appy people, who are the subject of this letter, in
slavery. I can only say, that there is not a man living, who wishes more
sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it;
but there is only one proper and effectual mode by which it can be
accomplished, and that is by legislative authority; and this, as far
as my suffrage will go, shall never be wanting."

Washington by no means restricted himself to slave servitors. Early in
life he took into his service John Alton at thirteen pounds per annum, and
this white man served as his body-servant in the Braddock campaign, and
Washington found in the march that "A most serious inconvenience attended
me in my sickness, and that was the losing the use of my servant, for poor
John Alton was taken about the same time that I was, and with nearly the
same disorder, and was confined as long; so that we did not see each other
for several days." As elsewhere noticed, Washington succeeded to the
services of Braddock's body-servant, Thomas Bishop, on the death of the
general, paying the man ten pounds a year.

These two were his servants in his trip to Boston in 1756, and in
preparation for that journey Washington ordered his English agent to send
him "2 complete livery suits for servants; with a spare cloak and all
other necessary trimmings for two suits more. I would have you choose the
livery by our arms, only as the field of the arms is white, I think the
clothes had better not be quite so, but nearly like the inclosed. The
trimmings and facings of scarlet, and a scarlet waist coat. If livery lace
is not quite disused, I should be glad to have the cloaks laced. I like
that fashion best, and two silver laced hats for the above servants."

For some reason Bishop left his employment, but in 1760 Washington "wrote
to my old servant Bishop to return to me again if he was not otherwise
engaged," and, the man being "very desirous of returning," the old
relation was reassumed. Alton in the mean time had been promoted to be
overseer of one of the plantations. In 1785 their master noted in his
diary, "Last night Jno Alton an Overseer of mine in the Neck--an old &
faithful Servant who has lived with me 30 odd years died--and this evening
the wife of Thos. Bishop, another old Servant who had lived with me an
equal number of years also died." Both were remembered in his will by a
clause giving "To Sarah Green daughter of the deceased Thomas Bishop, and
to Ann Walker, daughter