Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-24
WESTINGHOUSE oaThooRAPHH
IAN TIIiterate Virginia Colonel VINO spe"-
ed Like a Common Soldier"
bradley 7. Johnson, IN Baltimore sum-


ed Like a Common SOLDIER.
bradley t. johnson, IN Baltimore SUM-
would not for the world interrupt the
TIT between Juridicus aud Dr. Aaans, lpr
il is very pretty quarrel as II s.s'n ~.
Nor do | intend to complain OK tne
Yankees blowing of their own norns,
for Msrylanders have as much right
To blow, and II they do not eAer-
else IL they ought not TO carp az those VINO
DO. The controversy about now neuy
colonies Washington cashiered before Dos,
ton for pcculation, OF how many ne caneu
at White Plans for cowardice, may oe isi.
10 take care of itself. Though TWO yrisauuS
ran away from small party or tue r.su-
lars. eight Connecticut companies, LED oy
a French officer. Major Gimat. sVorheu'no
redoubt at Yorktown. ,-..,
The Marylauder ~ a CAV, hlgh-splriteG;;
hap,y gallant The world to him IL iulI
of roses, the air he breathe9 is JOY anu ne
only asks to live and let live. he mas 10
abnormal development OF CONSCIENTIOUS
responsibility for the rest OF the human
race which impels him to rectify the uni
verso and correct the plan OF erea-
ton. He IS satisfied TO be Iet moue,
and he does not interfere with other
people. Only occasionally ne recal.
citrates when il is attempted to INSTRUCT
him. When Rhode Island professor IS
imported by a Maryland institution 70
cultivate the natives by lecturlng on
the history of Virginia and when Mary-
land university brings gentleman from
Germany here TO enlighten the desceh
dapts OF the men who made the Consutu-
ton of the United States on the nature
origin and operation of that ConstitutloI,
then the Marylander begins to feel that
forbearance had ceased to be virtue, out
when it is alleged by professor OF history
IN the leading university IN America
that GeCrye Washington was an llllterate
Viro1nia colonel who spelled like COM
mon soldier" then silence ceases 10 be Tor
bearance nnd speech becomes duty. Inc
Gentlemen from east of the Hudson nave
eyolyed n cult of which the common
school is the fetish and the belief IN the
three RS is the fundamental taith. lhey
sincerely believe that there ia no educa-
| ton not founded on the primary school,
and that there can be no culture not de-
rived from the pedagogue. Therefore they
believe that George WASHINGTON was mt
crate. and proceed TO correct aud colt
MIN down TO the standard OF their own
tbumb-measure.
WRITER AND sPELLER.
| JON issue on their assertion. and WIZ
prove that Washington was "a well edu-
Gated ana wrote and spelled as well as any
Gentleman of his date ana station IN lie
| on either side of the water. lie wrote ana
spelled the English language. as used by
gentlemen, not the New England tongue
as improved 10y Webster. FROM the
! time he was l6 years old he was accus-
toned to ths Virginia society OF
| his generation. Lord Fairfax had wit
| ten for the Spectator. The carriers at
| Sabine Hall assembled the highest minds
| Of the province. Colonel Byrd, at West
over, had been an intimate friend or the
| Earl of Orrery, who invented the astro-
nomical ms rument named Tor him. Lewis
| Littlepage. on the PGmunkey. was knight
| Of the order of 81. Stanlslans and had been
| chamberlain of the last King OF Poland.
| Daniel Parke had been did-de-cGiap TO the
| Duke of Marlboro at Blenheim end carried
| the news OF the victory from the Duke 10
| Queen Anne, from whom ne received az
| reward her miniature set IN brllllants.
| The Eirrinian gentry were educated IN
| ENGLAND and Scotland, aud as early Us llbl
| there was a Virginia club nj the University
| of Edinburgh. composed VI n0tlye-bOrn II
| plniaus As furnishing models tor manners,
| morals. department, and behavior. that So
| cIetv has never been excolled in this world.
| Its fundamental canon required courage,
/ fidelity, tfuthtuiness. They Thought, as
| they rode-stralght 20 their object. They
| read few books, but they were the best
| best III thought. best IN style. and best IN
| principles. Accustomed 10 this society
| from his youth. Washington was fair ex,
| ample of its product lie wrote Is wen
| and spelled rs correctly as any man OF ms
day.
VALUABLE RECORD.
On the 18th day of April, 1855, there was
held a council OF war at Alexandra, Va,
and a photo-lthographic copy OF the re-
| cord of rs proceedings has Just been pub
hsned. There were present; Edward
| Braddock. general and commander-ln-
chief of the army; Admiral Theppeli, ditto
Of the navy: William Shirley. Governor
of Massachusetts Robert Dlnwiddle. OF
Virginia; james de Lancy, OF New
York: HoratiO Sharp. of Maryland; Ro-
bert Hunter Morris. Of PennsylyGnia-all
the Governors Of all the leading colonies.
The secretary Of that council was William
Shirley, son Of Governor Shirley. Inc
record OF the proceedings Is carefully
| written out and attested as examined by
~. Shirley. secretary" 1t may. there
fore. be taken as fair sample IN chiro-
graphy and photography or the, accom-
plshments Of the gentlemen or that DAY.
But every line showed variation IN
spelling from the present New England
standard: April" general, ~ vessel,
expence." " compleat," Pensilyanla,',
GARRISON PROPOSAL" SEVERAL,
councill." In September l776, X. k.
Livingston and William Duer. OF the Com
mittee OF Correspondence. of New York,
engaged Northumberland Iench nigh
man, military secretary and confidential
staT officer Of Washington, 10 write tnem
daily letter advising them OF such move
ments of the army "a were proper 70 be
known. In this correspondence find re-
ceit. "tryal," ." inllsting. yigilence.'
In extracts from hundreds of letters OF
the members of the Continental Congress,
of the constitutional Convention OF 1883,
OF the committees of correspondence,
there are similar variations from the pres
eut standard. As a matter of tact,
there was at that time no standard
of English h which all educated peo-
ple sought to conform. johnson has
eoup.eat," as well "a complete" and 1t
Is hypercriticism 20 assert that Washing
ton was Illiterate. 1t must be conceded
tbat SPARKS. without excuse. suppressed
important parts OF his correspondence, not
on account Of its defects IN style. but be-
cause of the ofensiyeness OF sentiment or
statement 10 the BostOnese taste, but We
are not called upon to shelter hun from
the consequences Of such peryersion by
accusing PLAN Virginia gentleman OF
| ia