The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-04-05
THE DISPATCH.
MONDAY APRIL 5 l ls,s

4s-in publishing the following correspondence
between "a Southern Matron" and Mr.. Washing
ton, we are happy to announce that the transfer
Of Mount Vernon to the Ladies' Mount Vernon As
sociation is now fixed fact.
The evidence of this will be laid before the pub.
lie as soon as certain necessary legal prelimina-
ries can be arranged Il Enquirer.
RICHMOND, March 18th, 1853
Mr. JOHN A. WASHINGTON:
Dear sir-The bill providing that Virginia
should purchase Mount Vernon, on the faith that
the purchase money WAS to be refunded by the
Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union
was called up in the House Of Delegates to-day
and defeated by vote of 20 to 81
For more than four years, through three sue
cessiye Legislatures, has the Mother State been
mportuned to secure TO herself the possession
iof all Tune, OF the grave of that immortal son.
whose fame has been the glory of her past histo-
ry, and is the source of her present power and in
nuence iu a Confederation OF States
10 eur earnest petition to grant Virginia once
again, an opportunity to become the custodian of
ms grave, you reluctantly yielded. and only with
the assurance that this, the third, should also be
the last opportunity offered her, ever to secure
this precious charge. sHt
We joyfnlly accepted this condition. with no
fear as to the result, for knew that patriots of
almost every section, were anxious 70 be permit
ted share in this custodiauship; and would
pledge themselves to pay the purchase money,
and bear the expense of future care aud preserve
ton, only to obtain that simple boon.
We grieve to announce to you, that we erred in
Judgment, and that majority of the Geueral As
sembiy OF the old Commonwealth, has placed on
record-neyer to be effaced from tho page of yir-
gInias history-that she did not desire to possess
Mount vernon, either as gift or purchase.
by the law OF our confederate government Con-
gress cannot purchase land in a sovereign State
without the consent Of and cessiOn of the title by
the state, IN whose domain the property lies. vr-
ginla, through her Congressional representatives
mas declared en1phatically, that she will never
cede to Congress the title to Mount Vernon
In your desire to procure for it sacred destiny
to place it beyond the contingencies of time and
change, inseparable from private possessions you
have announced that you would only sell to the
United states, or to Virginia. For seven years you
have received advances which induced you to be-
ieve that the Federal Government or the State in-
tended TO purchase. For seven years you have
awaited their final decision, and the result is now
before you Have you not done all that copsisten-
cy, selfrespeet, and ancestral pride require, in
furnishing these repeated opportunities to the
state and nation, TO become possessoTs and guar
uians OF the home and grave of your illustrious
ancestor! Because one cannot purchase and the
other will not, will you continue to refuse the
overture OF parties who pledge themselves to ac-
compish the end in view-both for the place and
the nation?
May we not hope that the events of the past year
n0fie have been sufficient to convince you that the
people cherish the memory of the father of their
country, and would be the most most proper guar
dians of his remainsi Over the length and breadth
OF this land there is but one voice heard; from
rockbound New England, reverberating over the
plains of New Mexico, aud re-echoed from the
golden gates of California, that as Washington be-
longs to the whole country, his grave should be
the property of the nation. The nations Repre-
sentatyes have no power to make it so, and vir-
glnia refuses to do it herself or to aid others to
crafty nations yearnings. Yesl a nations
yearning, Tor the heart of this great people has
been touched aud the old aud the young men,
women and children, orators and statesmen Ma
sons, &C., the children of Washington, of every
class-political, religious and social-uniting 10
one common brotherhood, pledge themselves, and
their descendants, to the latest time guard the
tomb OF their renowned father. whose memory
they can have the power, while it remains first
in their hearts, to bind them together in bands
too strong to be severed.
In the name and on behalf of the Ladies Mount
Vernon Association of the Union, we now approach
you to renew our offer to purchase Mount Yer
uon. We do SO with the hope that you will not
again refuse, for we know that you appreciate the
unselhsh patriotism and devotion which prompts
and sustains this movement. We will place before
you such evidence of past success, and present
prospects, as must convice you that, in relying Oh
the patriotism of our c0untrymen for the means to
redeem our pledges TO you, we rely on an exche-
quer which will not be exhauste by our demands.
We offer TO obtain every legal guarantee needfuI
for the protection of your interests and not incon
sistent with the patriotic objects we wish to keep
steadily in view. We beg your most serious con-
sderation Of the fact, that there is n0,c no party
or power in the United States, except the Mount
Vernon Association, which can make, or desires to
make Mount Vernon the property of the nation
with grateful woman pledged to guard the sacred
ashes OF Washington, and to ad0rn his home for
national shrine.
Such being the case we cannot doubt YOUR dcc-
sion. With sentiments of high respect
SOUTHERN MATR0N.