Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, 9 A. M., May 25,
1864.
Yours of the 21st reached me this morning, also one from
your mother to the same effect, that it was too late to refuse the house.
Setting aside the injustice to me of placing the affair in such condition that
I have no option in the matter, I have written a letter to Mr. Gerhard, which I
enclose, and which you can hand to him at such time as may be deemed suitable.
My contributing friends must know there was nothing personal in my action,
because I do not know the name of a single contributor. I acted on the general
principle I have always held, that a public man makes a mistake when he allows
his generous friends to reward him with gifts. I wrote Mr. Gerhard it was not a
case of necessity, as, by proper economy, we could and should live on our
means; that if anything should happen to me, then I would be grateful for the
smallest assistance given to you and the children; but until that time, I
thought it better for me to preserve my independence, although no one could be
more sensible to and grateful for the generous kindness of my friends than I
was. My opinions are still unchanged; but if the affair is settled, and it is
too late to decline, I have no disposition to be ungenerous, and certainly no
design of doing anything that would be offensive to the feelings of those who
have been so kind to me. You can therefore take the house, and express to all
you know my deep obligation and sincere gratitude.
The enemy, though he has fallen back, still confronts us,
and is being reinforced.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 198-9
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