The True George Washington [10th Ed.]

Part 1

The True George Washington

by Paul Leicester Ford

Author of “The Honorable Peter Stirling” Editor of “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson” and “The Sayings of Poor Richard”

“That I have foibles, and perhaps many of them, I shall not deny. I should esteem myself, as the world would, vain and empty, were I to arrogate perfection.” —Washington

“Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.” —Shakespeare

1896

BY J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

Tenth Edition

Electrotyped and Printed by J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO WILLIAM F. HAVEMEYER,

IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE INDEBTEDNESS OF THE AUTHOR TO HIS COLLECTION OF WASHINGTONIANA.

Contents

Note CHAPTER I.—FAMILY RELATIONS CHAPTER II.—PHYSIQUE CHAPTER III.—EDUCATION CHAPTER IV.—RELATIONS WITH THE FAIR SEX CHAPTER V.—FARMER AND PROPRIETOR CHAPTER VI.—MASTER AND EMPLOYER CHAPTER VII.—SOCIAL LIFE CHAPTER VIII.—TASTES AND AMUSEMENTS CHAPTER IX.—FRIENDS CHAPTER X.—ENEMIES CHAPTER XI.—SOLDIER CHAPTER XII.—CITIZEN AND OFFICE-HOLDER INDEX

List of Illustrations with Notes

MINIATURE OF WASHINGTON. By JAMES SHARPLESS Painted for Washington in 1795, and presented by him to Nelly (Calvert) Stuart, widow of John Parke Custis, Washington’s adopted son. Her son George Washington Parke Custis, in whose presence the sittings were made, often spoke of the likeness as “almost perfect.”

MEMORIAL TABLET OF LAURENCE AND AMEE WASHINGTON, IN SULGRAVE CHURCH, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE The injury of the effigy of Laurence Washington and the entire disappearance of the effigy of Amee antedate the early part of the present century, and probably were done in the Puritan period. Since the above tracing was made the brasses of the eleven children have been stolen, leaving nothing but the lettering and the shield of the Washington arms.

BETTY WASHINGTON, WIFE OF FIELDING LEWIS Painted about 1750, and erroneously alleged to be by Copley. Original in the possession of Mr. R. Byrd Lewis, of Marmion, Virginia.

JOHN AND MARTHA CUSTIS Original in the possession of General G.W. Custis Lee, of Lexington, Virginia.

MINIATURE OF ELEANOR PARKE CUSTIS From the miniature by Gilbert Stuart, in the possession of her grandson, Edward Parke Lewis Custis, of Hoboken, New Jersey.

FICTITIOUS PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON The lettering reads, “Done from an original Drawn from the Life, by Alex’r Campbell of Williamsburg in Virginia. Published as the act directs 9 Sept’r 1775 by C. Shepherd.” It is the first engraved portrait of Washington, and was issued to satisfy the English curiosity concerning the new commander-in-chief of the rebels. From the original print in the possession of Mr. W.F. Havemeyer, of New York.

COPY SHEET FROM YOUNG MAN’S COMPANION The sheet from which Washington modelled his handwriting, and to which his earliest script shows a marked resemblance. From the original in the possession of the author.

LETTER TO MRS. FAIRFAX Showing changes and corrections made by Washington at a later date. From original copy-book in the Washington MSS. in the Department of State.

PORTRAIT OF MARY PHILIPSE From the original formerly in the possession of Mr. Frederick Philipse.

PORTRAIT OF MARTHA CUSTIS Alleged to have been painted by Woolaston about 1757. It has been asserted by Mr. L.W. Washington and Mr. Moncure D. Conway that this is a portrait of Betty Washington Lewis, but in this they are wholly in error, as proof exists that it is a portrait of Mrs. Washington before her second marriage.

SURVEY OF MOUNT VERNON HILLS Made by Washington as a boy, and one of the earliest specimens of his work. The small drawing of the house represents it as it was before Washington enlarged it, and is the only picture of it known. Original in the Department of State.

MOUNTAIN ROAD LOTTERY TICKET From the original in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

FAMILY GROUP Painted by Edward Savage about 1795, and issued as a large engraving in 1798. The original picture is now in the possession of Mr. William F. Havemeyer, of New York.

DINNER INVITATION The official invitation while President, from the original in the possession of the author.

