Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-07-12
ANOTHER CUNNINGHAM AFFAIR.

The million contributors throughout the North
ern States to the fund for purchasing the Grave
of Washington, and the Mount Vernon estate,
will be edited il not delighted by The perusal of
the following letter from the editor Of The PhRd-
delphia Press:
"WAsnIHGToN June p, 1861.
II is not many months ago that the Ladies OF
the Free States were called upon by one of their
most accomplished sisters of South Carolina to
assist in raising money for the purchase of the
home and the grave of George Washington, 'lhe
Father Of his Country. This sister, Miss Pa
mela Cunningham, lived good part of her time
in the lovely City of Philadelphia Indeed, she
affected your quiet ways, your pleasant society,
aud your open-handed generosity She rallied
to her support the pulpit, the press and the bar
and, with the aid Of IA number of your wealthy
citizens, induced Mr.. Everett to prepare that
marvellous production, dedicated to the 'Charac-
ter of Washington which wns repeated in most
of the States of the Union, and which became so
popular of itself to have aided to swell the
fnDl to 100000 or $4,000. Mr.. Everett, in
spired by the double obligation Of reverence for
his immortal subject, and regard for the beauti-
full woman who had the purchase Of tho home
and grave in charge, not content with preparing
and pronouueing his eulogy, accepted the proiIer
of Mr.. Bonner of The Neio York Ledger to pre-
pare number of articles for this popular serial,
in return for which MIR. Bonner contracted to pAy
an enormous sum, which was also deposited with
the Treasurer of the Association, Mr.. Riggs of
this city, to be applied 10 the same purpUse.--
The activity Of Miss Cunningham ia all this in
teresting matter cannot we'll BIO described. She
was so emincnily and gracefully national; so
profoundly attached to the North faoile of
tongue and pen, that her appeals were responded
to by our Northern capitalists with almost peren-
NAL generosity. The writer of this letter was
among her most obedicnt servants. What she
dictated he wrote; what she commanded he
Obeyed. And he we'll remembers on one occasion
when he suggested to her the possibility Of cult
waiting the homestead of Washington by slave
labor, and how such an example would Interfere
with her enterprise, she secuted the proposition
as among the impossibilities And when on Il
subsequent occasion, in this very correspondence,
| ventured to admonish the ladies having this
great purpose on hand, that, after all, it would
be well to protect the home and the grave from
such a sequel. these fair patriots raised their
hands 10 holy horror at the bare suggestion of
thing that could never happen. Miss Pamela
Cunningham was one of the most indignant of
all those who denounced John A. Washington
when he exacted the ''pound of flesh" in selling
the property of his alleged ancestor. Where do
you think this fair and gentle damsel is now
trust do not outrage or offend the sensbihty
of my female readers, when | inform you that
she is pleasantly located, or was few days ago,
muuication with the Secession leaders, and has
been paying many recent visit to Washington
for the purpose of ascertainng how fur she could
damage the Free States and assist the armed
traitors in the South You must not conceive
these words in reference to Miss Cunningham to
be nndeserved, for with all her gentle nature,
She carries n warriors heart in her BOSOM and
is doubtless'as ready TO see this conflict go on as
Beauregnrd and Davis. When it is iecollected
tint fine entire funl for thp nnrebnan nf tho
home and grave Of Washington, with inconsider..
able exceptions, was raised in the Free States,
and paid by the Free States, the graceful graft.
tude Of Miss Cunningham will be understood. =
She has n delightful Summer retreat, where she
can look upon her broad and fertile acres can
receive her friends like a very princess, and by
means Of the easy and forgying temper of our
| Washington rulers, can forward to Davis Co
the latest intelligence from the Federal inetropo-
lis As to those who paid their money for the
purchase of the home and the grave, are they
not Northern barbaiians, interiors, mudsis :
And ii John a. Washington, who sold the place
aud took the money, could subsequently Join the
enemies of the Union why should not MISS Gun.
ningham Of South Carolina, following this illus
triOas lead, take the place unto herself and her
section, and with n pleasant smile bid her recent
loyal lady associates polite farewell? Ii is u
good bargain all round Although Washington
was n national man, and loved the Union, and
fought for il, and stood by the Constitution, yet
his homestead was in Virginia and If by an
agreeable hetou the Northern dupes can be led
to believe that in paying their money they were
really securing it to the whole country, 80 much
the better; for as recent events have shown,
the South have not only kept Mount Vernon to
themselves, but the money paid to dedicate it tt
the country; thus enricbing themselves without
any loss and securing handsome residence fol
life to Miss Pamela Cunningham.