, in
which tie wife of the hero is led TO his bedside by this
same intimate and confidential friend, to take her
last leave Of him; and if he will consult Marshall,
Sparks, or the other bographers of Washington, he
will perceive tina. about ten minutes before he ex
pred be gave to Mr. Lear directions respecting his
burial after which he never again spoke.
The IneHicenctr proceeds to ask where this impor
snt letter which takes from Slavery every substantial
vtstgc of support which has hitherto received from
the name of Washington, hes been all the years
- that have elapsed since It's date" The knowledge
We possess OF the destruction of so many documents
Of this Kind by the SCENTS OF Slavery might render
somewhat cautious in our reply; but considering
that the original letter has been seen BY so many and
that its past and present existence might be so easily
established should it be destroyed like many other
letters by Washington and Jefferson on the same
subject we will inform the anxious editor of The Intel.
Ggrtsr that it is in the possession of the surviving
beir OF Mr. Lear in the City of Washington who 10.
herted it with two hundred and fifty other let
tiers which were sso addressed from time to time by
Washington 70 the same intimate and confidential
friend"
TIE Int,Iigsnep wishes to know why it is that
'ths letter makes its appearance moe for the first
"tine !" We are reluctantly constrained to refer
our cotemporsry on this point 10 Dr. Jared Sparks.
We have no disposition to reopen the controversies
respecting the manner in which that distinguished
! gentleman edited the writings of Washington; but
others beside ourselves and our brother of Iae Pc
tersbErg Insiigencer may be curious to understand
why be suppressed paragraph Of prOfounder and
more important signhcsnce-persons and political
than almost any which he has chosen to include il
his twelve volumes Of Wa hngtons writings Tn,
original letter happen TO know, was placed with
the Others addressed by Washington to Lear in Mr.
spsrkss custody to be printed by him if he though
proper. In pages 4Os to All of his tenth volume h,
copies the rest of it, emitting altogether that pree
pant portion which we have given TO the readers o
The TRIBUNE, without any intimstiOn whatever
even such as is conveyed by two or three periods
tsteri.ks-that heAss failed to transcribe the whole
We shall be happy to hear from DR.. Sparks on thi
subject, and hereby tender him the columns of Til
TRIBUNE for any explanation be may have to make O
fact 90 extraordinary.
We sruss II: Ps~'5srs F-,sl'tgrsesr i, sssia6s