Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-02-16
The Voice of Washington.

In letter to John F. Mercer, dated September
9Th, 1877, General Washington says:
al never mean, unless some particular circum
stances should compel me to it, to possess another
slave by purchase, it being among my first tcisiicS
to see some plan adopted by which slavery, in this
country, may be abolished by law"
In letter to Ro5er: Morris, dated Mount Yer
non, April 10, 1856, he says:
can only siy that there is no MN living who
wishes more sincerely than do to plan adop-
ted for the abolition of it. But there is only one
proper and effectual mode by which it can be ac-
complished, and that is by Legislative authority,
and this far as my suffrage will go shall never be
wanting" li eff
He says. in letter to the Marquis de Lafayette
dated April ?, 1883:
"Thc scheme, my dear Marquis, which you pro
pose as precedent, to encourage the emancipation
of the black people in this country from the state OF
bondage in which they are held, is striking evi
dence of the benevolence of your heart. shall be
happy to join you in 50 auiablc a WORK; but will
defer going into detail of the business till have
the pleasure of seeing you-" @ rs.
In another letter to Lafayette, he says:- ~
"The benerolence of your heart. my dear Mar
qus, is so conspicuous on all occasions, that new
wonder at any fresh proofs of IT.; but your late
purchase of an estate i'm the colony Of Cayenne
with the view of enlncpa'ing the slaves on it, j.
generous and noble proof of yo-r humanity
Would to God like spirit would dilfuse itself gen
orally into the minis ofths people of this country
Ina letter TO Sir John Sinclair, he further slid:
There are in PENNSYLVANIA laws for the gradual
abolition of slavery, which neither Virginia no,
Maryland have at present, but nothing is more GER
tain than they must have and at period not rensofe
From his last will and testament we nuke the
following extract:-s.1 - so.f -.n fes
"Upon the deceasc ofmy wife, It is my will and
desire that all the slaves which hold in my owr
right shall receive their freedom. To cmancipate
them during life would though earnestly wished
by me, be attended wi. h such insuperable difficult
ties on account of their internixtnrc by nilrrage
with the dover negroes, as to excite the most pain
full sensations, if not dsagreeable consequences
from the latter while both descript ms are in the
occupancy OF the same proprietor, it not being In
my power, under the tenure by which Inc dover
negroes are held, to manumit them."
Itissaid that, "when Mrs. Washington learned
from the will ofher deceased husband, that the on
y obstacle to the immediate perfection ofthis pro-
vision was her right of dover. she at once gave it
up, and the slaves were made Free" A man nigh,
possibly concentrate within himself more virtue
and influence than ever Washington possessed, and
sntol T. THE vofcE OF JEFFERSON. 1is 1fs
'"There must doubtless be an unhappy influence
on the manners of our people, produced by the ex-
istence Of slavery amongu The whole commerce
between master and slave IS perpetual exercise
of the most bosterous passions-thc most unremt-
ting despotsm on the one part, and degrading sub
missions on the other. Our children see this, and
learn to initiate it; for is an initiative animal.
This quality is the germ of all education in him.
From his cradle 70 his grave, he is learning to do
what he sees others dc. 1fa parent could find no
motive, either in his philanthropy or his sel-loye
for restraining the intemperance Of passion towards
his slave, it should always be sutIicient that his
child is present But generally 1t is not sufficient
The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the
lineament of wrath, puts the airs in the cir
cleof smaller slaves, gives loose rein to the worst
Of passions; and, thus nursed, educated, and daily
exercised in tyranny, cahnos but be stamped by it
with odous peculiaritiesr = e7sta is'iif'e' So
p"Thc abolition of domestic slavery is the great
est object of desire in these Colonies, where it was
unhappily introduced in their infant state. But