The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-24
AN APPEAL TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNI.
TED STATES

H' h2 SShL lO OF THE UNI-
TED STATES.
IL is well known to yon. that On the 9Th of
April, lS5S, contract was signed between John
a. W Was',ngon proprietor of Mt Vernon, and
the Regent of the Mt Vernon Ladies' Associa.
ton, by which tho mansion and tomb Of WASH
Ington, and two hundred acres. are to become
the property of the nation. The title to be held
ny the Association, and the property to be trans.
ferred on the payment of S2O0.OOO. All the in
terest on said sum to he ren,itted should the
whole amount be paid the Cpd of February,
1899, the anniversary of the birth. day Of the
father Of his country.
The assumption, by woman, Of 70 vast re-
sPohs,Di'i'y M the collection Of this sum, and
the additional one OF S300,O0O necessary for the
REPAIRS improvement aud preservation Of the
estate, was hailed with joy, not only by the mil
lions of this great Republic, but bv tho millions
ncross the sea- in the fathcrIand of the children
OF Washington.
This solemn obligation was assumed when the
association had scarce extended beyond the
Southern States, in which it had its origin but
woman had faith in the depth of love and reve-
renee felt for the mstrous patriot, and courage
to dedicate herself To the holy work or d-vcIop.
ing Ito the heig"t OF the generosity required to
secure The possession Of his sacred ashes. And
now, when that anniversary npnoach.s-on ,n
mvcrsary to which others than our own nation
turr, ms The hitting time for grateful ucople to
reward her lnbors-I place before YOU the result
"' ,he devotion OF the woman Of the land, anil
call upon you TO iuduo betw.c tbrm and IN.
nation in whose patriotism they cnnfidrd
By their cxrrtions, the associatiou has on.
iarScd from ninc States to twcutv.six lis
boundaries extend from Maine to California
from Minnesota To Fio-i,la. Twenty four Vice
Regents have entered upon their duties in their
respective States. Throurl, their indrfutiy,,,i.
efforts, aud those of their generous nlIvNiho
Hon. Edward Evcrcti-the treasurer of The ns
sociaon has been enabled to pny to Mr. Wusb.
ingt"n, III addition Ia the SIT 200 paid on sim
ing the contract, the first instalmlcnt of S57..
ho', due on the lst Of january. 1850 with The
interest thereon; $4,000 on the lith of Dec.m-
Der, the fifty eighth anniversary Of Wnshin".
tons death; S5,o00 on the 9Th of February
and Sln,o ,o'''' on the llth or February inst. mn.
KING S2'.0uO Oh the SECOND inst siaImcnt of Sill
66, due on the 22d Of February, laGn to
which. in addition to the ST. s. ono invested bv Tho
ass"c'ht,"n' makes upwards of SILT 900 reportc
known to be collected in various parts of The
country.
In" purity Of their patriotism tho zeal, encr.
ry sclf.sacrifising spirit which actun,cs them and
thc'r C" iah"r"rs arc best shown by the moral
'"h"chcc already eNcrted. and which is SO clo-
qnently described i'll the words Of another:
The present awakening of public feeling to.
ward the memory Of Washington would suffice
10 encourage the friends of our race II il nur.
and high enough to challenge the sympathy of
angels We may point to it ms n mark of IIco.
vrns iavor-n sign that Providence hns no, de-
serted us IN punishment of our national sins-a
timely revival Of the religion Of noble tl,oupbts
blessed touch on the electric chord of symn,.
thy which ought oftcner To thrill q country nos
sessng such mn origin and such an experience MS
ours. Let us hal II as nn aus;'icious omen ns
,he inauguration OF n new telegraph Of the
heart, deep laid and love fraught like that new
bond of humanity, which, if not now, must Gro
long awaken The f,IlSpe of tho
seeing these things let us bless God and tax.
courage"
But prosperous as the association hns been :.
entering upon the new year with high hopes and
renewed zeal, determined to pr, IS onward until
the goai IS obtained, it is evident from the state
me"t now made, that Mt. Vernon cannot be
secured by 1t TO the nation. on the .lny anticina
tea without immediate and simultan eo,,s action
by the whole country. The appeals of the off. .
GERS OF the association have been scattered brond
cast over the land. Official reports each month,
nave reminded my countrymcn how rapidly time
was passing. And now the day trn wa nigh ON
which it is SD c"n'l-ntIy expected that III. great
American people will redeem the pledge maue
ny coni''iing woman. But ten days remains be-
fore m anniversary to which all cyea are turned
rs the expected and appropriate time when she
VIII reap her reward in triumEhnntly vnIcnii,,p
a nations honor. and inaugurating The birth .dov
of republican gratitude. Shall she fail? viii
II people possess NJ untoll wealth, nunb.rinu
over ten milli"ns of adults from whom the con-
.rlonti"n al three cents each, would brs,ow
S3n.'on, consent to record, on ;hc anniversary
OF his birth, that we nre unworthy to have re.
ceived a Washington
Let men remember that the record they mr..
about to make on the 22d or February. 1859, Tor
this mighty Republic. is one which can only he
eitaced when the memory Of w ashington censcs
l." he revered among the sous Of men, and that
VIII be-whcn it Is proclaimed-" that time
shall be no more"
ANN PAMELA CUNNINGHAM
Regent Mt V. l.. A. of the Union.
PHILADELPHIA, February llth, 1859.