Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-27
WASHINGTON AND HIS MOTHER.
Was she welcome TO Live with Him at
M. Vernon?

MI. ternonE
To he Editor o|ne Eeto York Times
Tho Times printed last February an ex-
tract from n paper which had been recently
read at a yoman's club IN New York. Inc
extract, as IL appeared IN the iuaes,
claimed to have been copied from ,etIsi
ON file in the State Department at WASH
inuton in which General Washington, IN
response to communication from ms
mother requesting permission 10 spenu
the winter at ut. Vernon. Is made 10 de-
clare that he could not invite her 10 ms
house for three reasons First. that sne
could not take her meals at his table with,
out causing remarks from his distneulsneu
guests; secondly, that 1t would DO incon-
venient to send her meals to her rooins,
and the third alternative would compe'
her TO eat with the servants.
| quote from memory, but am sure L
am correct. You may remember at once
challenged the accuracy OF these asser-
tons. and that you referred me 70 tue
author of the article. l am convinced
from correspondence with that lady,
that the spirit of the original utterance IN
the woman's club was mlsconstrueo-
am perfectly sure that the author OF tne
paper considered the club o. representing
the drawing-room extension, ana tnat
everything said therein was private. ohe
sImplv meant TO illustrate the enormous
social pressure in those DAYS OF which we
are prone to think as times or primitive
s,mplci
But the paragraph in the Times has been
extensively copied throughout the coun-
try, gathering force "a 1t trayeled. III
springs up in many towns OF the Union
with sensational headings and pungent &C
centuations. la its latest form IL appears
that Mrs. Washington complained OF rheu-
,,oI,-,, frovn loo hing honSp. ~ TO Wnlcu
her son, who has been held up as O model
for all sons, replied that as tor her
room he would have 1t shingled. and
for her rheumatism he would send
doctor: but that 1t would be
impossible TO receive her at his nome tor
three reasons: First. she could not eat NJ
the table with his guests without causing
remarks from them: second, II her meals
were sent to her room IL you'd lnconve-
n!ence his wife, and third. If she were 10
eat with the servants It would cause scan;
dalous talk. The writer continues: III
the document Is genulne-and ITS veracity
has not been questioned it would appear
that the hero of the hatchet story was no.
unlike the generality Of sons.
The letter preserved in the State Depart
ment is a long one. written from MI. YER
non in 1857 with the purpose OF prevailing
upon Mrs. Mary Washington, in view or
ntT age anu iuhi LlANi''s W ANiAAi $3.50
cares of her plantation, and with " a man,
a maid, phaeton, and two horses" to live
with one of her children. 1t does not ap-
pear that she has suggested residence AT
Mt. Vernon, but her son desires 1t, and Is
troubled because he cannot, IN his life de-
voted to public affairs. insure for her the
uulet and repose essential 10 her comfort.
he SAYS: r
MY house is at your service. and L
d. eNv. C-nlVr mo 10
voutly, to accept it. but | am sure candor
requires me TO say it will never answer
your purposes in any shape whatsoever.
for in truth il may be compared TO we'll
resorted tavern, as scarcely any strangers
who are going from North TO South, or
from South to North do not spend day
or two at It.
This would, we're you an lnhabitant OF
it, oblige you 10 do one of three things :
First, to be always dressing TO appear IN
company: second, TO come INTO "a blank
bere5 m a disbabiHe: or, third. to be, as it
were. n prisoner in your own chamber. The
first you'd not like indeed. for person
at your time Of life 1t would be
too fatigulng. The second | should not
like. because those who resort here are, as
/ observed before, strangers and people or
the first distinction. And the third, more
than probably. would not be pleasing 10
either of Us. Nor. indeed. could you be
retired in any room in my house, for what
with the sitting up of company, the noise,
the hustle OF servants, and many other
things. you could not be able to enjoy that
calmness and serenity of mind, which, IN
my opinion. you ought now 20 prefer to
every other consideration in life."
This is the sole foundation for the flip
pant paragraphs which have appeared
SINCE your article OF last February. Evil
IDENTITY they are interesting bits OF gossip,
very precious to the irreverent class,
known in all countries and ages. who
weary of hearing Aristides called the
Just" To the women of America has
been confided the custody of the home
and grave of Mary Washington and
the home and sepulchre of her dis
tinguished son. Encouraged by this
proof of O nations confidence IN her
daughters, we venture TO remind you that
Washington declared that to his mother
he was indie bted for all that he possessed
of good, morally. mentally, and physically,
and we defend him from the foul charge
OF brutal unkindness and lnhospltallty,
expressed in terms of vulgar coarseness,
TO that revered mother. Already that vigil
liant watcher on the ramparts OF her coun-
try's honor, Mrs. Martha j. Lamb. has
given place in her magazine to a most in
dignant denunclation of this blot cast
upon the escutcheon of our nations ia
Their. SARA A. Pryor.
Nelo York. November Is, 1892.