The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

388 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [.ET. 42,
TO BRYAN FAIRFAX. X
Mount Vernon, 4 July, 1774.
DEAR SIR,
John has just delivered to me your.favor of yesterday, which I shall be obliged to answer in a more
concise manner, than I could wish, as I am very much
engaged in raising one of the additions to my house,
which I think (perhaps it is fancy) goes on better whilst
I am present, than in my absence from the workmen.
I own to you, Sir, I wished much to hear of your
making an.open declaration of taking a poll for this
county, upon Colonel West's publicly declining last
Sunday; and I should have written to you on the subject, but for information then received from several gentlemen in the churchyard, of your having refused to do
so, for the reasons assigned in your letter;t upon which,
as I think the country never stood more in need of men
-of abilities and liberal sentiments than now, I entreated
several gentlemen at our church yesterday to press
Colonel Mason to take a poll, as I really think Major
Broadwater, though a good man, might do as well in the
discharge of his domestic concerns, as in the capacity; Afterwards Lord Fairfax. See the notes in the present volume (pp.
51, 182,) respecting the Fairfax family in America.
t The poll here mentioned -was for the election of delegates to the
House of Burgesses. Mr. Fairfax declined, as he said, chiefly because he
thought he could not give satisfaction at that time; for he should think
himself bound to oppose strong measures, and was in favor of petitioning,
and giving Parliament a fair opportunity of repealing their obnoxious acts.
"There are scarce any at Alexandria," he adds, "of my opinion; and
though the few I have elsewhere conversed with on the subject are so,
yet from them I could learn, that many thought otherwise; so that I believe I should at this time give general dissatisfaction, and therefore it
would be more proper to decline, even upon this account, as well as because it would necessarily lead me into great expenses, which my circumstances will not allow."