or go on smoothly. There are many sorts of Indoors work which can be executed in Hail, rain or Snow, as well as in sunshine; and if they are set about in fair weather (unless there be a necessity for it) there will be nothing to do in foul weather; the people therefore must be idle. The man of prudence and foresight, will always keep these things in view, and order his work accordingly; so as to suffer no waste of time, or idleness. The same observations apply with equal force to frozen ground; and grounds too wet to work in; or if worked, will be injured thereby. These observations might be spun to a greater length, but they are sufficient to produce reflexion, and reflexion with Industry, and proper attention, will produce the end that is to be wished. There is one thing however I cannot forbear to add, and in strong terms; it is, that whenever I order a thing to be done, it must be done; or a reason given at the time, or as soon as the impracticability is discovered, why it cannot; which will produce a countermand, or change. But it is not for the person receiving the order, to suspend or dispense with its execution; and after it has been supposed to have gone into effect, for me to be told that nothing has been done in it; that it will be done; or that it could not be done; either of these is unpleasant, and disagreeable to me, having been accustomed all my life to more regularity, and punctuality, and know that nothing but system and method is required to accomplish all reasonable requests. 89 80 Like directions, varying in details, of course, were written out at length for Union Farm and Muddy Hole Farm; both written, dated and signed, as were the directions for River Farm, by Washington. The directions for Union and Muddy Hole end with the order that mud and rich earth for compost, penning cattle and folding sheep, feeding, stables, and Farm Pens "are all to be managed precisely as is directed for River Farm; or, as nearly so, as the different circumstances of the Farms will admit." The directions for Union Farm will be found printed in Ford's Writings of Washington. 1799] A MILITARY ACADEMY 473 TO MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON Mount Vernon, December 12, 1799. Sir: I have duly received your letter of the 28th ultimo, enclosing a Copy of what you had written to the Secretary of War, on the subject of a Military Academy. The Establishment of an Institution of this kind, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me as an Object of primary importance to this Country; and while I was in the Chair of Government I omitted no proper opportunity of recommending it, in my public Speeches, and otherways, to the attention of the Legislature: But I never undertook to go into a detail of the organization of such an Academy; leaving this task to others, whose pursuits in the paths of Science, and attention to the Arrangements of such Institutions, had better qualified them for the execution of it. For the same reason I must now decline making any observations on the details of your plan; and as it has already been submitted to the Secretary of War, through whom it would naturally be laid before Congress, it might be too late for alterations, if any should be suggested. I sincerely hope that the Subject will meet with due attention, and that the reasons for its establishment, which you have so clearly pointed out in your letter to the Secretary, will prevail upon the Legislature to place it upon a permanent and respectable footing. With very great esteem etc. 90 *To JAMES ANDERSON Mount Vernon, December 13, 1799. Mr Anderson: I did not know that you were here yesterday morning until I had mounted my horse, otherwise I should "In the writing of Tobias Lear in the Hamilton Papers in the Library of Congress. have given you what I now send. As Mr. Rawlins was going to the Union Farm, to lay off the Clover lots, I sent by him the Duplicate for that Farm to his brother; and as I was going to River Farm myself, I carried a copy for that Farm to Dowdal. Both of them have been directed to consider them attentively, and to be prepared to give you their ideas of the mode of arrangeing the Work when they are called upon. Such a Pen as I saw yesterday at Union Farm, would, if the Cattle were kept in it one Week, destroy the whole of them. They would be infinitely more comfortable in this, or any other weather, in the open fields; Dogue run Farm Pen may be in the same condition. It did not occur to me as I passed through the yard of the Barn to look into it. I am, etc.91 91 91 [H.S.P.] 01 This is the last known letter that Washington wrote. His last writing is, more than likely, the entry in the "Diary" for Dec. 13, 1799. DEATH OF WASHINGTON On December 14, the day on which Washington died, Tobias Lear wrote to Dr. Gustavus Richard Brown, of Port Tobacco, Md.: "General Washington is very ill with Quincy. Dr. Craik is sent for from Alexa. but has not yet come down. Mrs. Washington's anxiety is great, and she requests me to write to you desiring you will come over without delay, as it is impossible for the General to continue long without relief. I expect Dr. Craik every moment, but cannot wait for his coming before the Messenger goes for you. The General complained last evening of a sore throat; this morning about 4 O'clock he was much distressed with it. He grows worse: can swallow nothing, and can scarcely breathe." From a recent copy in the Toner Transcripts in the Library of Congress. A full account of Washington's last illness and death will be found in Ford's Writings of Washington (vol. 14). |