The Washington herald., 1911-10-01

Miss Cunningham did not falter. She
| was now literally overwhelmed with
work. She wrote letters daily to women
4 In all parts of the country, cheering them
on and voicing her belief that success
! might come. She went on completing
| the work Of organization and taking in
| new vice regents, She suffered greatly
physically with nervous attacks, con-
vulsions. and headaches that exhausted
| her, but she worked increasingly.
On March l, 1856. she met Edward Ever
EFT. the famous orator and lecturer, and
so great was her elOquenCe that he prom
ised her to devote to the cause the pro-
ceeds of his lecture for a stated period.
AS result of this he turned over to her
500 O64
Although the association did not have
the full $4,000 with which to buy. they
had more than half of the amount But
Mr.. WashingtOns refusal to sell the
place encouraged refusals from outsiders
to contribute money for the purchase
There were some who pretended to doubt
the sincerity Of the Southern Matron,"
and the association. Despair conquered
nearly every woman in the cause except
Ann Cunningham.
Mr.. Washington would not sell That
was the great obstacle, the insurmount-
able difficulty Could It be overcome? 1t
could, said Miss Cunningham
She went to Mount Vernon, rnakinEt
part Of the journey by railroad although
the motion of the train at that time ag-
gravated her suffering TO an extent al
most indescribable. How much she did
endure on that trip is disclosed in the
narration of what happened at Mount
Vernon. She went down the river in
boat. was transferred to rowboat in
front Of the Mount Vernon house. and
was carried in a chair into the house
There she talked to Mr.. Washington and
his family-but they were obdurate in
their refusal.
The next morning before her depar-
ture she pleaded with him again. Her
whole heart was in her words Here is
her own description Of that last inter
view with Mr.. Washington.
His Resolution shaken.
The spirit moved me as never before.
l never spoke to mortal as ! spoke to
him. l told him the isles of the sea. would
send their tributes for Mounnt Vernon;
that he would live to see It, though I
would not. eve both did, for Havana
and the Sandwich Islands both sent con-
tributions) When l saw could notl
shake his resolution against allowing
Virginia to buy Mount Vernon, for he
was very indignant at that. and consid-l
cred il would be mean for Virginia to ac-.
as to point to him the light in which
coming generations would view his con-
duct in preventing our tribute to WASH
ingtOn. l told him his descesdants would
mourn having descended from him.
That as soon as 1 saw a draft of the
charter I realized that it was not what
would be agreeable to Mr.. Washington. 1 I,
assured him that believed all the ladies
felt as l did.
"Cnawares, l had at last touched the
sore spot the obstacle no money could
have removed. l now found that he be-
iieved the whole thing had been arranged
between the association and Virginia to
put an indignity on him. I then told him
If he would consent to overcome minor
objections that l would prove to the
country the position of the association by
going before the next legislature and ask
ing 1t 10 make any change he required.
but he must let the association pay thei
money and not feel his State OF himself
were lowered by the act.
held out my hand, he put his in mine,
then with quivering lips. moist eyes. and
a heart too full to speak, our compact
was closed in silence
None but God can tell the mental la
Dor and physical suffering Mount Vernon
has cost me-"
To my mind that "sCrawT' closing the
purchase contract of Mount Vernon for
succeeding generations was one of the
greatest lines in all the annals of rever-
entail and patriotic deeds. Ann Pamela
Cunningham had initiated the movement.
organized il, carried II through: and made
the purchase. With the affixing of her
name TO the State document she won a
victory which might have we'll made her
famous. She had worked In an age when
any woman attempting a national move
nent. not only with ridicule, discourage
0h,,Hf
by physical weakness at all
times, she had Travelled by rail, by
coach, and by boat, had interceded with
and won over to her cause some of the
greatest men of her time. and, invading
Mount Vernon, had procured the agree
nent of John A. Washington to let the
'ale be consummated. There was about
Ter undertaking all the discoura cement
hat attends the pioneer in any line of
work.. The women of to-day starting out
m occasional campaigns and great prof.
cts have precedent and rule to guide
hem. Ann Cunningham made her own
ules, and flew in the face of all prece-
lent.
Purchased Before War.
All the purchase money was paid in by
'ebruary %. 1859. and only two years in
ervened between that time and the out
reak of the civil war. Formal possess
ion of the home and its surrounding
rounds was taken by the ladies' associa-
lon on February %. 1860, but prior to
hat repairs had been begun on the build
1gs. In fact. Miss Cunningham, having
ccomplished the purchase of the sacred
pot. found herself confronted with the
ecessity of repairing the place and of
estoring it to what il had been when
Washington lived in it, For this addI-
onal funds had to be raised. Fairs were
iven, money was collected and in sew
'al instances the vice regents gave Ifber-
lly of their own money. The repairs
ere hardly under way when the war
roke.
At that time Miss Cunningham was on
er mothers plantation in South Caro-
ma. Her first thought was for the
of Washington's home, and
was due to her intercession that all
trough the bitter struggle the men of
lie South and the men of the North not
My kept Mount Vernon inviolate but
ten stacked their arms at its gates and
ltering the grounds together stood in
eace before the Fathers last resting
ACE. Miss Cunningham, in addition to
harding Mount Vernon's affairs as best
lie might with the interrupted means OF
with the secretary and
Iperintendent of the home, had to as
Ime her i'll mothers duties managing
lie plantation.
Thus II Is that the nation owes to Ann
amelia Cunningham, the heroine, its
'ivilege of visiting the home of Wash