The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-01-06
Unpublished Letter or George Wash
ingtOn.

4 Iu6tVus
4 The following unpublished letter oi
George Washington is interesting,
showing, as it does, some OF The pecu-
liarities in the character Of the father OF
his country. Even in small business
transaction the great man shows some
of the chief traits in his disposition.
The peculiar minuteness of his instruc-
tons prove the methodic habit of his
mind, and the carefnlness with which
ne ever laid out his plans, and his ex-
hortation to economy, shows the care
winch he always exercised in all money
matters, private or public. The letter
Is III the possession of DIR. John r. Shat
fer, or Elizabeth, Pa, who received ID
rom Washington Fairfax, son of the
Col. John Fairfax who is referred to i'm
the document.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MR.. JOHN FAIRgAx.
/ You will proceed in the stage from
Alexandria to Boston, without losing a
day that can possibly be avoided. and
when arrived at the latter deliver the
letter herewith given you to the Hon.
Thomas Cushing, Lieutenant Governor
of the State of Massachusetts,, who re-
III,
directions you are to follow.
The Intention of your going there is
to bring one, perhaps two, jack asses,
winch have been imported for me from
Spain. A Spaniard is arrived with
and attends the first, and possibly, il
the second has arrived, there may be
one with him also. One or both of
these men, according to the instruc-
tions they may have received in Spain,
or agreeably to the directions you may
receive from the Lieutenant Governor,
are to come on with you and the lacks.
As you will have to ride back, and
as this will be the case also with the
Spaniards, (if there are more than one.
horses, if it is thought improper to ride
the jacks, will have to be bought. and
as females will answer nv Dur,,oses
best, / desire you will buy mares.
Let them be young, sound and of gooj
size, as L purpose to put them TO the
| jacks In the coming season. Lieufen-
ant Governor Cushing will furnish
you with his advice i'm making this pur-
chase, and will also furnish Necessary
sum to defray the expense Of your Jour
ney back.
You know too we'll the high value
set upon these Jacks to neglect them ON
the road IN any Instance whatsoever:
Dut II tic one which Is now ian Boston.
and the other, If it arrived i'm time.
should come Oh under their pro,,er
Keepers, your business Will then he to
see that everything Necessary is proyi-
ued, leaving the management of the
asses TO the Spaniard or SraniarlS who
may attend them, and who best
know how to travel and feed them.
See, however, Gf their Keepers are
drunk and Negligent that due stten-
ton and care is bes slowed OH these ami
mails.
AS 4 do not mean TO be at the cx-
pense of hireing and bringing on am in
terprcter, Though neither of the SPAN
iarls should speak English, YOU wolIl,,
do well before you leave Boston, when
by means of an interpreter, communi-
cate your sentiments to each other 10
settle all the Necessary points for your
journey, particularly your hour for set
llng out III the morning, (which let be
carry, taxing up in the day, and of
wnat KIND OF fOOd, also the kind and
quality Of liquor that is to be given to
the Spaniarsis in the day. I'm this gov
ern yourself by the advice of the Lieu
tenant Governor. L would not debar
them OF what is proper any more than
would indulge them i'm what is not so.
Be attentive to the conduct of these
men, as from their good and bad dispo-
sition l shall be enabled to Judge
whether to keep one of them or not, if
either should incline to stay in the
country with the jacks.
Having settled the principal poipt.
with them before you leave Boston.
you may easily understand each other
by signs in the smaller matters till you |
return back to New York, when, by
means of the attendant on the Spanish |,
Minister, you may, if necessary, settle
fresh plan.
Not expecting that You will travel
back faster than the jacks can walk it is
possible you may reach New York be-
fore you take halting day, which, if
not too far, would be advisable, as then,
probably, the Spaniards will require it
on account of meeting their country
men in the family of Mr.. Gardooui.
the Spanish Minister. However, if
they think halt sooner is necessary.
you must be governed by their opin-
ion, as jacks must not be hurt by trav-
cling them too fast or Improperly.
Let the jacks he put seperate and
with no other creatures, lest they get
burt themselves or hurt others, and i'll
it is necessary they should be clothed.
which you must know before you leave
Boston, and provide blankets or such
other clothing as their keepers think
best at that place. Keep an exact ac-
count OF your expenses from the time
you leave home until you return TO IL
again, remem boring that dollars i'm the
State of Maryland, Delaware, PenusyI-
vania and lower New Jersey, pass for
seven and six pence. In the other part
OF New Jersey, bordering OH New
York, and in that State, for eight shil.
lings, and in all the New England )
at six shiIlings, as in Vir-
ginia, and i'm other silver and gold i'm
that proportion.
Although do not .thiI K there is any
that the Jack or Jacks will
have left Boston before YOU arrive there,
yet, at, and after you leave the city OF
New York il may be well to inquire
now and then along the road whether
they may not have passed, the circum-
stance Of which Wilt be well known if I
it really has happened. For this rca-
SON if there is a stage which ps.ssc.
through Hartford, i'm Connecticut, and
80 along the post road i'm Boston, il will
be better TO pursue this route than To 90
by the stage or boat from New York 10
Providence by water.
As soon as the stage gets {, It's quar-
Lers at night, Immediately engage your
passage for the next day, lest you may
be too late, and thereby he detained a
lay or two waiting its return. Make
lse OF the stage wagons as the stage
are too expensive. AS soon as
you get to Boston write To me, or get
TO do it, by the post, inform
ng me whether there are one or more
Jacks, in what condition they are, with
,thcr particulars, and when you expect .
% commence your journey rack.
Given at blt. Vernon, Get. 18th, I7s5.
y G.. WASHINGTON.
England, says Mr.. Lawes, has made
IN unusually fine crop or wheat. IL
will average thirty bushels per acre. i
The eight while will average sixty
,nc pounds to the bdshel. Yet the
hirty-onc millions Of that Kingdom J
will consume five and half bushels
o the head, and needs an importa- /,
ion Of at least 1000, 900 quarters, 5G.- !
'OO,OO0 bushels. Lest year they need +,
d over 3 100000 quarters, that Is 73,-