Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-02-20
WASHINGTON RELICS
BARE DOCUMENTS RELATING
TO THE GREAT AMERICAN.
Many Characteristic Traits Revealed
in Message in Martha WASH
ington's Handwriting
Bill OF His Tailor.


private life. True, we have general
conception of the manner in which he
bore himself to his family, his SER
wants and his neighbors, and what his
personal tastes and habits were, but q
thorough knowledge of him from this
point of view cah only be obtained by
studying just such documents as the
Herald publishes.
The first document is letter from
Martha Washington to her kinswoman,
Mrs. Frances Washington. The letter
was written by Martha, but was dicta-
ted by George Washington, who was
then President of the United States.
1t was duly forwarded to it's destina-
tion, but draft was made by Wash
ington's instructions and from this
draft the Herald reproduction has been
msds. The note at the end of this
letter is in Washingtou's handwriting;
the letter itself is IN his wife's. Here
is the text, with few slight changes
in punctuation and spelling:
IN MARTHA wAsHINaroN's HANDWRITING.
"The President says YOU are already ac-
quainted with his sentiments on the propriety
OF renting out our lands and negroes In
Berkeley. As 1t seems to be- the intention to
settle another plantation there, he thinks
that the negroes, with such as you may in
cline 20 move up from Fairfax, had better
be divided between the two places and each
rented to some man Of character and respon-
sibility who will be able TO give security for
the performance OF the agreement. This will
ease you of much trouble and reduce your
income to certainty, which never will be
the case under Overseers mt distance, rs
you seem to experience already. He thinks
articles should be drawn up by some profess
sional man and skilful person and every pre-
caution taken to prevent waste Of the timber
or the cutting down too much thereof, and no
abuse OF either the land or the negroes
(should) be permitted. As to the terms for
which you should let the estate 1t must de-
pend upon your own view OF the subject, the
will and tho advice OF your friends, those
who are much better acquainted with the
circumstances attending tho estate and the
utility OF a longer or shorter term than he is
vt this distance"
Then comes the following memoran.
dunn in George Washipgton's hand.
writing:
Sentiments dictated by George Washing
ton in letter from Mrs. NJ. Washington to
Mrs. Frances Washington, June, l793''
A peculiar interest attaches to this
document for the reason that very
few OF Martha Washington's letters are
in existence. Her husband, both in
his official and private capacity, wrote
great deal; she apparently wrote
comparatively little. Doubtless this
sensible, good woman thought that
the could spend her time more profit
ably than in letter writing, or it may
be that her letters, being naturally of
a private nature, we're not preserved
as carefully as those written by her
illustrious husband. She may, how
ever, have frequently acted as his
secretary, especially when some
family matter was under discus.
sion, as in the present case. That
she was not apt with the pen is
evident. There is also notable
lack OF punctuation throughout the
letter, though the writer's clearness
of mind is shown by the little dashes,
which, except in one or two places,
are used in lieu of full stops.
In his counsel that "no abuse of the
negroes (should) be permitted" We
see a striking trait OF the man. No
one was ever more kindly and indul-
gent than he. He owned many COL
ored servants and treated them all
we'll. Among them we're carpenters,
blaoksmiths, wheelwrights and men
skilled in other trades. $50 that
the plantation produced everything
within itself for ordinary use."
There may have been some good
tailors on the plantation also, but Mr..
Carlin, whose bill is reproduced here
with, was evidently not one of them.
Washington's kindness to his ser.
wants was indeed always marked. A
few days before he died Mr.. Lear,
his secretary, brought him some let
ters to be franked, in order that they
might be taken to the Postoffice, but,
although Washington attended to his
request, he said that the weather was
too bad to send a servant out with
them. Again, few hours before he
drew his last breath, he turned to his
servant, Christopher, who had been
in the room during the day, and al
most the whole time on his feet, and
kindly told him to sit down. He was
President of the United States when
he wrote to Mrs. Frances, with the
cares OF nation on his shoulders, but
yet he did not forget to say kind
word for the negroes, just as he did
not forget the courtesy due to men
ial when he was lying on his death.
bed. We have many letters written
by Washington, but few moro worthy
OF study than this one to his kins.
woman.
This Mrs. Frances Washington was
the daughter Of Colonel Burwell Bas-
sett. of New Kent County, Virginia.
She married on October Is, 1856,
Colonel George Augustine Washing.
ton, who was the great Georges
nephew, being the son OF his younger
brother Charles. Mrs. Frances had
four children, one of fwhom died in in.
fancy. Her husband left her by will,
which was probated in 1898, all bis
property as long as she remained
widow, though provision was made
for the children as soon as they should
marry or attain their majority. In
the will is full description of the
Berkeley county property referred to
in the letter.
TAILOR CARLrN's LITTLE BILL.
The second document is very cur.
ious. Here is verbatim copy. Mr..
Carlin has such distinct individuality
that it seemed pity to mar it by sub.
stituting modern English for his
quantity spelled words:
l772 Col. George Washington Dr.
June l7th To makeing will yr
waitingman coat
wastcoat 4 2 pr
Breatches OF Dark
Drill. 16 0
To makeing Preachey
Apr Drill Bretches. 0 6 0
To Giles h Tom each a
puiE..
To makeing Frank 2
wastcoats 4 2 pr
Bretches. ....... 0 l2 0