Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-01-18
MIS.CELLA A n Y
An Appeal to the Ladies Of the State of Vir'
gipia, for the Purchase of Mt. Vernon.

M 81 II L. j. n IN
An Appeal to the Ladies of the State OF Viz
yipia, for the Purchase of MT. Vernon.
The first LADIES MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION
oB THR UNIoN'' was formed in 1854, in the State
whose proudest boast is that she gave birth to q
Washington and to some worthy to tread in his
footsteps.
The originator of the project to purchase, pre-
serve, and consecrate the homestead and sepnl-
chre of the peerless Washington, was Miss Ann
PAMELA Cunningham, Of South Carolina. Her
untiring exertions overcarne numberless obsta-
cles and in March, 1856, obtained a charter from
the General Assembly of Virginia, incorporating
the Association, and authorizing the Governor
of Virginia to contract for the purchase of two
hundred acres of Mount Vernon. In accordance
with the Charter, the treasury of Va. was to be
supplied with the requisite funds by the Assocl-
ation-the property to be owned by the State OF
Virginia.
Ia March, 1863, this act which had proved
! inoperative, was amended at Miss Cunningham's s
solicitation, and the Association itself was au-
thorized to purchase, pay for, and hold two hun
dred acres of Mount Vernon.
! The Charter granted by Va. required that the
Constitution ard Bylaws to be adopted by the
| Association, should first receive the approval OF
the Governor Of Va. A Constitution, which
rendered the enterprise thoroughly nat1onah
giving to all the States equal privileges in the
purchase and possession of Mt. Vernon, was
drawn up by distinguished lawyers-submltted
to Governor Henry A. Wise-formally approved
by hin-a copy flied il the Office OF the Secre-
tary ce the Commonwealth--and the Associa-
tion, whose action had hitherto been merely ool-
uatary, aous organized in April, 1868, IN q
l., AL
The Constitution requires that the Association
shall have Regent, and that each state shall
be represented, if practicable, by Vice-Regent
thus allowing the States to hold united and
equal possession of the sacred heritage.
The Constitution specifies, that Miss Ann Pa
melia Cunningham, to whose patriotism, zeal,
and never tagging energy, the Association owes
its existence and charter rights, shall be the first
Regent, and shall have the power to appoint
Vice Regents, and other officers.
AT the present date, twenty-five States are
represented by Vice Regents and the Regent is
making earnest efforts to obtain the services OF
efficient representatives in all the other States.
The Vice Regent of each State is duly empow-
cred to organize Board for collecting funds in
the State over which she presides.
The Association is authorized by its Charter
TO hold property to the amount OF five hundred
thousand dollars, including the purchase money
of Monnt Vernon.
! In April, 1858, q contract was executed, IN
due legal form, with Mr.. Johh A. Washington,
for the purchase, by the Association, of two hun
dred acres of Mount Vernon, including the man
sion and tomb of Washington, the garden, pleas
ure grounds, and landing on the Potomac.
Mr.. Washington demanded ofthe Federal Gov
ernment and of Virginia, when he received an
intimstion OF their desire to purchase, two hun
dred thousand dollars for two hundred acres
That sum the ladies of the Association offered
Mr.. Washington soithoHt any attempt to bar
gain.
According to the terms of the contract be-
tween the parties eighteen thousand dollars
were paid down in cash. Fifty seven thousand
are to be paid on or before Jan. 1st, 1859, anu
the remainder in three equal annual instalments
on the 22d of February, 1860, 1861, and 1862,
with the privilege of paying the whole amount
due at any time, and taking possession upon
giving thirty days notice. That the whole will
be paid before he 22d of February, 1859, is the
hope and belief of the Regent and her co-labor-
ers.
If the price is deemed too great for the actual
rale of the estate, let us remember that 1t is to
be paid by the 0Aole nation, and to the nation
Mount Vernon is priceless. If the sum which
renders it q national possession had been still
larger. it would only have afforded larger num-
ber of patriots the opportunity OF bestowing their
mite in the remembrance of the benefits conterr-
ed by him who secured to them their homes,
and whose home they would now reyerently
guard in recognition Of the iaestimable debt.
We can put no market price upon nations at
testation of grattude-no price upon hallowed
memories and holy as5ocations-no price upon
the footprints of sshington-and these give to
Mount Vernon its value! The Association does
not desire to possess this property because OF its
almost unriyalled landscape beauty-its abund-
ant natural advantages-its fertile soi-lts PIC
turesoue surroundings-buU because it was the
home SO dear to the great commander, through
his long career of trial and glory; the home for
which he ever yearned whether at the head OF
victorious army or seated in the Presidential
chair the chief ruler OF his country; "his harbor
Of epose,"-''hiS earthly paradise, n-'his be-
loved Mount Vernon, as 1t has been styled oy
his illustrious biograpber. In that manslon-
which every storm threatens to destroy, ana tne
finger of decay ravages sunchecked-he passed hls
baDpiest hours. Those doors he threw open TO
welcome the great and good or otner i"nos.-
Those walls echoed the sound OF his voice IN
mirth-in council-in prayer From that SOIL
sprang the trees he planted with his own hand,
watched with tender solictude, and even noted
in his diary; they stand there still, green as his
memory in true hearts. There are the pleasure
grounds which he planned-the garden, with its
century plaut--its lemon and orange trees, that
bloss omed beneath his eyesi; the walks his feet
have trodden by the side of his partner. There
is the portico, around the pillars of which he
twined the coral honeysuckle, and where he has
often sat at the close of his well spent day, gaz-
ing, with her, upon the sparkling waters OF the
beautiful Potomac. There is the chamber where
the Christian Hero met his heavenly summons
with the peaceful ejacnlation-"it is welP'--up-
on bis lips; words which angel voices may have
ftly re echoed as they greeted his enfranchised
spirit. And there is the tomb, "a reproach to