Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-31
AlefanorIa 0ax&tt&
SATURDAY, MARCH 81, 1877.
A Washington Romance.

Washington Romance.
In collection Of rare ard valuable autograph
letters We End the accompanying letter written
by Gen. Washington at the age Of tWenty-sx
and never before made public. The present
owner purchased it in England some years ago
for the sum of fl5, where it was probably taken
By members of the Fairfax family of Virginia.
The letter IL addressed to Sarah Fairfax, at
Belvoir This lady was Miss Cary, to whom
Washington at one time offered his hand, but
was refused for his friend and comrade George
William Fairfax. Irving asserts that 1t was q
sister of Mrs. Fairfax, Miss Mary Cary, after.
ward Mrs. Edward Amber We have the au.
thority Of Mrs. Constance e. Harrison. a de-
scendant of Lord Fairfax, who says in a paper
called "a Little Centennial Lady," published
10 Scribners Monthly Of July last, that Sally
Cary, Mrs. Fairfax, was the lady for whom
Washington had Z tenderness. Mrs. Harrison
says:
1t is fair to say that papers which have never
been given to the public set this question be-
yopd doubt. Mrs. George William Fairfax,
passionate love- lived to an advanced age 10
Bath, England, widowed, chidess and utterly
indrm. UDoo her death, at the age Of eighty
one, letters, still in possession Of the Fairfax
| family, were found among her effects, showing
that Washington had never forgotten the in
fuence of his youthful disappointment.
| Il is hardly probable that Washington means
10 express his love for Mrs. Gusts, to whom he
alluded here, for her husband vas then living
| in TACT, did not die until twenty odd years after
! the date OF this letter. For the matter Of that,
Mrs Fairtax's husband did not die untl 1857.
| The following letter is, without doubt, one CT
those letters which Mrs. Harrison declares will
| "sct this question beyond doubt. II will
| be found very Interesting, as it shows Wash.
! iugton in uute new ligut. Even as a lover
i he has all the statcliness OF the General and
The Father OF His Cnnntry:--
CAMP AT FORT CUMBERLAND,
l2th September, l.5S.
| DEAR MADAM: I...
Yesterday | was houorcd with your SboiI
Dut Very agreeable favor or tic lSt iost-ho"
/ ,yfully catch ct the happy c.son OF re
ucglug correspondence winch ! feared was
dlsrelIshei on Your part, ! leave to tlme thai
| uever falling exroslroT ci all thlGgs-aud to Il
| monitor >luaIly n h!u u my o~n breast to
testify. IN ci!rrc1 nov express nay soy.
SliGucc, Which, II s0N!" caSeS'-l WiSh the pres
ral~-cpeaks mere lGi"!llgrntiT than the sweet
est clrIucnca.
49, ~" n,;,;n" ",.U" ,n ',nr nrosrn, 6, .trm ~
iIotn .'J oHt4s.',, saw, ,rV, H.. ,ns,;t ~ j. s,,
V"< 80 ~, ,,r:,,n,oa nv anretv to ,h,.
'feiy ~ uo y, "'e' -, e''V"h WV -, n, w. ty,rt;s..
aI'm'''iis n faT' Nv. :,-,Ta-. yonrs.IE.
Suuud ~, ,,y neo W,n,r I'D corntrva w,,.
r,-o ha thc nIm,c,rn,,I" III, trur, | protes.
| myself votary OF love- Acknowledge that
lodo is ;n The a.se--aud further coufoss that
u .aGs ,,9. 10 - = narn =, N.Tcs madam as
n'I NIL os sL. :. -, nnr nho i: loo .eo,bc of het
w., ahar,n, - don, ,i,c pnvc- whose Influence be-
suI. ','o ,,,,t sver srhm;t r. feel the force
~ her aminhlo heanIies ia tho recollection of
VI W. atI'.aolI taoJso ,b., coud wish r.
'ilGu'auu 'tHTi' t;iI a,n III - ~,v;vr ihem-hnt
oumori",r, ala. aadlc reminds me how inpos.
etI.' :S,s it;o !, and cvinres an onipioo which
l'u.. a n,,ar,sin,I i,t thira !, = nest;oy.
uHio ',' rs inv sovrC;go cont,, or our actiOns
"nlo.' n's ~, ~ ht :La s,rornrst cfTorts ri
nV' uI " N".',. ""
iiVnau -, loa~ ~m.ac, or rather
1pt i-'u ,,',.s,ir ;,,o an Innnat conicssion
J. nav. "'1 "a, ,'ioanns,r,o not nv meaning
o. sllI'i.' i1's '.''ou' NTno 1vnrlJ hos no
-aouOt II "o, "T. 'AHr9. t;a. noIorad
ousIne:S W W." 80, ;NuIon w,nt m conceal
~ t'is nlau?s. ~ vo III ,hiun, in th;s wnrJ
II: onG lilus "op'u ~ onn ~ vonr .r.
"l''! ~ Auo"' 'n, o, ,h,, ~ rra.s nv mean.
quan ance Gan So'I ~ th' 'o III IL; h.nnCr " ines iT
lpgI@ aueI snc lS. ~ ' The hours At present are
ever Soh sec dn ru neither T the % rusged tolls Of
meIahchoy uu',' ,i'r nr''m oonN;n, of 4 - Il;
war; nor lle Ee'''ii' w." ooo;~ ;,""yr v,u ara as
IS lu luy cnoles ''nG a;.,, ''I' 'ros y y.nrv s.r
happy as you .r say' a." "'o'' s. ,ri,,d andywbst
1r!"i rt. SUv+ taII ~ rco1cr rou 50 and c,osum
else Canagt ;ohaa ial1 10 ''"''' 'V = al = ''''''
maze your saanhI, msS. l.a, ,,r,l almost wish her
Il! os aE..IID Eon,omnn f,r thc sake Of another:
sell I!us k,h., ha ,nan tTna gsnIInmen will w'sh
apprenGnu' snas a1a Hrs Inn,swnoI il nos,csl
themselves n'I. t.o,a 90 r';,r;p tra.tin his
que mas az ,.'"n,, ,Lrro ,rr T. j. who intend
camp; aud many mere a!G ~ =, lI WIZ 'u.sno .ar'
tortunG 'aVUr.ns' - in'n| n,;, g" a,5 hr mr,.
speak the iul!nGsS ci 'heIt l'"''' ""u W. &" "''
senger oi theil hgFe 10 ,t'' h..,..