THE

MOUNT VERNON PAPERS.

BY

EDWARD EVERETT.

NEW YORK:

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,

443 & 445 BROADWAY.

LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN.

M.DCCC.LX,

ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860,

BY D. APPLETON & CO.,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern

District of New York.

PREFACE.

The following correspondence sufficiently explains the origin of the "Mount Vernon Papers," and will serve as an appropriate introduction to the present volume.

LEDGER OFFICE, NEW YORK, September 2, 1858. DEAR SIR :-I have a proposition of a somewhat peculiar nature to make to you: For the purchase of the Mount Vernon property you have done more than any other man, or, I might say, than all other men, To your eloquent appeal in its behalf is pre-eminently due the credit of the progress already made in that noble work, and the favor with which the subject is universally received by our people from one extremity of the land to the other. The heart of the public has naturally warmed towards you, on account of your well-timed and well-directed efforts to rescue the tomb of the Father of our country from neglect and dilapidation.

Knowing that you have been no less distinguished in literature than in official life, it has occurred to me that it might be as agreeable to you to aid the patriotic and benevolent enterprise which you have undertaken, by contributions to the columns of a weekly paper of unprecedented circulation, as by a public address. I have accordingly to propose that, if you will furnish to the NEW YORK LEDGER one original article a week, for one year, I will, immediately

on receiving your assent to this proposition, place at your disposal, for the benefit of the Mount Vernon Association, my check for the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars.

I am aware, sir, that you are not in the habit of contributing to the columns of any periodical, and that you are fortunately so situated, financially, that no pecuniary reward offered to you for your own personal benefit, would induce you to deviate from your usual course; but your disinterested devotion to, and the deep interest you have taken in, the noble work to which I have referred, leads me to hope that, for the sake of aiding it, you may accept my proposition.

Very respectfully,

ROBERT BONNER, Proprietor of the New York Ledger.

HON. EDWARD EVERETT.

BOSTON, 6 November, 1858.

DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 2d of September was placed in my hands on the 14th of that month. In consideration of your check for ten thousand dollars to be placed at my disposal for the benefit of the Mount Vernon Association, on the receipt of my letter accepting the offer, you propose to me to furnish an original article weekly for the "NEW YORK LEDGER" for one year.

This liberal offer has received my thoughtful consideration. I have been and am strongly tempted, on the one hand, to make this noble addition to the Mount Vernon Fund. On the other hand, among other grounds of hesitation, I have been afraid that I could not do justice to your liberality, without giving up more time to the preparation of the articles, than is consistent with other engagements and duties.

You are right in supposing that no pecuniary benefit accruing to myself would induce me to undertake the task; although the "financial situation " to which you allude is far less brilliant than

you may have been led to think by exaggerated newspaper reports. I feel, however, that it is my duty not to forego this opportunity of adding so large a sum, at once, to the Mount Vernon fund, and I accept the offer. I will begin to furnish the articles, as soon as the immediate demands upon my time to fulfil some previous engagements, shall cease,-in the course of this month at furthest, --and I will continue them as far as possible weekly, making up at the end of the year for any omission in the regular supply.

They will, I hope, be received by you and the Public, with the indulgence usually extended to gratuitous labors in a meritorious

cause.

I shall venture to call the articles thus furnished by me "The Mount Vernon Papers," scarcely daring to assume that honored name, which however may perhaps be permitted, as appropriately indicating the object for which they are prepared, and so excusing their imperfections.

I remain, Dear Sir, respectfully yours,

ROBERT BONNER, Esq.

EDWARD EVERETT.

These papers are reprinted in the present form, with no other change than a few verbal corrections.

D. APPLETON & Co.

NEW YORK, April, 1860.