The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-04-14
A WASHINGTON ROMANCE.
A Letter From General Washington
Acknowledging the Power Of Love.

A Letter From General Washington |
Acknowledging the Power Of Love.
From the New York Herald
In a collection of rare and valuable |
autograph letta.s w6ich will be sold by
Bangs u &C. mi, aftSnoon, we find the
accompanying letter written by General
Washington at the age of twenty six and
never before made public. The present
owner purchased it in England for the
sum of els, where it WAS probably taken
by meubers of the Fairfax family OF Vir-
einia The letter was addressed to sarah
Fairfax, at Belvoir. The lady was Mis-
Gary, to whom Washington at one time
offered his hand, but was refused for his
friend and comrade, George William
Fairfax. Irving asserts that it was sis-
ter of Mrs, Fairfax, Miss Mary Cary, af-
tsrward Mrs. Edward Amber. We have
the authority of Mrs. Constance G Har
rison, descendant of Lord Fairfax, who
says in paper called "A Little Centeu-
NAL Lady" published in Scrbner's
Monthly of July last, that Sally Gary,
Mrs Fairfax, was the lady for whom
Washington had tenderness. Mrs.
Harrison says.
1t is lair to say that papers which have
never been given to the public set this
question beyond doubt. Mrs. George
William Fairfax, the object of George
Washington = early and passionate love,
lived to an advanced age in Bath, Eng
land widowed, childless and utterly in
firm. Upon 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 influence OF his
early disappointment.
1t is hardly probable that Washington
means to express his love for Mrs. Gus
tis, to whom he alludes here, for her hus-
band was then living-in fact, did not
die until twenty odd years after the date
OF this letter. For the matter of that,
Mrs. Fairfax's husband did not die until
1887. The following letter is, without
doubt, one of those letters which Mrs.
Harrison declares will "set this question
beyond doubt" 1t will be very inter-
esting, as it shows Washington in quite
new light. Even as lover he has all
the stateliness of the General and Father
of His Country:
CAMP AT FORT CUMBERLAND,
18th September, 1858.
DEAR MADAM
Yesterday l was honored with your
short but very agreeable favor OF the first
inst.-how joyfuIly catch at the happy
occasion of renewing correspondence
which feared was disrelished on your
part, l leave to time that never failing
expositor of all things-and to monitor
equally faithful in my own breast to
testify, In silence now express my
Joy. Silence, which, in some cases-I
wish the present-speaks more intelli-
gently than the sweetest eloquence..
II you allow that any honour can be
derived from my opposition to our pres-
ent system OF management you destroy
the merit of it entirely in me by attribut-
ing my anxiety to the animsting prospect
of possessing Mrs. Custis-when-I need
not name it-guess yourself-Should not
my own Honor and country's welfare be
tbs excitement? 'Tis true, l profess
myself votary of Love-I acknowledge
that a lady is In the case-and further
confess that this lady Is known to you
Yes, madam, as we'll as she is to one who
Is too sensible of her charms to deny the
Power whose Iphuence he feels and musl
evr submit to- feel the force of bel
amlable beauties in the recollection OF a
thousand tender passages that l coulc
wish to obliteratr, till l sm bid to revive
them-but experience, alas sadly re
minds me how impossible this is,-ani
eviuces an opinion which l have lonl
entertained, that there is a Destiny
which has the sovereign control of ou
actions-not to be resisted by the strong
est Efforts Of Human Nature
You have drawn me dear madam, o
rather l have drawn myself, into al
honest confession of simple Fact mis-
construe not my meaning--doubt 1t not
nor expose it-The world has no bust
ness to know the object OF my Love-de
clsred in this manner to-you- when
want to conc-al it One thing above q
things in this world Mish to know, an
only one person Of your Acquaintance
can solve me that or guess my meanln
but adieu to this till happier times,
l ever shall see them The hours q
present are melancholy dull, neither tb
rugged tolls OF war, nor the gentler cor
hict of A BIS is in my choice. | daI
believe, you are as happy as you say.
wish l was happy also, Mirth. goo
hu~our, ease Of mind and--what else
Cannot fail to render you so and col
summate your wishes.
If one agreeable lady could almo
wish herself hne gentleman for Ii
sake Of another; I apprehend that man
fine gentlemen will wish themselves fin
ser Mrs. Spotwcod is possest. She hi
already become a regning toast in tn
camp; and many there are in it, who il
tsnd fortune favoring) to make homo
able scars speak the fullness Of the
merit and be messenger Of their Lo
to Her.
l cannot easily forgive the unseaso