Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-09
Report OF the Mount vernon Ladies'
Association OF the Uhloia.s p

affairs:
In the month Of April last, "a the public
have been. already informed by the regent OF
the association. a contract was executed with
Mr.. John A. Washington. in dine legal form.
for the purcbase of Mount Vernon. In this
wav the object, 30 long pursued by the gov
ernment of the association. has heen obtained,
it is believed. in a manner most in consonance
with the public sentiment. The contract pro-
vides for the purchase of two hundred acres
of the land belonging to the Mount Vernon
estate, including the mansion house and its
appendages. the garden. the landing from the
river as already established. and. above all,
the tomb which contains the mortal remains
of the Father of his Country.
Whenever the terms of the contract are
fulfilled. this invaluable domain. around
which the patriotic feeling of the Union gath
ers as to a central shrine. will pass into the
possession of the Mount Vernon Ladies' As
ISOLATION. to be by them dedicated, and for
ever held sacred to the memory of Wash
ington.
1t has been already stated in the appeal of
the regent above alluded TO, that the sum
stipulated for in the contract of purchase is
two hundred thousand dollars: eighteen thou
sand of which were paid at the execution of
the contract and the first instalment of fifty
seven thousand dollars 1857 .000) is due on
the LIST of January, 1859. The balance is due
in three annual instalments and in the failure
TO pay the S57 900 due January. 1889, the
sum of $4,000, already paid, is forfeited
The sums now on hand contributed by the
members of local associations. by various
public-spirited bodies and individuals and
accrung from the delivery of Mr.. Everett's
address are sufficient to meet the instalment
due in January next. The sums required to
meet the other instalments and the payment
of interest, if interest should become due by
failure to obtain possession on the 22d OF
February next by the consummation of the
purchase, are yet to be provided. The gov
eminent of the association is well aware that
the sum contracted for. as the price OF the
estate. is greatly beyond its value as piece
of property On this subject it is sufficient
to state that it could not be obtained on any
other terms. The proprietor has been offered
that. and even larger sums, by parties who
wished to acquire the property for pecuniary
speculation, and he considered that he had
performed his duty to the public by refusing
to sell it for any such purpose Indeed, he
had at first publicly declined selling it at all.
except to Congress for the United States, or
to the State of Virginia. Neither Congress
nor the legislature of Virginia seeming dis
posed to make the purchase, Mr.. Washington
was induced to accept the offer Of the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association, which is bound
by its charter to keep it inalienably sacred to
the memory OF washington.
In addition to the large sum required to
fulfill the contract of purchase, considera-
BILE amount will be necessary to repair the
mansion house, TO restore it with the garden
and grounds as nearly as possible to the con-
dition in which they were left by the GREAT
PROPRIETOR, and to meet the expense of man
aging the estate and securing its permanent
preservation. For these purposes the associa-
ton is authorized by its charter to hold prop
erty to the amount of five hundred thousand
dollars. including the purchase money. For
the large portion of the sum still required to
be raised the subscriber, on behalf of the gov
eminent of the association, appeals with con-
fdence to the patriotism of her countrymen,
and especially to the sympathetic cooperation
of her countrywOmen. The sum is undoubt-
edly large one, but surely there cannot be
wanting a sufficient number of persons in this
vast and pOpulous country to raise it, and
even much larger sum. by contribution of
a very trifling amount from each individual. A
dollar each paid by one in sixty of the pOpu-
lation of the Union would effect the object
The only difficulty to be overcome is that of
establishing an organization sufficiently de-
tailed and comprehensive TO reach every in
dividual of the country disposed to give his
mite for this patriotic OBJECT
The association, it is well known, is an in
corporated body, existing under a charter
last session. Its organization admits of indef
mite extension throughout the Union. and the
government of the association earnestly desires
that such extension shall take place as widely
as possible and with the least practicable de-
lay. As VeneratiOn for the great name to
which Mount Vernon is cOnsecrated is a senti
ment which pervades the Union. IL is obvi-
ously proper and highly desirable that the
citizens of every State should be represented
-. nd tp1x nsti-
tuition provides for the representation of each ,
State in the central administration of its af-
fairs through vice regent, and under its pro-
vision the regent has already appointed repre-
sentatives for ten States. The following are
the officer who at present compose the Grand !
Council of the Association
REGENT
Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, South Carolina.
VICE REGENTS.
Mrs Anna Cora Richie Richmond, Virginia.
Mrs Alice H. Dickinson, Wilmington, y. &.
Mrs. PhiocIea Edgeworth Eve, Augusta, Ga.
Mrs Octavia Walton lie Vert, Mobile, Ala.
Mrs Catharine A. Melville, jackson, Miss.
Mrs Margaretta s Morse, New Orleans, la
Mrs Mary Rutledge Fogg, Nashville Tenn.
Mrs Elizabeth NJ. Walton, st. Louis, Mo.
Miss Mary Morris Hamilton New York city n. Y.
Mrs. Louisa lngerso Grecnough, Boston, Mass.
Mrs. SUSAN l.. PELLET Secretary, Richmond, Va.
CSC. W. RIGGS, Esq, Treasurer, Washington, d. {.
by and with the advice of the vice regents, TO |
provide for plan of organization for State |
action, aud to appoint board of managers |
for each State. In consideration of the diff
Guilty OF devising any one plan calculated to !
meet appreciation in sections OF the country |
widely in population and in the |
structure of society, she deems that the ad- |
vancement of the cause will best be promoted |
by leaving il to each vice regent TO enlist such |
for tha Of xKi
conduce to the success of the enterprise.
The sum of one dollar constitutes the con- |
tributor n member of the association, and the |
name, sum and residence of every subscriber |
must be carefully registered by the persons |
who are authorized 10 make or receive collec- |
tons in aid of the Mount Vernon fund. twill !
be the duty Of such persons to transmit the |
same to the vice regent of the State, in default |
of vice regent To the treasurer of the associ- |
alton, who will cause them to be published in |
the National lntelligcncer" and washing |
ton Union, and forward copy TO the regent |
or secretary.
The generous offer of the Masonic fraternity |
of Virginia, and through them. of the Union, |
TO aid the Mt. Vernon Ladies' Association in |
the accomplishment of their sacred object. has |
been gratefully accepted. and 1t Is confidently |
believed that their contributions will be equal |
10 their high appreciation of the character
and virtues of their illustrious brother.
On what more appropriate occasion than
the anniversary OF IA nations independence
,ould simultaneous effort be made by the
,itizens of this great Republic to honor the
memory of him who achieved it? May not
he hope be expressed that the 4th of July,
1858, will record nation's gratitude on the
omb OF it's Patriot ather.
SUSAN l.. PELLET, Secretary.
RICHMOND, June %, 1855.
re- The President is said to have shut |
hi,r round Ia u. han