Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-18
MOUNT VERNON.
E.ettcr from General Fitz l. &c.
RICHLAND, STAFFORD COUNTY, Va,
March I6, 1875,

My DEAR SIR-PftSamptuouS0e Will DOT
be charged TO ME. hope, because | comply
with the demand made upon me TO give to the
public some facts connected with the present
management of Mount Vernon, the Mecca
of America.
lam induced to do SO because bill pending
in the House of Delegates now calls the atten-
ton of the General Assembly directly to this
| subject For this reason, that my name has
| been mentioned 10 the debates and false i'm
preston created thereby, because of the articles
! iu your paper and because the Evening Jour
nal, u its editorial of the 18th instant pointed
| " introduces my name 10 connection with its
own views upon the present BILL
| The country is familiar with the fact that the
distinguished Edward Everett and the patriot
| c ladies' OF the nation projected and successful
/ ly carried out plan by which Mount Vernon
passed from the hands of its owner to the con-
troll of the present incorporator5.
1t bas been stated to me that the purchase
Of Mount Vernon. with view of its being con-
troed by an association of ladies', first orlgl-
uated in the mind of Mrs. Ann Pamela Gun
niugham, whilst stretched upon her sick couch,
with an intellect as singular y strong aud bright
as her body was weak and frail. Certainly the
accomplishment Of the object in view seems due
more to her never wearying efforts than to
those of any individual.
| To-day, 10 consequence, the house IN which
Washington lived. the tomb where " ash
ington sleeps, the garden and two hundred
acres Of the land which Washington cultivated
are the property of the Mount Vernon Asso-
citation, and the purchase paid Tor.
| But the State OF Virginia. with motherly
reverence and pride, with jealous interest and
affection threw around the act Of incorporation
authorizing the investment, certain conditions
and safeguards.
! Whilst granting full powers, privileges and
| exemptions the ri ht was reserved OF lDspec-
ton by i've persons to be annually appointed
by the Governor of Virginia, as manifestation
of the deep interest felt by Virginia in the noble
mission of the Association 10 preserving the
home and tomb of w ashington from all changes
aUhethcr by lar or Dissertation, whilst they as
curtained that The pledge gwen to Col. w ashlDg-
ton, the last owner of Mount Vernon, before be
consctcd TO part with 1t, and to Virginia before
she gave to the Association its cOrporte rights,
hns been sacrcdiy and rcliguusly kept. The
solemn contract between State and corporation
10 other words, was simply to see that the prop.
crty was used tor what it was purchased for,
and to zcalously watch over it, SO that in event
from auy cause the Ladies Association should
cease to exist, that the title to Mount Vernon,
as had been stipulated between the contracting
parties, should revert to the Commonwealth Of
Virginia. Though the ages of the ladies esti-
mated sing y may perhaps be greater than nine
teen years, collectively, their corporate life has
run exactly that number; but so satisfactorily
to the public has 1t been speDt, that until TWO
years ago, no Governor Of Virginia has complied
with the eighth section of the act OF lncorpora-
ton, authorizing the appointment OF Board
OF Fisltcrs.'
at last, however, during the administration
oil Governor Walker, rumors OF violation OF law
| and charter we're gwen such circulation,
! that that gentleman, with ear open to redress
public grievances aud au eye open to the IN
leresi OF the Association, Oh the 2od OF April,
| 1878, appointed five persons, who were re-
CURED IL proceed TO Mount Vernon and ''extr-
else the functions aud perform the duties requir
ed by law.
Section seventh, Of the act to incorporate the
| Mount Vernon Ladies Association, passed
March I7tn, 1856, reads 'The said association
may charge, receive and collect any fee which
may be prescribed, not exceeding twenty-five
cents from each and every person over ten
years, who may land at and visit Mount Vernon,
| aud the grave, tomb, ur other place containing
the rcr1alus vi General Washington, but no
greater fee or san. shall be charged or collected
! III any case
And ia section second of the amendment to
| that act, it is stipulated that the Assoclatltn
Shall not have the power to aIleuc said land or
any part thereof, or 10 lease the same, without
| the consent of the General Assembly OF flr-
| giua, first had and obtained. .
Granting the exclusive right to land passen-
sepgcrs at the wharf to the steamer ARROW,
| and charging al entrance fec greater than twcn-
| ty-fve cents per passenger, we're the charges
l. 4, htl,o
paints received wide circulation from attempts
being made every DOW and then to land at the
wharf at Mount Vernon 10 boats, other than
the Arrow" and were much augmented by
the refusal to allow the steamer "C. L. Smith
with party Of ladies, gentlemen and children
to land unless they paid sum greater than
twenty. five ceuts per passenger.
This is the excursion referred to 10 the Jour
| nal of the 13h inst, though 1t is not true, as
stated there, that formed one Of the said EAR
| ty These people were from Statfort county,
| aud we're 90 an excursion to raise fluids TO re-
| pair their curch.
The lived upon the river below Mount Yer
non, and we're ignorant OF any regulation for
bidding their visit on the Smith, and we're
much iuceuscd upon seeeng few days after
their return piece in one of the newspapers
headed "Rowd yism at Mount Vernon" in
which their conduct and Intentions we're gross.
| ly perverted. Many of them were my friends
and neighbors, and yielding to their request |
wrote the article signed "Staford' in their
vudication. Siuce thcns as one Of the Board
of Visitors to Mount Vernon, have, with my
| fellow members, faithfully examined into all
disturbing elements Of complaint. At the sug-
gestion OF our Board, | understand the fare to
and from Washington to Mount Vernon (for
the round trip has been reduced to 81, and is
not 81. SO as is stated-the distance is sixteen
miles one way. The 25 cents passage money
is Included in the dollar, so that the round trip
passage money is Is ceuts-or 81! cents to the
sixteen miles Aud in order hereafter that
such fact may be understood by the public,
would suggest to those having it 40 charge
that tickets should have two coupons upon