The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-17
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EF present plans are carried out an ef-
 fort will be made In tue near future to have the United States Congress appro- printe funds for tho purchase of one of the most interesting and most valuable collections of Washington relics extant. These ready invaluable mementoes of the Father of Ills Country are now In the custody of Miss Mary Lee, daughter of the late Gen. Robert E. Lee, of the Con federacy, and who is, on her mother s side, q great granddaughter of Martha Washington. The project for the purchase of these articles so closely associated with the llfe Of the hero of the Revolution will, if carried out bring into the pos session of our national government all the most significant possessions Of tne first president of the republic.
 Quite naturally, no doubt, the personal possessions of the savior of his country are regarded as all but sacred by large pro portion of the American public. Certainly he care lavished upon them and the ef- forts for their preservation have not been cqualed in the case of the reminders of any other public man who has had place in the history of the New World. The fact that this reyerentia regard was manl- fested from the very date of Washington death Is presumably responsible for the fact that the Washington relics were never scattered as were the belongings of many a hero whose worth was fully ap preclated only by posterity
 Almost all of the really important rel les of the military career and private life of Gen. George Washington are now in- cluded in one or another of three general collections. One of these Is. of course, the cherished accumulation now in the pos session of Miss Mary Lee by right of de- scent. The second collection of rare Wash ingtonia is that owned by the national government and which occupies the place of honor in the National Museum in Wash ington. The third Is 10 be found at Mount Vernon, the home of Washington on the Potomac. md is 10 considerable extent made up of relics donated or loaned by persons residing in various part of the country.
 It Is n matter Of congratulatlon that the objects that once belonged to Wash ington which are of the greatest popular interest are already In the possession of Uncle Sam, and, as has been explained, are on exhibition at the United States Ma. tional Museum, where they may be by all visitors to the national capital. This collection includes that most Inter esting of all Washington trophies - the famous camp chest which was used by Washington all through the Revolution hls headquarters tent, used continuously during the war, from Lexington to York town; his bnptismal robe and the last chair in which he sat prior 10 his death. and, finally, the Continental uniform worn by General Washington during the War for Independence.
 All these literally invaluable souvenirs came into the possession of the govern ment through the purchase by act of Congress in 1878 of what was known as the Lewis Collection Persons who are at all familiar with Washlngton's family history will surmise that these relics represent the inheritance of the other branch of the family from that whose keepsakes have come down to Miss Mary Lee The two children of Martha Washington (adoptcd children of General Washington and their heirs quite rightfully came into possession of most of the personal belongings of the distinguished family at Mount Vernon, but all who knew of Washingtons fond ness for the pretty Nelly Custls can readily surmise that she was presented with all the best of the momentoes, and It was this collection that Uncle Sam purchased from the Nellie Custis heirs for the sum of sl2,0oo in the year 1878.
 When the government first acquired these Washington relics they were de- posted at the United States Patent office, but in the year 1883 they were transferred to the National Museum, and there they have reposed ever since. Every time an international exposition is held In any American city 1t is one of the ambitions of the management to secure feature. but the relics which are kept In glass cases and closely guarded are accounted much too precious to permit of transportation about the country and their display in buildings not freproof.
 Until n very few years ago the relics of Washington now held by Miss Mary Lee were also on display at the National Museum side by side with those owned outright by the government, and the story of the restoration of these ances- tral heirlooms to the representative of the Lee family is especially interesting now that there is reason to hope that the relics may be placed permanently In the safekeeping of the federal gov ,-a,nant. Just who could rIghtfuily claim