The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-20
should consult Paul Leicester Ford's
The True George Washinsto
Absent OWner,S PernleSitins


With all his care. Washington found Ii
| impossible TO manage his estate well from
distance. Stock died the land grew
poor. and things in general went wrong
| In the interval between the close of the
revolution and his Inauguration as presl-
dent he succeeded in bringing the weight
OF his wool clip up to an average ol
1--WE and one-half pounds per fleece, -Four
years Of absence and consequent neglect
brought the average down to two and q
half pounds-a decline that he took sore
" to heart. The weight and yield of his
mismanaged that, with a hundred cows
upon the estate. he complained that Il
am obliged to buy butter for the use OF
my family"
This inefficiency was in large part due
to the fact that the labor was almost
entirely performed by slaves. Washing
ton Inherited ten slaves from his father
and this number gradually increased to
about three hundred, many of whom were
too old and dccrepit to be Of much serv-
Ice. There is abundant evidence 10 show
that he was kind master. The over
seers. he wrote on one occasion in urging
good care OF the slaves, seem to con-
sioer negro much In the same light
as they do the brute beasts on the farm.
and oftentimes they treat them as In
humanity" Another time he wrote ''I
desire they (the slaves) may have plenty.
for will not have my feelings hurt with
complaints OF this sort. nor I've under the
imputation of starving MY negroes, and
thereby driving them TO the necessity OF
thieying to supply the deficiency,
II instead of a peck they could eat a
bushel OF meal a week fairly, and re-
quired IT. l would not withhold or be-
Drudge 1t them"
notwithstanding his patience was often
sorely tried, and the picture he draws OF
slavery from the masters standpoint is
dark one Thieving was so common
that he dared not leave his wine unlocked
even for his guests, and hogs, sheep and
M 10 CT Mt
ly disappearing. Il have such an opinion
OF my negroes (two or three eNcepted), i"
he wrote, that am perfectly sure there
Is not a single thing that can be dis
not stolen
Lazy Negroes.
Though a just master. he was impa-
tent at shirking or laziness. There was
enough OF this to try the patience of a
wrote There is not to be found so idle
a chicken coop would employ all of them
a week" What kind of sickness is
Betty Davis's7" he asks a little later, "a
more lazy. deceItful. and impudent huzzy
IS not to be found in the United States"
doll at the Ferry must be taught to
knit. and made to do a sufficient days
work Of It, he INSTRUCTED his manager
on another occasion, otherwise or suf
fered to be idle) many more will walk in
corrigible, however for her name con-
stantly recurs In later letters of her i'm
patient master
~ am very sorry TO hear that so likely
young fellow as Matilda's Ben should
addict himself TO such courses as he is
pursuing" he wrote on still another oc-
casion. 'If he should be guilty of any
atrocious crime that would affect his life.
he might be given UP to the civil authirity
for trial; but for such offeuses as most
of his color are guilty Of you had better
try further correction, accompanied with
admonition and advice. He .
may be, told in explicit language that
II a stop is not put to his rogueries and
other vllainies by fair means and short
ly. that I will ship him off Gas did Wag-
oner Jack) for the West Indies. where be
will have no opportunity OF playing such
pranls."
In common with Jefferson. Madison and
other great southern contemporaries,
Washington looked upon slavery as an
evil that ought 10 be gotten rid of. Two
years before his death he wrote: II wish
from my soul that the legislature Of this
state could see the policy of a, gradual
much future mischief" But Virginia dis.
regarded the advice of her wIsest and
best and reaped n bitter penalty.
By his will Washington provided for