The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-17
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TIE present plans are carried out m CT
iort will be made In the near future 90
4 AVE the United States Congress nppro-
pirate funds for the purchase OF one OF
the most interesting and most valuable
collections OF Washington relics extanI
These ready Invaluable msnen toes OF the
Father OF Ills Couaty are DOW In the
custody Of Miss Mary Lee. daughter OF
the late Gen. Robert F. Lee, OF the Con
federacy, and who Is, on her mothers
side, great-granddausht OF Martha
Washington The project for the purchase
OF these articles so closely associated with
the life Of the hero OF the Revolution
will, II carried out, bring into tho pos
session Of our national government all tho
most significant possessions OF the nrst
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
the care lavIshed upon them and the ef
forts for their preservation have not been
euualed In the case OF the reminders OF
any other public man who Inns had place
In the history OF the New World Inc
fact that this revcrentiai regard was mani
tested from the very date Of Washington
death is presumably responsible for the
fnct that the Washington relics were
never scattered as were the belongings OF
many hero whose worth was fully mp
preciated only BY posterity.
" Almost all OF the really Important rex
les of the military career and private life
OF Gen George Washington are now In.
GUIDED In one or another OF three general
collections One OF these Is. OF course, the
,latl hon M tho
session of Miss Mary Lee by right OF de.
scent The second collection OF rare Wash
.nctonia Is that owned by the national
government and which occupies the place
OF honor In the National Museum In wash
{ ington. The thirsF IL to be found at Mount
Vernon. the home OF Washington on the
Potomac and Is to q considerable extent
made up of relics donated or loaned by
persons residing In various part OF the
country t4
1t Is a matter OF congratuiation tina,
the objects that once belonged to Wash
y ineton which are OF the greatest popular
interest are already In the possession o
Uncle Sam, and, as has been explained
are on exhibition al the United States Ma
tional Museum, where they may be see'
by I'LL visitors to the national capital
This collection includes that most Inter
esting OF all Washington trophies - tn
famous camp chest which was used b
Washington all through the Revolution
his headquarters tent, used continuous
during the war. from Le1lnSton TO for
town: his bnptisma robe and the Ia
chair In which he sat prior to his dcas
and, nnally, the Continental uniform wol
by General Washington during the W;
for independence.
All these literall, Invaluable sonveni
came into the possession OF the COVER
mcut through tho purchase by act
Congress In 1878 OF what was know
as the Lewis Collection" Persons "
are nj all familiar with Washington
family history will surmse that the
relics represent the inheritance OF
other branch Of the family from II
whose keepsakes have como down
Miss Mnry Lee The two children
fE Martha Washington adopted children
General Washington, and their he
quite rghtully came into possession
most OF the personal belongings OF
distinguished family nj Mount Vern
but all who Knew Of Washington TO
ness for the pretty Nelly Custis {
,adily surmisc tIt she Tas presen
With all the best %! the mcmentoes,
4 " WAS this collection that Uncle )
1 purchased from the Nellie Custs h'
tor the sun Of Sl2,0oD In the year Isl
When the goyernmen, first ncqui
these Washington relies they were
! posted at the United States Pat
Office, bnt In the year 1888 they "
transferred to the National Museum,
there they have reposed ever since, e,
time an international exposition IL
N sny American city II Is one OF
ambitions OF the management to se
the loan OF these trophies ms Il sp,
u feature, but the relics which are
In glass eases and closely guarded