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his family and social life he was beloved. stroyed. Every letter was endorsed with Plain-folk and children found in him an acces the name of the writer. sible and sympathizing friend. There is one He had no children by marriage, and al still living whose memories run back to though his moral character was unimpeach girlhood days, made happy by " Uncle able he was not without blackmailers and enemies. Among his letters was one from Washington." Being the favorite nephew of General a man calling himself Samuel Washington, Washington, the active executor of his will, addressing him as " father," claiming to be inheriting Mount Vernon, and coming into his son, and asking for money. This letter was filed in due order among letters from possession of the General's public and pri vate papers, it was with his assistance that Judges Marshall, Story and others, his sim Judge Marshall prepared his " Life of Wash ple endorsement on it — " From some fool ington," and later, under his direction, Mr. or knave claiming to be my son." Another Jared Sparks published the " Life and Writ vulgar and abusive letter written in mongrel French and English and signed, "Votre im ings of Washington." Although the owner of considerable prop placable Enemy," was duly filed with the erty in -slaves, Judge Washington was in endorsement, " Anonymous and sufficiently favor of the abolition of slavery, and of the impudent." The preservation of these letters emancipation of the slaves upon any gradual is indicative of his conscious innocence of and practicable plan consistent with justice to wrongdoing, at least along the lines indicated the owners, and humanity to the liberated in them. slaves. He viewed the subject from a prac Inheriting a name already super-illustrious tical, rather than sentimental standpoint. in Washington, the father of his country, it In 1816 he was made first president of the made him at times somewhat conspicuous; American Colonization Society, whose ob but his modest nature caused him to shrink ject was the colonizing of liberated negroes from every occasion that would cause him upon the coast of Africa. to appear the object of reflected greatness. He was a vice-president and charter While the domestic tastes of both the member of the American Bible Society, at Judge and Mrs. Washington were simple, tended its meetings, and took interest in its and their usual manner of living not dif ferent from that of other hospitable well-towork. The honorary degree of LL.D. was con do people of Virginia, yet Mt. Vernon, as ferred upon him by Princeton College, also the home and tomb of Washington, was the by the Pennsylvania and Harvard Universi Mecca of America, visited often by persons ties. He was the author of " Reports of of distinction from home and abroad, some Virginia Court of Appeals," also of " Re bearing letters or otherwise entitled to unusu ports of 3d Circuit, United States Court." al attention. In entertaining such, the state Perhaps the best evidence of the pains and formality were observed in keeping with taking, methodical habits of his life was the the occasion. system he observed in the preservation and His death occurred in Philadelphia, after filing of his letters and papers and keeping a short illness, on the 26th of November, of his books and accounts. The letters of 1829. His remains were sent to Mt. Vernon each month, through a series of thirty-five by boat. Mrs. Washington, who was with years, were filed in packages according to him at the time of his death, was prostrated date and in alphabetical order. It would with grief. Having a peculiar aversion to appear that he filed all letters, many of them traveling by public conveyances, she started being such as most men would have de for Mt. Vernon in their private carriage, in