The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-07-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
WASHINGTON AT MT. VERNON
sRoM wAsursoros ,n1so's BIOGRAPHY


Mount Vernon was his harbor OF repose
where he frequently furled his sail and
and fancied himsefanchored for life. Nc
impulse Of ambition tempted him thence
nothing but the call of his country, and
his devotion to the public good. The
place was endeared to him by the remem.
brance Of his brother Lawrence, and o
the happy days lie had passed here with
that brother in the days Of boyhood bu,
it was delightful place in itself, and
we'll calculated to inspire the rural feel
ings.
The mansion was beautifully situated
on swelling height, crowned with wood
and commanding magnificent view up
and down the Potomac. The grounds
Immediately about II were laid out some.
what in the European taste. The estate
was nPportioned into separate farms, de.
voted TO different kinds of culture, each
having its allotted laborers. Much, how.
ever was still covered with wild woods,
scanned with deep dells and runs Of water,
and inlcnted with inle;s; haunts Of deer
and lurking places Of foxes. The whole,
woody region along the Potomac from
Mount Vernon to Belvoir, and far beyond,
with its range Of forests and hills, ric,ur
esqne promcutories, afforded sports OF va
rious kinds, and WIS noble hunting
ground. Washington had hunted through
it with old Lord Fairfax in his sporting
days: we do not wonder that lis feelings
throughout life necessarily reverted to it.
"No estat, in United America observed
he, in one Of his letters, ais more pleas
antly situated. In high and healthy
country; in latitude between the ex-
trsmes of heat and cold; on one of the
finest rivers in the world; river well
stocked with various kinds Of fish at all
seasons Of the year, and in The spring
with sllad, herrings, bass, carp, sturgeon,
DC, in great abundance. The borders OF
the estate are wtshsd by more than Ten
miles Of tile water; several valuable fish.
cries apertain to IL; the whole shore, in
fact, is one entire fishery"
These were as yet the aristocratical days
Of Virginia.
Tie esta.es were large, and continued
in the same families by entails. Many o.
the wealthy planters were connected with
old families in England. The young men,
especially the elder sons, were often sent
to finish their education there, aud on
their return brought out the tastes aud
habits Of the mother country. The Gov
ernors OF Virginia were from the higher
ranks Of society, aud maintained cores
Ponding state. Tha established" or F.
piseopal Church. predominated through.
oat the .ancient dominion" as it was
termed; each county was divided into
parishes, as in Englan.l, each with its pa.
roehial church, its parsonage and glebe.
Washington was vestrymsr Of two par
ishes, Faiffax and Truro; the parochiaI
church Of the former was ut Alexandria,
ten miles from Mount Vernon; Of the
latter at Pohick, about seven miles. The
church Of Pohick was rebuilt on plan Of
bis own, and In great measure at his ex-
pense. AT one or other Of these churches
ne attended every Sunday, when the wea.
thes and the roads permitted. His de-
'neanor was reverentlal and deyout. Mrs.
Washington knelt during the prayers; /; he
always stood, rs was the custom at that
sime. Both were communicates.
Among bis occasional visitors aud as.
socistes were Capssin Hugh Mercer and
DR.. Craik the former, after his narrow
escape from the tonabawk and scalpine
knife was quietly settled at Frcdericks-
burg; tho latter, afer The campaigns Of
the frontier were over, had taken up hi.
tesidsnce at AIexandria, and was now
Washington's smily physician. Both Of
them were drawn 70 him BY campaigning
ties aud recolIcctions, aud were ever vel
come At Mt Vernon.
A style Of living prevailed among the
cpulent Virginia families in those days
that has long since faded auay Tha