The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-05-13
WASHINGTON AS A SPELLER.
One of His Letters Which Proves His
Weakness.


One of His Letters which Proves His
weakness.
A great deal of interest has been
created by the discussion at the Mary
land Historical soclety's last meeting of
Washington's character and opinion as
shown in his letters. After some re-
marks by Prof. Herbert B. Adams, of
the Johns Hopkins Z University, upon the
method of amending and publishing the
correspondence of Was hington used by
Rev. Jared Sparks, Rev. Hall Harrison,
of Ellicott City, cited an instance in
which Sparks suppressed an unfavora-
BILE comment upon the New England
officers in the revolution. Mr. Harrison
said the letter in which the comment
was suppressed was now in the posses
sion of Mr.. Joseph Packard, jr. Dr.
Adams also said that some of Washing
toms letters were defective in spelling
and grammar.
The letter referred to by Mr.. Harrison
was written to Richard Henry Lee, of
Virginia, and dated Camp at Cam
bridge, August 20, 1775." 1t was penned
soon after Washington arrived and
took command of the army upon his APP
pointment to the post of commander-in-
chief by the Continen tai congress- The
passages omitted by Sparks are as fol-
lows, the exact spelling, grammar and
punctuation of the original being re-
tanned:
"As we have now nearly complicated
our Lines of Defence. we have nothing
more, in my opinion, to fear from the
Enemy provided we can keep our men
10 their duty and make them watchful
& vigilant; but it is among the most diff
6cult tasks ever undertook in my life
to induce these people to believe that
there is, or can be, danger till the Bay
onet is pushed at their Breasts; not that
it proceeds from any uncommon PROV
ess, but rather from an unaccountable
kind of stupidity in the lower class of
these people which believe me prevails
but too generally among the officers of
the Massachusetts part of the army,
who are nearly all of the same kidney
with the Privates and adds not little
TO my difficulties; as there is no such
thing as getting officers of this stamp
to exert themselves in carrying orders
into execution-to curry favor with the
men (by whom they were chosen, & on
whose smiles possibly they may think
they may again rely seems to be one of
the principal objects of their attention.
81 have made pretty good slam
among such kind of officers as the Mas
sachusetts government abound in since
came to this camp, having broke one
Colonel and two Captains for cowardly
behavior in the action on Bunkers Hill
two captains for drawing more pro-
visions and pay than they had men in
their Company-and one for being alb
sent from his Post when the Enemy APP
oeared there and burnt House just by
t.-Besides these, have at this time
one Col, one Major, one Captn. & two
subalterns under arrest for tryal-In
short | spare none, & yet fear it will
aot all do as these People seem to be
too inattentive to everything but their
interest.
There has been so many great and
capital errors Il abuses to rectify-sO
many examples to make & Sc little In
,lination in the officers of inferior Rank
10 contribute their aid to accomplish
this work, that my life has been moth
ing else since / came here but one con-
tinual round of annoyance Il fatigue;
in short no pecuniary recompense could
induce me to undergo what have espe-
,ially as l expect, by showing SO little
,ountenance to Irregularities & publick
abuses, to render myself very obnoxious
10 greater part of these People"
The parts quoted by Sparks relate
chiefly to military movements. The
letter was copied by Mr.. Packard sew
eral years ago from the original in the
handwriting of Washington. Mr.
Packard first saw the original in the
summer of 1860. in the possession of
Mrs Ellen Lee Knapp, a granddaughter
Of Richard Henry Lee, at her house in
Washington, d. c., and he borrowed it
for the purpose of making copy for
Mrs. Knapp's daughter, the wife of Rev.
John r. Joyner, of Berlin, Worcester
county, Md. In some places where the
words were not plain they Were sup
piled from copy which Mrs. Joyner
says was made by the late Herbert n.
Lathrop, of New York City, when the
letter was in better condition. A copy
has been deposited in the Maryland
Historical society library
sun.