Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-20

l
book with small sums won at loo. whist and
balliards; also with small Losses ct these games
with his frisnds This habit Of charging him
| self with losses at cards and other games was
continued through his life. These extracts
rom George washington's early business &C.
counts suggest that the germ Of his orderly
methods which led him to submit to the labor
OF keeping IN exact account Of his personal ex-
Penses throughout the revolutionary var. and
which he presented to Congress 10 discharge in
| lieu OF salary, existed in him from his youth.
ne never counted trouble or cost where .
principle WAS 70 b maintained, and his
every duty.
His expense accounts show that on Septsm.
s Per ~ la he buys himself two-foot sunser
Tor This was probably the common fat
craving scale or rule, usually an inch and
nall broad, divided and ruled to various meas
ures relating to surveying, navigation, trigo-
nomssry, &C., used chiefly BY surveyors.
ASA ErrKR WRITER.
1t has been said and with much truth that
Warrington was . slave to his pen. Springing
from his habit OF explicitness Of detail in en-
terprises and intimately connected with this
marked trait was his custom Of taking notes
and making records Of observed facts relating
70 matters In which he was interested On
tne value Of approved methods he senten tiously
wrote, Contracts not reduced to writing are
seiuom performed to the satisfaction Of either
L u
writer OF books, he was one of the most felici-
sons letter writer's in history.
weary every subject Of practical interest to
| people In q new country-such AS farm man.
asemeht and productions, commerce, inven-
uons, manufactures and the right Of the peo-
pie 10 choose their own form of government
anu rulers-engaged his attention and are dis
cussed with great ability.
MS earliest business letter Of which have
any knowledge is one from the valley of Vir-
ginia, May 5, 1749. to his half brother. Law
renee Washington, at the time member of the
mouse OF burgesses, and is directed to Will
linmsburg
In this letter matters Of much importance to
MS mother and to his fathers estate he dis
cusses in a familiar and comprehensive manner
and points out the great injury "A proposed new
Terry would be to their Plantation, and hopes
the assembly will not authorize its establish
ment at the place proposed.
While In ordinary business matters he could
! safely rely on his own judgment, in those re-
curing the technical knowledge of a LAWYER he
never failed to employ one. as is attested by
the many fees to attorneys entered in his cash
book. His fees as IA surveyor and his salary as
adJutant general put him in possession of funds
IL was apparent to all who knew him and OBJ
served his aptitude for and his attention to
business that he was sure to get ON in the
world.
As early as 1850 George Washington became
the owner of, at least two tracts of land in
he was more or less extensively engaged in
buying, patentirg, selling and leasing lands.
A decline in the health of Lawrence Washing
ton led hmm to throw much of his private busl-
ness upon George. who was not only capable,
but DESTROYS also of relieving HIM.
HIS FIRST MILITARY COMMISSION.
In the spring of this year Lawrence re-
signed the Office of adjutant general, with the
rank of major, which he held in one of tie
four military divisions into which Virginia
was then districted, and it Is supposed he was
instrumental in having George appointed his
successor. with n salary of ESQ year. The
duty or the office WIS the organization. equip
ment and drilling of the militia in his district.
his appointment Is good evidence of the
early maturity OF both his mind and DO ly as
well as of the correct and orderly habits of
george Washington. otherwise the governor
and council could not have felt justified in his
selection for SO important an office while he
was still under age With his usual conscien-
tiousness he Immediately set about qualifying
himself for the proper discharge of his duties.
For months he made a rigid study of tactics
the use Of the sword and the evolutions OF cav
airy. In this study he received Instructions
from AdJutant Muse of Westmoreland county
and Jacob Van Braam of Fredericksburg both
OF whom were capable and had served with
Maj Lawrence Washington in the Carthagenian
expedition. Up to this time beyond the ira
ditiOnal tales OF his school boy drills, there is
no evidence OF his having given any special at
tention to the study of arms This was
George Washingtou's first military com
mission: The duties which this office
imposed and the studies which it led
Washington to make may have awakened
In his mind dreams which found their most
congenial exercise in the benefits they con-
ferred In after days upon his country. HIS
mind had broadened with years and the inter-
course he had had with active business men, 50
that at twenty he was well fitted for an en-
larged field Of duty and responsibility.
HIS TRIP TO BARBADoEs.
For relief to his pulmonary trouble Lawrence
Washington was advised by his physician to
spend the winter in Barbadoes which he re- |
solved to do. 1t was bis desire and it was like
wise counseled by all his friends that George |
should accompany him. This course, it was |
seen, would obiige George to give up his very |
9 stisfactory and profitable engagement with |
Lord Fairfax, but this he at once concluded to |
do. II was. indeed, but opportunity for |
George to exercise one of his uoblest traits of |
character-gratitude. The brothers were ar
IDENTIFY attached to each other, and no request |
Lawrence could have made would George, for |
q moment, have hesitated to grant.
They took passage upon a vessel freighted |
with Virginia products, which sailed from the |
Potomac September %, 1851. and landed safely |
Island of Barbados. This was the only time |
George Washington was ever beyond the |
bounds Of what is now the United States. As |
was his custom he began journal and noted |
everything OF interest occurring on the voyage |
and during his stay upon the island. The daily |
entries, except for period of two weeks while |
he suffered from attack of smallpox were |
until his return to Mount |
Vernon.
STUDYING NAVIGATION.
He had studied the theory Of navigation in |
connection with surveying, so he &C.
cepted with eagerness the opportunity on this |
voyage for a practical application of the |
He copied the ships log book |
into his journal and made daily astronomical |
observations under the instruction OF the |
ships captain, noting the weather, direction |
Of the winds and currents, vessels sighted and |
passing events, keeping his journal as ORDERLY |
as though he we're actually in charge of the |
ship. Unfortunately the paper upon which |
this journal was written is SO poor that il ia
rapidly crumbling to dust and already much |
of it il lost beyond recovery. 1t is due to the |
Department of State to say that they are nut /
ting the Washington papers in the best possi-
BILE condition for their future protection and
preservation.
1t was characteristic Of Washington to make
. hasty survey of localities visited for the first
time and to acquire their history. Adhering 10
this custom when he landed in Barbados he
records the result in his journal with appre-
ciative comments on its climate population
commerce, productions, military
&c. BridgetOwn had, even then its
theater and it is probable that it was here that
George Washington witnessed for the first
time n dra m narformapca H. aIl,a..