Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-10
WASHINGTON WROTE
STORY OF VISIT HERE
DURING 1871 IN DIARY
President Could Not Discover That Any Discontents
Prevail Among the People at Large at the Pro
ceedings of Congress" When in Richmond

with the tide water navigation n.
"w.--The Canal is OF sufficient den, n
"verywh here hut in Dlacrs nor
brought IN It's proper width: il seems
To b" perfectly secure ayains, Ice
Freshes n Drift Wood-Thc Locks AT
the head Of these works are simple
altogether. Of hewn stone. excep, tho
gates u ellis & very very easy 4.
convenient IL work there are two n:
them. each calculated 10 raise and
lower six feet they cost, according
la the Managers Mr. Harris acct
about $4,000 hut ! could gee nothing
Ia them - require such sum -
erect them--Thc Sluccs in IN. River
between the locks aud the mouth ~
tho Canal are well graduated and
easy Of asc.nt-To complete the Canal
from the point to which IL is nov
opened, and the locks AT the FOOT OF
them. Mr.. Harris thinks will require
three years"
In the next paragraph concerning
his visit To Richmond. President
Washington tells OF having received
an address from ~ Mayor. AiderIn N
and Common Council Of Richmond at
O'Clock, AMI az having dinrd wit n
The Governor au hour later. He tells
NJ having his"Uss.i various matters
with Colonel Fdvar6 Darlington. who
distinguished himself in number Of
campaigns in thu south during the
Revolution. ana wnn was United
states marshal In Virginia at the
iim" OF Washinrton's vixtt. II IL
here that Washington mentioned that
he hnds n" general dissatisfaction in
Richmond concerning the proceedings
NJ Congress. being careful Ia record
Hat
CAV" him that impression
Washington. in referring. to his
conversations with Colonel Caring
ton. allnhes "a Hamilton's hnanciai
scheme by which the United states
"as !" assum. the debts OF tn. re.
sr"c'ire states. scheme To which
jefferson was bitterly opposed and
which was the chief cause Of the
break between Hamilton and LETTER
son. out Of The feelings enEendered
hy IN" Assumption scheme. as i, was
known d"v"l"p"d III. Republica n
har'' nov known 90 N" Democratic
r*rirt. which in tho latter years Of
WaShinr,"n'' administration gave
MIN much trouble. II opposed mos,
% tho measures he favored.
: tn" paragraph in Wsshinc,on..
diary reads:
In tn" course az my inouirics-
chiefly from colonel Carrngion-I
cannot discover that any disconten,s
prevail among the pcoplc n, large ~,
III" proceedings of Congress The
conduct Or the Assembly Respecting
the Assumption ne thinks is CON
d"mn"d by thrm az intempcra,. and
unwise-and he seems 10 have no
doubt but that the Excise Laws
~ was callch-may be executed with
out dihiculty-nay. more. that IL viii
become popular in u iituc time His
cuty AS marshal having carried him
through all parts OF the State lately.
and of course given him tho hest
mcans Of ascertain:nS tho temper and
disposition Of its inhavitants.-Hc
thinks them favorable toward the
General Government-and that they
only require to have matters ex-
r!aincd To them in order to obtain
their full assent TO the measures
adopted by it,
But President Washington did more
than talk politics and dine with the
Governor while in Richmond He
attended to business. And the nature
OF the business that he attended to
probably would be- assigned to
clerk in one Of the burca aus of one
OF the departments at Washing ton
nowadays. His diary tells you what
he did
this state and named thers oTuties
Fixed with Colo. Darlington Uhe
supervisor of the district the sur
veys OF inspection for the District Of
this State named the cha racters for
thcnr-an acct. of which was trans
United TO the Secretary OF the Treas
ury."
That was on "Wednesday. April ~.
In the afternoon he was dincd by the
Corporation of Richmond at public
entertainment.
Washington was not greatly i'm
pressed by Richmond's ARCHITECTURAL
taste Of those days. incidentally. he
intended. his diary suggests to inquire
thu population Of the city before
leaving. hut IT quite evidently slipped
his mind, for tho following excerpt
appears In his journal:
The bindings in this place have
Increased eoQt deal SINCE ! was
here last. hut they are not of the
hest kind.-the number OF Souls in
the city are:
Washington left Richmond on his
Journey South on the I4th NJ April,
after IAN early breakfast" and passed
through Manchester. where he was
the guest at a public dinner given ny
the Mayor and corporation, and In
the evening he attended IAN Assem-
bly, at which there were between
60 & 20 ladies'" The road from Rich
mond TO Petersburg, he says. passes
poor country. principally
covered with pine"
The Hoskins diary is atonce very
unique and very valuable historical
and ought to have Il wide
circulation. II gives one quite few
insishts into Washington's character
that can he obtained In no other doe
ument. II does. as the compiler says,
show the first President as straight
forward. frank and human, AS well as
great and rings with nne ideal
em."