The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-02-08
An Appeal for Noun, Vernon.

| The following admirable appeal OF the
Ladies' Monnt Vernon Association Of the
Union should 90 TO the heart Of every pa
triot of the land and arouse new interest
and zeal in glorious cause, II is proper
to state that the "Southern Matron," in
signing her baptismal name to this docu-
ment, yielded to the solicitations Of Mr..
Everett and other friends:
MOUNT vEHNox, TIE PROPERTY OF THE
NATION.
It is with feelings of the highest gratif-
cation we announce to the public, that the
persevering efforts of the Ladies' Mount
Vernon Association Of the Union, have been
crowned with success commensurate with
their sacred aims and lofty patriotism, and
that they haveat last secured to the Amer
lean people the privilege of making the
Home and Grave Of Washington tile prop
crty of Nation!
On tho failure Of the Mount Vernon bill
in the General Assembly of Virginia, we
renewed our overtures to Mr., Washington
to sell the property to tho Association
These overtures met with favorable re-
sponse, and on the 9th Of April contract
was signed by Mr.. Washington, which OBJ
ligated him to transfer Mount Vernon to
the Association, on its compliance with the
following terms, viz:
The payment OF two hundred thousand
dollars, for two hundred acres Of land, in
Guiding the mansion, gardens, landing
place, and, above all, the tomb.
Eighteen thousand dolats to be paid on
closing of contract, and the remainder of
the sum in four bonds, payable in yearly
instalments, with the permission, after The
payment 'fMe first bond, to pay to Mr..
Washington any amount of the balance due
in sums of not less than five thousand dol
lars, which sums will be credited to the
Association-in this manner lessening the
interest.
The title to the estate and possession TO
be given on payment Of the principal and
interest; and the privilege also granted of
obtaining possession, on thirty day. notice,
at any time the association may Je ready
to furnish tie entir, purchase money.
The price asked for Mount Vernon by
its proprietor, and which has never varied,
has long been known to the public, and the
Ladies of the Mount Vernon Association,
in Offering to become its purchasers, could
not erpect to acquire IL, upon other terms,
than those given as the ultimatum, to Con-
gress and to Virginia.
Yet there is concession made to the
Association by Mr.. Washington, rs to the
extension of time; and very important
proviso, to save interest, which can be best
explained by the following letter addressed
to the legal gentlemen who negotiated the
purchase on behalf Of the Association:
RICHMOND, April Z, 1858.
To HTlliar: II. Hdtfarland, Esq, and
Gen. Il. Il. Chapman:
GEYTLEMEN-1n tho negotiation you
have recently concluded with me, on behalf
of the Ladies' Association for the purchase
Of Mount Ver@on, the payment of interest
on the deferred instalments from the date
Of the contract, while retained possession
of the property. was the only serious diff
Guilty between us.
Having satisfied you that l could not
yield this point, you finally conceded it.
As tic contract is now closed, end / be-
lieve in satisfactory way to both parties,
it affords me pleasure to say TO you, that
if the Association meet its engagements
with me on the first of January 1850, and
thinks proper to pay, and does pay the
other deferred instaments on or before the
22d of February, 1850, Ms YOU inform ne
they will probably be both wiling and able
to do it, it is my intention, in that case, to
remit to the Association all the interest on
all the deferred payments.
This l shall be willing to do, partly as
m inducemcnt to the Association to obtain
possession of Mount Vernon at an carly |
day, but moro particularly, as an evidence
of my appreciation of the motives that have
actuated the Ladies' Association in the
cause it has undertaken.
have the honor to be, gentlemen,
With Tie highest respect,
Your obedient servant,
CT