The Ordway new era., 1913-08-16
InstaIIment II

his letters touched with pleasantry
and gossip. "Our celebrated fortune.
Miss French. whom half the world was
In pursuit off, he wrote. in February.
to Colonel Bassett. bestowed her
hand on Wednesday last, being her
birthday (you perceive. l think myself
under q necessity of accounting for
the choice), on Mr.. Ben Dulany. who
is to take her to Maryland.
Mentioning of one wedding puts me
in mind Of another"-and SO through
the news Of Miss More. remarkable
for q very frizzled head and good
singing" and the rest Of the neighbor-
hood talk.
Trouble at Mount Vernon.
But the year turned out a very sad
one for him.
He had been scarcely ten days back
from New York when Patsy Custis,
whom he loved as his own daughter.
died. It called forth all the latent
Christian faith of the thoughtful
steadfast man to Withstand the shock.
And Master Jack Custis. the girls
wayward brother. gave him little but
anxiety. He would not study. for all
Washington was SO solicitous he
should have the liberalizing outlook OF
books, and be made "it for more use
full purposes than horse-racer," and
though he was but twenty, could hard
ly be induced to see the year out at
college before getting married.
The Boston Tea Party.
It was no doubt very well that pub
lie affairs of the first consequence
called Washington's mind imperative.
ly on from these private anxieties.
which could not but be dwarfed in the
presence OF transactions which threat
ened to shake the continent.
As the year drew on, the govern
ment In England undertook to force
cargoes OF the East India company's
tea into the ports. When all resisted.
and Boston, more forward even than
the rest, threw three hundred and
forty odd chests Of tea into the har-
Dor, acts passed parliament giving
dangerous increase of power to the
governor of Massachusetts,, and d.
recting that Boston port be closed to
all commerce on and after the first
day of June: and 1t became evident
that vigorous action must be taken
In response.
A Day Of Prayer and Fasting.
The Burgesses in Virginia (May.
1910 resolved that June LIST should
be set apart as a day Of fasting and
prayer-prayer that civil war might
be averted and the people of America
united in q common cause.
Again Dunmore dissolved them; but
they gathered in the long room Of the
Raleigh tavern, and there resolved to
urge a congress of all the colonies.
and to call a convention for Virginia
to meet at that place on the first day
Of August to take action for the col
ony.
Dimes With Lord Dunmore.
They showed no spleen towards the
governor Washington dined with him
the very day of the dissolution, spent
the evening at the palace, even rode
out with him to hts farm on the fol-
lowing morning and breakfasted there;
and the Burgesses did not fail to give
the ball they had planned in honor
of Lady Dunmore and her daughters
on the evening the day they had
held their meeting in the "Appolo
room" at the Raleigh.
But there were fasting and prayer
on the 1st of June; the convention
met on the first day of August; very
outspoken resolutions were adopted;
and Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry
Lee, Patrick Henry, Richard Bland.
Edmund Pendleton, George Washing
ton and BENJAMIN Harrison were d.
rected to attend the congress Of the
colonies appointed to meet in Phil
adelphia on the fifth day Of Septem-
ber.
Sets Out for Congress.
When the time came for the jour
ney, Henry and Pendlton Joined Wash
ington at Mount Vernon. 1t must
have been with many grave thoughts
that the three companions got to
horse and turned to ride through the
long August day towards the north.
In the congress Of 1774 the leaders
Of Virginia were for the first time
brought into face-to-face conference
with the men Of other colonies.
In 1765 Fauquier had dissolved the
Burgesses with such sharp despatch,
upon the passage of Mr.. Henry's reso-
lutions. that they were all gone home
before the call for 4 congress to act
upon the stamp duties could reach
them.
Tho Patriot Leaders Independent.
But in 1774 they were not to be SO
cheated. They had themselves Issued
the call for a congress this time. and
dissolution could not drive them
home Their leader could at least
linger at the Raleigh and concert
means to have their way, house or no
house.
A convention took the place OF the
assembly, and seven leading members
of the house were sent to Philadel-
phia, with as full authority to speak
and act for the colony as II the Bur
gesses themselves had commissioned