The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-19
A DEFENCE OF THE OWNER OF MOUNT
VERNON

Mr.. Andrew H. Dawson, of Georgia, delivered
lecture IN New York on Monday evening" on the
subject of the purchase of Mount Vernon The
Post gives the annexed synopsis of his remarks:
MIR; Dawson urged the purchase of Mount Yer
non, , that it might be converted into an American
rrea estminster Abbey-a place of sepulurc for the
go go IN All departments of life. He then entered
i Lpoti INC defence of "that much-abused gentleman
a.. AhoM r II as 9lr John A. Washington" He appealed
and mromi.o5 to dvest their minds of prejudice
anu PROMISED 10 present facts 1t had been asked
why Mount Vernon wasr old ot oil ond tLo ,,ra,,ri
Tor mad been charged II extorti0n and other Of
Sncgs; Havng be: recently the guest of Mr.
a asngson nat at " Rooms non, he would be able to
In the rs. pi%es %GFs on on WEIsPdGTIa9ns er S5 "
non lor sale. purchasers had sought him. but he
mad not sought market. He had been importuned
to sell, but had said "buy" to nobody AiadTro
resenting the Mount Vernon Association had snoppt
week there, negotiating, and Mr. Washington had
nnally consented to sell. The next question was
why did he consent to sell? He had reasons in
plenty; Visitors thronged to the spot, some i'm
peed by patriotism, and others by mere curiosity;
ana their vandalism, had stripped the trees and
shrupoery' laid waste the grounds, and they were
constantly invading the privacy of his family For
over forty years they had been lodging and feednp
visitors to Mount Vernon, and private family could
Justly be charged with such an expense. When
hrst aPphed to he absolutely refused to SELL as he
mad right to do; and for that he was abused-
Then he re-consdered that determination and con
sented to sell, for which he was again lomnoonnd
lie fixed his price at 900 less than he had been
offered by private parties, and yet he was charged
with extortion.
1t had been alleged that he offered to take SIO0.
QUO for Mount Vernon from Gen. Scott. IL had
not only Mr.. Washington's assurance that tins was
false, but on the 23d Of February last ~ - hotel in
Richmond, he asked Gen. Scott ybe ouc.tion
and the reply was emphaticay "Nevcri never
never?' When Scott, as the representative of GOV
ernment' ern applied, and the price named $780,
OOO, 1t was refused, not because the price was too
great but because it too much to pay for n site
for hospital for infirm soldiers Pending this ne
g0tlatlon third party offered $3.50 900, but Mr.
washington positively refused, showing that he
had some honor. He thus sacrificed $50, 900 to pre-
serve our national honor, and they could not ask
nm to contribute more. His duty to his children
forbade it,
In answer to the charge that Mr. WASHINGTON
proposed to remove the remains of the Father his
country from Mount Vernon, he read the following
extract from letter received only the day before
from Mr.. Washnton:
"The charges made in the Sims of newsnaners vou
have inclosed to me-that wished or designed to
remove the remains of Gen. Washington from the
Vaut at Mount Nernon-are simp Y ridiculous false
moods The prohibition of the removal of Gen
Washngton's remains was one of the stipuations
which insisted upon having inserted in the char
ter and in the contract; and my determination To
make no contract without this prohibition seemed
at one time almost an insuperable obstacle to max
ing any arrangement whatever with the Associa-
ton, but the oppositGparties obliged to Weld
to my views this point, not make anv contract
with me for the purchase of Mount Vernon"
lie then called attention to a serious objection TO
the purchase of Mount Vernon under the present
charter, granted by the legislature of Virginia.
Inc 4th section provided that if, from any cause
the association shall cease to exist the property
shall revert to the Commonwealth of Virginia. He
protested against this If the People of the United
States purchased Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon
should belong to the People of the United Statcs.-
lie suggested two remedies First that the Associ-
alton obtain a charter from some more liberal
State, making the United States government the
residuary legaee; second, that the Masonic fra
ternity be made the residuary legatee If the lat
ter course were pursued he pledged the fraternity
to raise the necessary funds within ninety days.
Until one or the other was done, he blamed no
man for Withholding his contribution The present
charter would make Mount Vernon sectional in
stitution, and he condemned sectional fanaticism
whether of the North or Snnth