The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-06-17
ANOTHER WASHINGTON" LETTER.

IOWA ClTY, June u, 1885,
TO the Editors of the Io,oa City Reporter Sir !:
Having noticed in your last issue some documents
OF an old date published and having read them
with interest and believing that others feel the
same interest in documents of an ancient date, L
here hand YOU copy of original letter now in
nv possession, in the handwriting of and signed by
General W ashington, % the father of his country.
This letter, it will be seen, was written before the
Revolutionary war, and it shows General Washing
toms opinion at that time. do not know that this
letter has ever been published. daughter of Mr..
Fairfax after his DEATH gave it to DR.. Hanson Cat
lett. my father-in-aw, and it has been preserved
since his death in his papers.
YOU should think it worthy of publication YOU
will please give it insertion in your paper, hoping
that Mr.. Everett will see it, and make such of
it as he may think proper. am respectfully yours,
&c. GEO. S. HAMPTON.
MOUNT VRRNoN, August "a, 1894.
DEAR SIR Your letter of the 5th instant came
to this place, forwarded by Mr.. Ramsay, few days
after my return from Williamsburg, and delayed
acknowledging of it sooner, in hopes that should
find time before began my other journey to Phil
adelphia, to answer it fully, if not satisfactorily,
but as much of my time has been engrossed since
came home by company; by your brothers sale and
the business consequent thereupon in writing let
tiers to England, and now attending to my own do
nestle affairs previous to my departure above,
find it impossible to bestow as much time and at
tention to the subject matter of your letter as
could wish to do, and therefore must rely upon
your good nature and candor in excuse for not at
have read all the political pieces which compose a
large share of the gazettes at this time, should
think it, but for your request, piece OF inexcusa-
BILE arrogance in me, to make the least essay to-
wards change in your political opinions; for | am
sure have new light to throw upon the sub
ject, any arguments to offer in support of my
own doctrine that what you have seen; and could
only in general add that innate spirit of freedom
first told me- that the measures which the admins
tration hath for some time been, and now are most
violently pursuing, repugnant to every prin-
ciple of natural justice; whilst much ADLER heads
than my own hath fully convinced me that
it is not only repugnant to natural right, but sub
versve of the laws and constitution of Great Britain
ITSELF in the establishment of which some of the
best blood in the kingdom hath been split. Salts
fled, then that the acts of the British Parliament
are no longer governed by the principles of justice;
that 1t is trampling upon the valuable right OF
Americans, confirmed to them by charter, and
the constitution they themselves boast Of and con-
WINGED beyond the smallest doubt that these meas
ures are the result of elaboration and attempted
to be carried into execution by the hand of power
is it time to trfe risk cause upon petitions
which with difficulty obtain access and afterwards
are thrown By with the utmost contempt, or should
we, because heretofore unsuspicous of design, and
then unwilling to enter into dispute with the moth
er country, go on to bear more and forbear to emu
merate our just causes of complaint
For my own part, / shall not undertake to say
where the line between Great Britain and the Col
onies should be drawn, but l am clearly of the
opinion tnat one ought TO De drawn, ana our right
clearly ascertained. l could wish, | own that the
dispute had been left to posterity to determine but
the crisis is arrived when we must assert our
rights, or submit to every imposition that can be
heaped upon US; till custom and use will make u,
as tame and abect slaves the blacks we rule ovel
with such arbitrary sway.
intended to have wrote no more than an apollo
gy for not writing, but find am insensibly running
into length did not expect, and therefore shall
conclude with remarking that if you dsavow the
right OF Parliament to tax (unrepresented we
are) we only differ in respect to the mode of oppo
sition; and this difference principally arises from
| your belief that they (the Parliament, l mean
want decent opportunity to repeal the acts willis
l am as fully convinced, as | am of my exis-
tence, that there has been a regular systematic
plan formed to enforce them; and that nothing bu
unanimity in We colonies "a stroke they did not ex
pect) and tirmness can prevent it. 1t seems, from
the best advces from Boston that Gen. Gage is ex
ceedingly disconnected at the quiet and steady con
duct of the people of Massachusetts, Bay, and at thu
measures pursuing by the other governments; as
dare say he expected to force those oppressed people
into compliance irritated them into acts of violence
before this, for more colorado pretence of ruling
that and other colonies with high hand-but
am done. ! shall set off on Wednesday next TO
Philadelphia, whittier if you have any commands
L shall be glad to oblige you in them
Being, Dear Sir, with real regards,
our most Obedient servant,