The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-05-06
AN APPEAL FOR MOUNT VERNON.

III SiSnlhS ncr oaPlisai name 10 thIs document,
yielded to the solicitations of Mr. Everett and
n,hcr friends:
MOUNT VERNON, TIE PROPERTY OF
TIE NATION.
1t is witt. feelings of the highest qualification
we announce to the public. that the per.evcrng
rtforts of the Ladies Mount Vernon Association
Of the Union, have heen crowned with success
x0Mine ensurate with their rncred uiins and lofty
patriotism, aud that they have at las, secured to
The American people The privilege of making the
1temc aud Grave Of Washington The property IF
the Nation!
On the failure of il.e Mount Vernon bill in the
General Assembly "f Nirginia, We rrncwd our
Ovcrturcs to Mr.. Washington to sell the property
to the Association. These ovcrturrS met with
favorable RESPONSE, aud "n the 9th of April,
contract was signed by Mr.. Washington, whicl,
obligated him to transfer Mount Vernon to the
Association, on its compliance with the following
terms viz:
The payment "f tw" hundred thousand dol
lara for two hundred acres Of land, including the
mansion, gardens, landing plucc, and above all,
the tomb.
Eighteen Thousand dollars to be paid on clos
ing of contrack, aud the remainder of the sum-
in four bonds, payable in yearly instal'nents, with
the permissinn aftcr pnymemc n tie first b""t t"
pny TO MIR. Washington any amount at the bal
due, IN sums Of not less than five thousand
dollars, which sums will lie credited to the As>o-
ciuton in this manner ie$senny the interest
The title to the estate and possession To tc
given on payment of the principal aud interest;
aud the privilege also granted OF obtaining pos
session. OH thirty days notice, at any tmc thc
-lssociatiom may Jc rcady 10 furnish tie entire
purchase money
The price asked for Mount Vernon by its pro-
y,rctor, and which has never varied, has long
heen known to the public, and the Ladies OF the
Mount Vernon Association, IN Offering to become
its purchasers, coad n"t r"p"n To ncI"irc IL upon
other terms than those given rs the utimatuii TO
Congress and to Virginia
Yet there is concession made to the ASS0cia-
lion by Mr. Washington. as 10 the extrnt"n ct
time; und a very ilnp"rtant Proriso, t" save in
terest, which can hest explained by the following
letter addressed TO the legal gentlemen VIII" nc-
gotinted the purchase On behalf Of the Asspcu.
ton:
RrcuMoxp, ArRrL7, 1858.
To WIN. H. Macfarlsmd, Esq, and Gr". Il. 4
Chapman:
GESrLEMEN-Tn the negotiations you have re-
celhly concluded with me. behalf Of the La
dies Association for the purchase of Mount Yer
non, the payment of interest OH the deferred in
stalmants from the date Of the contract, while
retained possession Of the property, was the only
serious difficulty between us
Having satisfied you that could not yield this
point, you finally conceded il.
AS the contract is now closed, and believe in
a satisfactory way to both parties. it affords
pleasure to say to you, that if the Association
meets its engagements with me on the first of
January 1889. und thinks proper to pay, and
does pay the other deferred instruments OIL or be-
fore the 22d day Of February, 1859, as y"" in.
form me they will probably lie beth willing aud
able to do, it is my intention. in that case, 10 re-
nit to the Association u the interest all the
deferred payments.
This shall be willing TO do, partly as an in
ducement TO the Association 10 obtain possession
ticulnrly, as an evidence Of my appreciation of
the motives that have actuated the Ladies Asso
citation in the cause it has undertaken
have the honor to be, gentlemen,
With the highest respect,
Your obcdient servant,
JOHN y. WASHINGTON.
More than half century has elapsed since
WnshingtOn walked amomg us-a half century
of neglect and insrati,udc to his memory. Be
tween the broken pledges Of Congress- and the
apathy Of his mother State, the remains Of the
father OF his country have lain unhonorcd by the
Inauso'eum voted in the hour of Nations grief
and his Home and Grave, left to the fate Of pri-
vAte property, and accessible to the public, only
through the forbearancc courtesy Of its various
private owners!
Ever and anon, voice was herad to protes,
against republican ingratitudc, for, and anon
the heart Of this great nation seemed to throt
with remembrance Of his virtues and Of his
But, during the stern struggles Of young Re
public, this voice was unl,eried, and since Amer
lea became power on earth, it was either ri
lenced by the din Of party, and sectional strife
or stied by the murmurs of Mnnmon, until the
generations, which knew him not were in dan
ger of forgetting and wholly departing from
those principles, which are the bulkward of on
greatness, and those warming counsels whici
can alone maintain our Union in safety. Blu
that Providence which has 30 often intcrposet
for our rescue in the darkest days Of the licpub
lie, when tho ship Of State, with no master hant
at the helm, rocked to and fro on til. angr,
waves Of sectional strife and bitterness, whicI
threatened to engulf it; has stirred tho heart o
woman to revive, through the rescue of the sa
cred ashes of the Father Of his Country, that low
for his memory, sumbering, but not dead, which
could be made all pouerfA, i'll regencrating all,
healing influences!
A call was made to The momcn Of the South, Il
gather around his grave and become the VcstaI
to keep alive the fires of patriotism. The mo
tives were pure-tho intentions generous-bu
they failed Ye. who watch the signs of TN
times. know ye not wherefore? Washington be
Ionyed not alone to the South!
Again the oa!l WIS made and this time to til
sDome', Of the Natio"-.Again it fai.d!-ant
wherefore7
Tho tile, and all the po,rer mcrc to be girc, t
State; and Wnshi"gtom belonged not to on
State alonel
Devoted women would be neither baffed no
conquered; bnt she only triumphs when the con,
mon homestead can be procured a comno
heritage. for the estrauged children Of n common
father, tho spell Of whose memory will yet hav
tho power to re.unite them around his hallowc
sspuIchre
UDexpected success has crowned her efforts
Our country can be saved one and indissolubI
forever-for soomda has become her guardian
spirit. III the sacred groves OF Mount Vernon
she will learn those lessons Which will neve
leave us without Nary. 10 train a Washington
for her Countrys hour Of need
Orators-Statesmen-the noble brotherhood O
Ausons-Odd Fellcws-patriots. one and all, hav
come promptly 10 the aid of womani And ye
women Of the North and Of the South, Of tn
East ard Of the West, will ye not rally to tn
work. Will ye not vie, one will, another, wIic
will give most and do most, that we may, on til
twenty y-second Of February, 1859, claim and tax
possession of tie Home md Grave Of him, VIII
loved US all, and thus make his birth. day, til
birthday also of Republican gratitude, justic
aud ffaternal love!