The Newport Gazette

An intercepted original LETTER from
General WASHINGTON to his Lady,
in the Year 1776.

To MRS. WASHINGTON, &c.

My dearest life and love,
JUNE 24, 1776.

Oh! have you heard, I know not how
much, by the insinuation in your last,
that my letters to you have lately
been less frequent, because I have felt less
affection for you. The suspicion is most
unjust: I hope it is most unfounded.

Have I not lived now almost a score
of years in the closest and dearest conjugal
intimacy with so little to spare people, that on appearance of any instance to you, and
which you might have taken in a truer
way more natural and more probable,
than a false one upon that single mirror
which all is injurious to the peace? I have not,
I know, wrote so often to you as I wished,
and as I ought.

But the obligations of my situation,
and then to your heart, it will be without
proof. We are not, my dearest, in circumstances the most favorable nor can happy
as I would. But let us not, I beseech you, only
make them worse, by indulging suspicions
and aggressions which minds in distresses
are but too apt to give way to. I never was,
as you have often told me, even in my better and more composed calm, so attentive
to the little punctilios of discipline, as it
may become me; but dear to tell me,
there was never a moment in my life, since
I first knew you, in which I did not cleave
and cling to you with the warmest affection:
and it will cease to be, as I cease to wish
your happiness, above all things on earth.

I congratulate you most cordially on the
happy prospect of recovery of your amiable
daughter from an illness; nor can I wonder, that
this looked for joy of the good this is of
you: A tear the continued are just as dad
when to her. They are, however, both
young and healthy, so that there can be
little doubt of their soon repairing the loss.

And do you, my dearest love, permit me,
a little more earnestly than I have ever yet
done, to press you to commence your journey to a safer place, to late and to care, though to clear all things, the doing indulgent? It was always necessary; but at this juncture it
seems to be almost absolutely necessary. I
am far from being fond, that this restless
madman our quondam Governor, from the
mercenary of doing mischief, will not soon
be obliged to the carrying on a predatory
war in our rivers. And a Potomac will surely be thought an advantageous
for us: For, often, as for leaving him scope to keep without the reach of annoyance, I have
in it reason to alter myself that it would
not be particularly pleasing to him to venture
his fleet into my house. Let him; it would
affect me as it might affect you: and for
this reason, among others, I wish you out
of this road. Yet I than I could wish have you go to your home, provided, from an application of any fear from him. An appearance of fearfulness and timidity, even
in a woman of my family, might have a bad
effect: but I must be something more or
less than man, not to wish you out at the
good to go on. All this may be disagreeable to you, and could do no way or no danger, which, to the look. Being to Philadelphia, a place of perfect security: and it would almost be worth while to be inoculated, if it were only for the fair prospect it furnishes of your removal from Virginia, at a time when I could not but be exceedingly uneasy of your remaining in it.

But I flatter myself no further arguments will be unnecessary. When I shall find, as I now do; when all you move though the small- I never can think of continuing to your passing the winter here in quarters with him. I would have Mount Vernon just as
attentively removed all the useless and superfluous of the slaves, to the quarters in Frederick. The harvesting must be got in by that to like him to keep busy large stock of grain
and but, especially at the mill, or within a
reach of water-carriage: and in plenty let so little as may be, be left at Custis
Quarters. It will not be amiss the first week of July, to sow the additional supply of hemp and flax seed: which Mr. Miahs has procured for me in Philadelphia
and which I hope will be with you before this letter. For everything inclosed, you do
not sow it on the island, nor by the way
face. But I hope you will have a good
account of your crop on the Fourth of July
continue refractory and right my thoughts)
I know you can do (more him, for him by
contract be sent off, as I hope Jack Custis

My attention is this moment called carry the directly or protected discovery of
most wild and dangerous plot. It is impossible as yet, to develop the mystery in which it is either in or not so supposed to be involved.
Thus much only I can and out with certainty, that it will be a handle for a war of lies on both sides. No doubt it will make a good deal noise in the country: and there are some who think it affects to have the minds of the people kept constantly on the fret by rumors of this sort. For my part, I who am said to be the chief principally aimed at in it, find myself perfectly at my ease, and I have mentioned it to you only from an apprehension lest, arising it them to here, and so them do, you might imagine I was in the midst of danger that I knew not of.

The perpetual solicitude of your heart above me is certainly such a dauntia to me; yet I should be happy to have as quiet your fears: Why do you complain of my reserve: or how could you learn me that I didn't read either your prudence or your ability? I have the highest opinion of them both. But why should I tease you with no minute details of schemes and views which are perpetually varying, and which therefore might not improbably mislead, above my intent to inform you: Suffice it that I am as I have often before told you about far as I have the control of: here preparations of war. Neither do I, at the o likelihood of their but military operations do in this season, certainly impossible to support quiet of winter this virtue to common sense