The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-14
WASHINGTON AS A sPELLER.
One of Ills Letters which Proves HI
Weakness.

One OF His Letters which Proves HIS
Weakness.
A great deal Of interest has been
treated by the discussion at the Mary
land Historical society's last meeting of
Washington's character and opinion as
shown in his letters After some re-
marks by Prof. Herbert Il. Adams, OF
the Johns Hopkins University, upon the
method of amending and publ shing the
correspondence of Was shington used by
Rev. cared Sparks, Rev Hall HARRISON
Of Ellicott City, cited an instance in
which Sparks suppressed an unfavora
ble 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, 177b." 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
to their duty and make them watchful
4 vigilant: but it is among the most diff
fcult 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
ass, 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 We're 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 Il 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 Bunliers 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
peared there and burnt House Just by
tt.-Bcsides these, have Mt this time
one Col. one Major, one Captn. II two
slrbalterns under arrest for tryal--In
short | spare none, & yet fear it will
rot all do as these People seem to be
too inattentive to everything but their
Interest.
"There has been so many great and
capital errors S5 abuses to rectify-sC
many examples to make ~ so little In
clination in the officers of inferior Ranl;
TO contribute their aid to accomplish
this work, that my life has been moth.
ing else since came here but one con
tnual round of annoyance Il fatigue
III nllOl ~ ICClllltblg SGplllpClioC CpuIN
induce me to undergo what have espe-
cially as | expect, by showing so little
countenance to Irregularities u publick
abuses, to render myself very obnoxious
to greater part Of these People
The parts quoted by Sparks relate
chiefly to military movements. Tho
letter was copied by Mr.. Packard sev
t 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, Il granddaughter
Of Richard Henry Lee, at her house il
Washington, ID. c., and he borrowed il
for the purpose of making copy fol
Mrs Knapp's daughter, the wife of Rev
John r. Joyner, of Berlin, Worcester
county, Nd. In some places where the
words We're not plain they We're sup
piled from Il copy which Mrs. Joynel
says was made by the late Herbert n
+ Lathrop, of New York City, when tht
letter was in better condition. \ copy
. has been deposited in the Maryland
, Historical society library. y.-Baltimorc
|