Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-01

MouNT EERNos. THE PRopEsaY 81 TaE IN Assdk -.
i is with feelings Of the highest eradication -
announce 10 the public. that ne persevesiBE ebet
Of the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association IL fhe
Union, have been crowned with spccesa ccsnHnensa-
rate with their sacred aims and lofty and,
that they have at last secured to the American ned
pie the privilege Of making the Home and Grave 81
Washington the property Of .tAe Walton
On the failure Of the Mount Vernon bill in the
General Assembly of Virginia we renewed our over.
lures to Mr.: Washington to sell the property to the
Association. These overtures met with favorable
response and on the 9th Of April . contract swaa
| signed by Mr.. Washington. which obligated himsto
transfer Mount Vernon to the Association, on its
compliance with the following terms viz: ~
The payment of two hundred thousand dollars
for two hundred acres of land including the man.
| sion. gardens landing place, and, above ALL the
| tomb.
Eighteen thousand dollars to be paid on closing
Of contract and the remainder of the sum, in four
bonds. PAYABLE in yearly instaments, with the per.
mission, after payment Of tho first bond to pay to
Mr.. Washington any amount Of the balance due IN
sums Of not less than five thousand dollars which
| sums will be credited to the Association in this
manner lessening the interest. ~ .-vss5ss ~
The title to the estate and possession to be given
on ravment of the principal and interest," and the
privilege also granted of obtaining possession, on
thirty DAYS notice, at any time the association may
be ready to furnish the entire purchase money!
The price asked for Mount Vernon by it's proprie-
| known to the public, and the Ladies of the Mount
Vernon Association. in offering to become its pur-
chasers could not expect to acquire it upon other
terms than those given as the ultimatum, to Con-
gress and to Virginia
| Yet there is concession made to the Association
bv Mr.. Washington, to the extension of time
and very important prooiso. to save interest," which
can best be explained by the following letter ad-
dressed to the legal gentlemen who negotiated the
purchase on behalf of thu Association:
RICHMOND, April z, 1883
To Vim. II. Mnctarland, Esq.,, and Gen. a. n.
GENTLEMEN I'm the negotiations you have re.
Gently concluded with me, on behalf of the Ladies'
| Association for the purchase of Mount Vernon the
navment Of interest on the deferred instruments
from the date of the contract while retained pos.
session Of the property, was the only serious diff
| Guilty between
Having satisfied you that could not yield this
point. you finally conceded to it.
As the contract is now closed, and believe in a
satisfactory way to both parties it affords pleas.
ure to say you that if the Association meets its
engagements with me the first of January, 1852
and thinks proper to pay, and does pay the other
deferred instaments on or before the 22d day of
February. 1859. as You inform me they will proba-
blv be both willing and able to d. it is my inten.
ton that case to remit to the Association all the
interest on all the deferred payments.
This shall he willing to do. partly as an induce.
mcnt to the Association to obtain possession of
Mount Vernon at an early day, but more partcu-
larly as an evidence Of my appreciation Of the mo-
tives that have actnated the Ladies Association in
the cause It has undertaken
| have the honor to be. gentlemen,
| With the highest respect,
| Your ohedient servant.
JOHN A. WASHINGTON.
More than half century has now elapsed since
Washington walked among ns-a half century o.
neglect and ingratitude to his memory. Between
the broken pledges Of Congress, and the apathy o
his mother State. the remains of the father of biz
country have lain unhonored by the mausolenu
voted in the hour Of Nations grief and his HON,
and Grave left to the fate Of private property ant
accessible to the public, only through the forbear
ance courtesy Of its various private owners!
Ever and anon, a voice heard to protes
against republican ingratitu0e, for, ever and anon
the heart Of this great nation seemed to hrob will
a remembrance of his virtues and of his services
and the priceless legacy he bcqueathed. But. dur
ing the stern struggles of young Republic. thi
voice was unheeded and since America became
power on EARTH it was either sienced by the din Q
party and sectional strife stifed by the murmur
of Mammon, until the generations which knew hin
not were in danger Of forgetting, and wholly de
parting FROM those principles which are the bu
walk of our greatness, and those warning counsel
which can alone maintain our Union in safety. Bu
that Providence which has so often interposed fo
our rescue in the darkest days of the Republic
| when the ship of State, with no master hand at tn
| Se(
onal strife and bitterness. which threatened to er
| gulf it. has stirred the heart of woman to reviv,
through the of the sacred ashes of the Fathe
of his Country. that love for his memory, slumbe'
ing but not dead, which conld be made all posoe,
ful in regenerating and healing influences!
A call was made 10 the ac0naen of the South, t
gather around his grave and become the Vestals
keep alive the fires Of patriotism. The motive
were pure-the intentions generous-but they fai
ed! Ye who watch the signs of the times. kno
We not wherefore? Washington belonged not alon
tn the South!
Again the call was made, and this time to tho 70.
men Of the Nation-Again it failed!-and wher,
fore?
The title. and all the posoer to be 0inen to
State; and Washington belonged not to ono Stat
| alone!
Devoted woman would be neither baff1ed nor cor
ouered: but she only trumphs when the commo
homestead can he procured as a common heritage
| for the estranged children of a common father, tn
spell Of whose memory will yet nave the power
re unite them around his halowed sepulchre
Unexpected success has crowned her efforts On
country can be saved, one and in6issolnbe forever
for sconnas has become her guardian spirit. In tn
sacred groves of Mount Vernon she will learn thOs
lessons which will never leave without Mare
| to train a Washington for her Country's hour
need
Orators-Statesmen-th noble brotherhood of Ma
sons-Odd Fellows-patriots. one and all. have com
promptly to the aid of womanl And ye, women
the North and of the South Of the East and OF 10
West, will We not rally to the work Will ye M
vie, one with another, which will gice most and q
most, that we may, the twenty-second Of Eel
rnary, 1859, claim and take possession Of the HON
and Grave Of him. who loved us all, and thus max
his the birth day also Of Republican graf
tude, justice, and fraternal love! zz
ANN PAMELA CUNNINGHAM
! Regent Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.
. April 10Th, 1858. 8. S ~ sss
L = -
Mr. EvERErr's 0RATIoN.--The,E1aH Of the Soni
Carolina institute was thronged Inst night, and 81