y unfit, Washington said, "sure I am, there is no obligation upon
me to retain him from charitable motives; when he ought rather to be
punished as an imposter: for he well knew the services he had to perform,
and which he promised to fulfil with zeal, activity, and intelligence."
Yet when the man was discharged his employer gave him a "character:" "If
his activity, spirit, and ability in the management of Negroes, were equal
to his honesty, sobriety and industry, there would not be the least
occasion for a change," and Butler was paid his full wages, no deduction
being made for lost time, "as I can better afford to be without the money
than he can."

Another thoroughly incompetent man was one employed to take charge of the
negro carpenters, of whom his employer wrote, "I am apprehensive ... that
Green never will overcome his propensity to drink; that it is this which
occasions his frequent sickness, absences from work and poverty. And I am
convinced, moreover, that it answers no purpose to admonish him." Yet,
though "I am so well satisfied of Thomas Green's unfitness to look after
Carpenters," for a time "the helpless situation in which you find his
family, has prevailed on me to retain him," and when he finally had to be
discharged for drinking, Washington said, "Nothing but compassion for his
helpless family, has hitherto induced me to keep him a moment in my
service (so bad is the example he sets); but if he has no regard for them
himself, it is not to be expected that I am to be a continual sufferer on
this account for his misconduct." His successor needed the house the
family lived in, but Washington could not "bear the thought of adding to
the distress I know they must be in, by turning them adrift;... It would
be better therefore on all accounts if they were removed to some other
place, even if I was to pay the rent, provided it was low, or make some
allowance towards it."

To many others, besides family, friends, and employees, Washington was
charitable. From an early date his ledger contains frequent items covering
gifts to the needy. To mention a tenth of them would take too much space,
but a few typical entries are worth quoting:

"By Cash gave a Soldiers wife 5/;" "To a crippled man 5/;" "Gave a man who
had his House Burnt L1.;" "By a begging woman /5;" "By Cash gave for the
Sufferers at Boston by fire L12;" "By a wounded soldier 10/;" "Alexandria
Academy, support of a teacher of Orphan children L50;" "By