Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-02
From The South."l
MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION.

To lie Editor Of The South:
1t was with extreme surprise that va read your ar
Association to Mount Vernon. to Virginia, and to the
nation.
We would pass over its inaccuracies. even as We
do its isnch! compliments, but for the effect on the
opinion OF the masses, Of etnAnHtuns, without rtiiec
ton, without facts. We had supposed that ere any
Vjrgini1n of intellect and education would venture
such onslaught on those who generously labor
ing to obtain money 10 make Mount Vernon gyt TO
Virginia. who obiigate Themselves, in order to bud
the hearts Of ier countrymen to that sacred spot; to
relieve the State from the and expense OF its pro-
lection; who Themselves to take the charge
oft aud IN labor for the means TO preserve and adorn
it, he, from decaoy, well from regard for re-.
putation for the perception of statesman, wouc
have applied to obicol authority for the hiso'
tory of the Mount Vernon Association, aud have as
csrtsned all concerning i'd past, al we'll rs lis prcs'
poets for the present aud for The future.
That Tom0n-nulwthstanding the peculiar views
Of Mr. WASHINGTON. which induced course 80 dis.
aerous to her continuous aud successful operations
and awakened nll the prejudice and depression arising
observation-disclosures have the power, through the high
and holy mission she has taken on herself, to wiring
from the heart Of this whole na.icn I'm almost unani
nous need Of applause and in spite OF the doubt
that Virginia would nccede TO the iequisiton OF MIR.
WAsHiSGroS that lie purchnse from him must be
made by the Siate-;hst she should induce the
magician Of tho nation to give hs time, his e!oquence
Ia mine Of gold for her holy purposes nay, 10 con-
secrate his lie 10 her work--th she should cause
ladies Of the highest position in State alter state 10
devote their all until the end was gained; SONS IN
their s.lfsacrIfcing patriotism undertaking me
charge OF entire States, and OF enatng aG arouslhe
every county in ihem-that she should enlist gentle
men frat in standing and in intellect to volunteer to
become her Knights, 10 aid in the rescue OF MI
Vernon, and. 10 emulation of the example OF the
famous knights Tempiar OF old, vow themselves
henceforth TO the charge of it's future Interest
she should have had the power do ths, is tribute
of which che may well be proud; and, more than
that these signs are guarantee that IT needs but
time TO deveope the approaching love and reverence
for WAsHISGToH which is the noble under.stratun
Of the American character. Woman asks but for
tins TO hew out Of this pedestal tor the most
glorious monument to manly worth the world has
ever known.
Have you forgotten that "Rome was not built in
day." or that our glorious Republic was not won in
two or three years 2" Nay, not in fvs-the time
guaranteed TO the Mount Vernon Association by their
charter. And permit US to AJAX if it would ever have
been Republic If the pat lots OF that day mad ~
fused to commence revolution until all me nuonry o.
its imaginable coat lad been contributed bs1orehnndf
Yet there doubters them too, who regarded the
most glorious undertaking Of man. as a "vagary"-
a mistaken enthusiasm''-a bubble" mischlevous,
fnot beautiful" We hope, for the honor and credit
Of the Old Dominion, that there ara none such III Inc
present General Assenby-gaurdisDs IN th's matter
Of her reputation for all time On their decision nom
in reference to the sacred ashes OF the Father OF his
Country, The mor'd. for all time, r'N st IN Judgment
You cay that the Mount Vernon Association nas
"labored for two or three years under the most III
vorabls auspices, and yet without raising q tenth
part Of the sum necessary for this purchase II 10
presumed that the public will not dispute that are are
reliable authority these points, and We state that
the Association from the beginning until now has en-.
countered an accumulation of difficulties calculated
to appal roman; not only from causes to which
have alluded, but from those arising from indivi.
duss not gifted with patriot hearts or the ssgacy OF
Statesmen to perceive that our enterprise was not
"impractcabe" or was something more than IVA
gary" the end of which might be "bu6ble" The
public will certainly never accuse Mr.. WAsHiSeToN
of "amiable en,husiasm'' or of acting from the im.
pulses of sentiment; yet we had only to place our
views before him to induce him TO reconsider ho de-
termination "never TO give Virgins another opporlu'
nifty TO purchase Mount Vernon from him..
Such had been the effect Of his letter in May, 1881,
.'wbdrawinp the estate from SALE" that between in
dignaiion and despair and a widespread doubt that
We could ever obtain Mount Vernon, nearly all we
had gained was Loaf, and little of the money collected
was left unreturned by those who Ind, of course the
power 10 do it-ior ours is voluntary work. When,
therefore, in March last eleven months after this let
ter, we announced 10 the public, through the CORES
pondence of Mr.. RITcHIE and MIR. WASHINGTON,
that Mount Vernon could be obtained through Vir-
gnia, and that the Mount Vernon Association, by
paying the purchase money, could convert II into and
become it's guardians as national shrlne, We had TO
commence GU. work anew ard 10 accomplish the
Herculean task of reminding eItnguished res, aud
at the most nauspicious of all seasons summer-and
then 10 encounter financial crisis under which the
world lie still trembling yet With ell this to encounter,
the Mount Vernon Association hss gained State after
State has drawn, and Is drawing srdeut laborers,
inspired with the spirit of rs, and gallant Knights
who, in their 'amsbls enthusiasm" are cspvsssing
their States 10 bring the cause home to the know