Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-28

From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiscf.l
THE MOUNT VERNON LADIES AssoC1A'
TIoN OF THE UNION.
We give below the copy Of al act just pa'se6
by the Legislature of Virginia, Incorporating tne
"Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union,
for the purchase, by individual subscription, OF TIVE
hundred acres of Mount Vernon place, including thu
mansion and tomb Of Washington, with the inten
! that the same shall be ceded to tho State of Virginia
and held sacred forever as the home and last resting
place Of The Father Of his country. The sum asked
by the present proprietor, Mr.. John A. Washington
for the two hundred acres, is two hundred Thousand
dollars, which is Of course immensely beyond its va
lue as land. On that point, however, there is nj
need to say anything. The people Of the United
States, North and South, too deeply revere the mem
DRY Of Washington to stand ~disputing about the price
ofthe ground where his mortal remains rcst. The sun
can easily be raised, too, by the united efforts Of tn,
ladies' in both sections of the country. We notice
that the act in question Invests the association with
the title Of the "Mornt Vernon Ladies Association Of
tho Uai0n." We like that from V~irsinih-from the
heart of the Did Dominion. 1t has the right cheering
ring OF lDTuleT BINrlOub ldSs. hIi Will We u ID
be promptly echoed from New York and Other
Northern States in profrsrs of liberal cooperation with
the ladies Of Virginia to mise the required sun fol
the purchase Of the preciou, earth that holds the
Wondering bones of the man who was, ia now and
ever will be, first in the hearts OF his countrymen."
A BILL to incorporate the Mount Vernon Ladies
Association of the Union. and to authorize the pur.
chase Of a part of Mount Vernon. Passed March
II. 1856.
Whereas, il appears To the General Assembly that
the ladies of the United States, acting in the mama
and style of THE Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
oil the Union" have undertaken 20 raise, bv individ-
Hai subscription, n fund to purchase and improve
t@o hundred acres Of Mount Vernon, with the zen.
eron' and patriotic design that the estate SD purchased
shall include the late mansion az we'll rs the tomb @.
6encral George Washington, and shall thereby be
converted into public property, and forever held by
the Stnte Of Virginia. sacred to the memory Of the
"Father of his Country :" and whereas, i, also np.
pears that there has been already n large sum sub
scrlbed and paid in by them for the purposes afnre.
said, and that it ia desired by said association that thu
State OF Virginia shall receive said money, and hold and
take care thereof for said association, until an amount
Ia obtained sufficient 10 accomplish said purchase
Be it therefore by the Genera! Assembly enacted
J.. That the treasurer Of this commonwealth shall
receive into tho treasury all the money or moneys Of
Tered +" him by the Mount Vernon Ladies AsiOcia.
hon OF the Union, or by others in their behalf. and
shall keep thu same therein, except upnn order. from
Me Governor Of Virginia. The fund 30 raised shall
be styled and known by the rame Of the Mourn Yer.
non Ladies Association Fund. But nothing herein
shall be construed ~ as To mike il obligatory on said
association. or any branch or agency thereof, in any
State. to pay or deposit their n0nev in said treasury.
:. The said treasurer shall k .ep separate accounts
for this fund. and shall report its amount and cor.
ditl'n to the governor every six months, and TO the
general assembly at every session held, while said
fund il in his custody. He shall also procure. a, the
cost of the commonwealth, two booka of proper size:
aud snail transcribe into each. in fair hand, the names
OF the contributors To the fund, and the sum contrib
uted by each, so far a. those names and respective
sums are furnished To him by sAid association. One
uf these book. she'll be kept forever in the archives
n Virginia, and the other shall be deposited in the
least destructlhle part OF any monument or other i'm.
provement which msy W hereafter erected OH said
Mount Vernon.
authorized and required to obtain. ~ soon rs practi.
cable, from john A. Washington, his heirs or assigns,
II contract, signed and sealed by him, and binding
him to convey, by property deed to tho State Of
Virginia, two hundred nrrrs Of land, out Of said Mount
Vernon. at any time within Ave years from the pas
sn2e OF this act, thai the said governor pays to him
the sum Of two hundred thousand dollars.
