The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-04-07

MOUNT VERNON Nor FOR SALE The follow
ing letter, Gays the South Carolina Spartan,
addressed by the owner, John A. Warrington,
to MIRA N. S. Wofford, Of hat village, brings
out the startling fact, after all that has been
done by the ladies of the South, and the
greater labor and means they are still willing
to bestow upon the movement, that Mount Yer
NON is not for sale. How is this? What IL the
explanation? At the instance Of the Ladies'
Mount Vernon Association Of Richmond Ed
ward Everett delivered his great oration on
Washington, in the Capitol Of Virginia, Healiz-
ing for the funds of the organization over
$500, and it is TO be repeated at various points
in Virginia and elsewhere, for the same pur-
pose. In addition, stimulated by the advent of
Mr.. Everett in the Old Dominion, the Legisla-
ture Of Virginia passed a bill incorporating the
Ladies' Mount Vernon Association Of the
Union, and yet patriotic ladies, ready aud
able to stimulate the sacred purpose, are told
"that Mount Vernon il not for sale:'-
MOUNT VERNON, March IA, 1855.
To MRS. MARIA 9. WoFFORD:-
respsetipg the purchase OF Mount Vernon by TINS
laGies of different parts Of the United States Ia re-
ply, respectfully inform you that Mount Vernon )t
for sale AM most respectfully, your 0sedient servan
JOHN A. WASHINGTON
"Not for sale!" Coming from the proprietor
of the property this announcement is decisive.
The question next recurs, what is to be done
with this money collected by the patriotic
ladies of our country for the purchase Of Mount
Vernon? We think it may still be judiciously
appropriated to the designated object. Mr..
Washington is not . rich man. The estate Of
Mount Vernon is but small estate compared
with its dimensions while in the possession Of
the Father of his Couotry;" and the soil,
since his day, having lost his methodi-
cal and careful cultivation, has become COM
paratively anprodustive. The present proprie-
tor of Mount Vernon, therefore, cannot afford to
keep the mansion, the tomb, the garden, and
the surrounding grounds in that state of pre-
servation and order in which the American
people, and pilgrims from the world over,
would desire to find them. Besides, the con-
slant stream of visiters to Mount Vernon in
poses considerable tax upon the time OF the
roprietor-consuming, in fact, nearly all his
time in the ordinary Inequalities due to
strangers These facts will account for the
lamentable evidences of disorder and decay
which confront the visiter to the home and the
grave Of Washington upon every hand. And
these things should not be.
The moneys, therefore, that have been raised
by our fair and patriotic American ladies for
the purchase of Mou1t Vernon, may, with the
consent Of the proprietor, be appropriated to
the rescue Of the homestead, the tomb, the
garden, and the adjacent fields and woods,
from the progressive dilapidation and spolia-
lions which otherwise threaten the speedy de-
struction of every relic Of the locality, as
Washington left it. Sharing in the feelings of
the ladies interested in this Mount Vernon
movement, to which Mr.. Everett has lent such
effective aid, we throw out these suggestions
for their consideration. II the present proprie-
tor, after deliberate reconsideration of the
subject, is not disposed to sell the estate and has
not the means required to keep its hallowed
souvenirs in becoming state of neatness and
order, Virginia, or the general government,
or the American people-especially the ladies
should come to his relief.