The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-12-04
GEORGE MASON AND HIS TIMES.

If you 60 to Gunston Hall, on the banks
of the upper Potomac, you will find a pic
turesque old mansion, built nearly hun
dred and thirty years ago, by George Ma
son, the greatest statesman Of Virginia in
his time. He is known as the " Father of
Virginia, having written her Bill of Rights
and the Constitution, and served as one of
her earlier governors. He was one of the
purest and best men of his time, and pos
sessed the confidence of those younger civil
ians, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, whose
opinions he did much TO mould In the
old family graveyard, where this great son
of Virginia was buried, no stone marks his
resting place, but in the magnificent and
much admired group Of sculptured heroes
and statesmen which adorns State.house
Square, George Mason is conspicuous.
Few of our people are aware how much
Of our modern democratic faith comes
from these men, wrought out in the SUBJ
lime days of the Revolution. Two vir-
giniaDs stand pre-eminent as the champi-
ons of the people against aristocratic pre-
tensions and privilege, George Mason and
Thomas Jefferson. Anything which
throws light on their times, and especially
glimpses of their home life, possesses
great value to us at this day. Through
the courtesy of General Fitzhugh Lee, a
descendant Of the Masons as we'll as the
Lees of the Revolution, who woIthily rep.
resents these two illusMious names of our
history, we are enabled to lay before our
readers extracts from several letters of
George Mason, written nearly century
ago. The originals now in possession Of
General Lee, are written in a small. clear
hand, as legible as print. The first which
we publish is written from Philadelphia
in 1887, where Mason had gone to repre-
sent Virginia in the first session of the
Continental Congress. 1t is directed to
his son George, left in charge of the es-
tate at home. Mrs. Mason died some
years previous, and his daughter Betsy
Kept the house. The McCartys, relatives
and neighbors of the Masons, were ances--
tors OF the one who killed his cousin
George in the duel, SO recently recalled to
our memory, and of which several of the
neighbors here were witnesses.
PHILADELPHIA, May ~, 1887.
Dear George wrote you, by the Post,
a few days after my arrival in this CITY, /
shall be glad to know whether my letter
has come safe to hand, as also the letters |
wrote from Baltimore to your Brothers
William and Thomson, to which have
not yet received any answer. l wish to be
informed also whether you have had any
good, rams and what prospect of the crops
OF wheat and tobacco. 1t is impossible TO
Judge how long we shall be detained here,
but from present appearances fear until |
July, not later. begin to grow
heartily tired of the Etiquette and nonsense
20 fashionable IN this city. 1t would take
he some months TO make myself master
OF them, and that it should require months
TO learn what is not worth remembering as
many minutes, is to NE SO disconrag;np
circumstance as determines me to give |
myself no manner of trouble about them
have not yet been able to do ANYTHING
respecting your brother John. and fear I
snail meet with much difficulty on that
subject We had yesterday, for the first
time, representation of seven States |
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Delaware, Virginia and the two Carolinas
and 1t IS expected that the deputies from
Massachusetts,, Connecticut and Georgia |
VIII be here by Monday or Tuesday. The |
State OF Rhode Island has refused to an |
point deputies, and although New Hamn-
shire mas appointed it is thought we shall
DE deprived OF their representation bv no
provision having been made for defrayipp
their expenses. The State of Delaware
mas tied up the hands of her deputies by
an express direction to retain the princiDle
IN the present confederation of each state
having the same vote; no other state, so
iar as we have yet seen, hath restrained
US deputies on any subject. Moth
ing was done yesterday but unan-
lmously appointing General Washington
PRESIDENT; Major jackson 10y niiorty
OF live states to two) secretary readinp
The credentials from the different states
on the floor, and appointing a committee
TO draw up and report the rules of pro-
ceedng. 1t is expected our doors will be
smut, and communications upon the busi-
ness OF the convention be forbidden dur-
ing its sitting. This l think myself a
proper precaution to prevent mistakes
and Misrepresentation until the business
snail have been completed, when the
wnoie may have very different COM
plexlon from that in which the several
crude and Indlgested parts might in their
nrst shape appear if submitted to the
public eye. Present me kindly to BETSY.
10 sae family at dunston, to Mr.. McCarty
am, dear George,
Your Affect. Father ESQ