4. The said deed OF conveyance shall be in fee sim
pie, resorvinr to the said grantor to inter, in or
around the fulnily vault, any and all member. of the
Washington family, legally descended from the said
John A. Washington; ana The further right to main.
tain perpetually ths intcrment Of those already there.
tt shall reclte that the purchase money wns paid by
the ladies' OF the United States. acting in the name
and style of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association Of
the Union, and that ut their instance the said con-
veyamce is made 10 the Slate If Virginia. And it
shall covenant TINT the estate 30 conveyed shall be
kept free from injury and Dissertation, and held IN
trust for sad Association forever, sacred to the mem.
ory Of George Washington, whose mortal remnins
shall be kept perpetu9lly thereon: and then upon ,his
further trust, tina. the said estate shall he subject Ia
visitation by the State Of Virginia, and TO sach pro-
,..r o"l nn,r,Ip ,,"rN- ,nn . ia. .nst ,ua..,,
son shall desire and determine and make. But in
default Of said association making such proper and
beroming improvements, or keeping the same in pro.
per repair, upon such default being found by 4 board
Of visitors, then said estate shall be subject 10 i'm
provemeut and repair nt the pleasure OF the State If
Virginia; and Ia this end the possession Of said estate
shnll vest in snid Stnte.
S. The said two hundred mere, IL ground .llal in.
alidc the tomb OF George Washington, mansion. gar.
den, grounds, and the wharf and landing now con.
structed on the Potomac river.
g. The Governor shall invrst the money paii into
the treasury on account of said nssnciatinn. IA soon
as convenient after he has notice thereof, in stock, or
III lonns TO individuals or 10 corporate bodies, on good
ana suiicient security, real and personal, at an inter-
+at d SIX per cent. per annum, 10 be paid semi. Gnnu-
ally as may To said Governor seem best: and IN.
pr"n'S arising from such Investment shall also be ac-
ini-annual!y invested, or ~ soon thereafter ~ the
came can be p~roiitably done. And the said Governor
shall so continue to invest said fund, and the profits
thereof until the same amount to the sum oftwO hum
dred thousand dollars, and shall thereupon proceed 10
pay the same TO the said John A. Washington, and re-
s-ivc from him the aforesaid deed otconveyauce. The
Governor shall in like manner invest all and any mo.
nry of said association, which 10 pad into said trca
sury, for the purpose Of improving said estate.
I. The sad association may charge, receive aud
collect any fee which may be prescribed, not exceed.
ing twenty-five cents, from each and every person
aver ten years IF age, who may land ut and visit
Mount Vernon, and The grave. tomb or other p!ace
continuing the remains Of General Washington: but
No greater sum or fee shall be charged or collected in
any oase.
S. The Governor Of Virginia shall annually appoint
and commission five fit and proper men. VIII" shall
constitute q board of visitors for Mount Vernon, with
the ordinary powers Of Il board OF visitors, whose
duty it shall be tn visit that plncc, md examine aud
faithfully report TO the Governor all the proceedings
Of said assucia.ion touching Mount Vernon. and the
manner in which they comply or fail To comply with
this act and other laws Of tho land. The expenses
nj said board shnll be paid out of the treasury Of this
Commonwealth, i'll the same manner that the en-
pcnscs of other boards ofvisitnrI are paid.
9. The said association is hereby declared and
made Il body polite and corporate for the purpose nt
raising money TO purchase and improve the aforesaid
two hundred acres OF lnal out OF Mount Vernon,
aud TO possess and manage the sam" ~ Ind'ca-
ted aud provided fnr in this net, under the name and
style Of The Noun: Vernon Ladies Association ol
the Union" and shall be subject to nil the provision.
aud untitled 10 all the rights, powers. privileges una
iminuniiies prescribed in the first and second sections
OF the fifty sixth chapter of the Code Of Virginia, in
10 far ~ the same are applicable 10 aud not lnconsis-
tent with the provisions ut this act. But me SAM rs
sociution shall not be entitled tn the ben ut OF inc
foregoing provisions III this section until they s''ai
have PREPARED a constitution and by laws for sad
corporation, aud have the same approved by tn" To-
vernon Of this State, and shall also file n copy there
of, 50 approved, in the office Of the secretary OF the
commonwealth.
10. This ae. shall be in force from its passage.
RAIL ROAD LAW.