Part 2

DANCING AGREEMENT This gives only the first few names, many more following. The original was formerly in the possession of Mr. Thomas Biddle, of Philadelphia.

BOOK-PLATE OF WASHINGTON This is a slight variation from the true Washington coat of arms, the changes being introduced by Washington. From the original in the possession of the author.

SURVEY OF WAKEFIELD Washington’s birthplace. The survey was made in 1743, on the property coming into the possession of Augustine Washington (second) from his father, with the object of readjusting the boundary-lines. Original in the possession of Mr. William F. Havemeyer, of New York.

WASHINGTON FAMILY BIBLE This record, with the exception of the interlined note concerning Betty Washington Lewis, is in the handwriting of George Washington, and was written when he was about sixteen years old. Original in the possession of Mrs. Lewis Washington, of Charlestown, West Virginia.

MINIATURE OF MRS. WASHINGTON By an unknown artist. From the original in the possession of General G.W. Custis Lee, of Lexington, Virginia.

EARLIEST AUTOGRAPH OF WASHINGTON On a fly-leaf of the volume to which this title belongs is written, “This autograph of Genl. Washington’s name is believed to be the earliest specimen of his writing, when he was probably not more than 8 or 9 years of age.” This is a note by G.C. Washington, to whom Washington’s library descended. Original in the possession of the Boston Athenaeum.

RULES OF CIVILITY First page of Washington’s boyish transcript, written when he was about thirteen years of age. Used here by courtesy of Mr. S.M. Hamilton and “Public Opinion,” who are preparing a fac-simile edition of the entire rules.

LIFE MASK BY HOUDON Taken by Houdon in October, 1785. From the replica in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

TITLE-PAGE OF JOURNAL OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1754 Of this first edition but two copies are known. From the original in the Lenox Library.

PRESIDENTIAL HOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia offered to furnish the house for the President during the time Congress sat in that city, but Washington “wholly declined living in any public building,” and rented this house from Robert Morris. Though it was considered one of the finest in the city, Washington several times complained of being cramped.

Note

In every country boasting a history there may be observed a tendency to make its leaders or great men superhuman. Whether we turn to the legends of the East, the folk-lore of Europe, or the traditions of the native races of America, we find a mythology based upon the acts of man gifted with superhuman powers. In the unscientific, primeval periods in which these beliefs were born and elaborated into oral and written form, their origin is not surprising. But to all who have studied the creation of a mythology, no phase is a more curious one than that the keen, practical American of to-day should engage in the same process of hero-building which has given us Jupiter, Wotan, King Arthur, and others. By a slow evolution we have well-nigh discarded from the lives of our greatest men of the past all human faults and feelings; have enclosed their greatness in glass of the clearest crystal, and hung up a sign, “Do not touch.” Indeed, with such characters as Washington, Franklin, and Lincoln we have practically adopted the English maxim that “the king can do no wrong.” In place of men, limited by human limits, and influenced by human passions, we have demi-gods, so stripped of human characteristics as to make us question even whether they deserve much credit for their sacrifices and deeds.

But with this process of canonization have we not lost more than we have gained, both in example and in interest? Many, no doubt, with the greatest veneration for our first citizen, have sympathized with the view expressed by Mark Twain, when he said that he was a greater man than Washington, for the latter “couldn’t tell a lie, while he could, but wouldn’t” We have endless biographies of Franklin, picturing him in all the public stations of life, but all together they do not equal in popularity his own human autobiography, in which we see him walking down Market Street with a roll under each arm, and devouring a third. And so it seems as if the time had come to put the shadow-boxes of humanity round our historic portraits, not because they are ornamental in themselves, but because they will make them examples, not mere idols.

If the present work succeeds in humanizing Washington, and making him a man rather than a historical figure, its purpose will have been fulfilled. In the attempt to accomplish this, Washington has, so far as is possible, been made to speak for himself, even though at times it has compelled the sacrifice of literary form, in the hope that his own words would convey a greater sense of the personality of the man. So, too, liberal drafts have been made on the opinions and statements of his contemporaries; but, unless the contrary is stated or is obvious, all quoted matter is from Washington’s own pen. It is with pleasure that the author adds that the result of his study has only served to make Washington the greater to him.

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