Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-16
.nNMoUNT VERNON.
House and Grave of Washington
Efforts for its Rescue from Decay.

Efforts for its Rescue frOm Decay.
A lady of the highest respectability
writes to the New York Observer as fol
lows of the present condition of things a
Mount Vernon:
"I need not inform you what its ap
pearance was one year ago, after the
civil contest of four years, without any
income it was in debt, and, for want O.
funds, obliged to dismiss the superinten
dent, who removed his furniture from
the mansion, and left to the gaze of the
world its nakedness and decay; heart
sickenng sight it was to the Association
and all interested.
Congress came to our rescue with an
appropriation of $1,000, which has been
well expended by Gen. Michler, and al
ready Mount Vernon wears another
aspect. The mansion roof, walls, tim
Der, floors, and paint, inside and outside,
have been renewed, where necessary, and
and the burnt observatories rebuilt
"a few friends of Mount Vernon in
New York and New Jersey have cheer
fully contributed agricultural imple-
ments, harness, oilcloth, wall paper,
carpet, furniture, window cornices, cur
tain material, few engravings framed,
etc., but not 1.-THE of what is needed or
necessary in order to give the place an
appearance of an abode. As the gard
ener has time, he is widening and repair
ing, and, with heavy roller hardening
the walks, clearing up the underbrush,
etc. all work at Mount Vernon pro-
crosses slowly, as daily during the stay
of visitors all hands must drop their
work and attend to them, for the benefit
of the visitor as well as the preservation
of the place. We hope we shall soon be
able to place Mount Vernon as it was
when the home of a living Washington.
"In the grand banquet hall we hope
to feast the eye of the visitor with all the
relics of Washington and Lafayette that
can be accumulated. The hall is in
readiness, newly oil-clothed and painted,
with glass case prepared for the safety
of small articles. A full suit of Gen.
Washirgton's clothes have already been
restored to their original home. All
relics of these great men entrusted to
the association sh Ill be religiously cared
for, for the benefit and qualification of
the million.
"The whole community has common
and filial interest in the preservation of
Mount Vernon The association having
it in charge is not a private company
using it for their own selfish purposes,
but is open to all who choose to con-
tribute to its support, and among its
managers are some of the noblest and
best women in the land Within the last
year or two, the neglects of the past
have been remedied; needed repairs
have been made, and the domain is in a
fair way of being put into a condition to
be a pride and pleasure to every patriot.
Funds are generally wanted to pro-
cure valuable memorials of Mount Yer
non. And in this city, and in other
places, there are relies and memoirs of
the father of his country" books and
papers, etc., which would be rich con-
if private interests could be
sacrificed to the common qualification of
the people. We hope that fresh inter
est will be awakened in the subject, and
the association will be enabled to com
plete its patriotic and judicious de-
signs