Evening star., 1912-11-16
Monticello Not for Sale at Any
Price, Writes Mr.. Levy.
WARNS WOMEN OF SOUTH
Says Subscriptions to Fund to Pur.
chase Property Would Be Useless.
PLANS FOR ITS DISPOSITION
Mrs. Frank A. Wake of Norfolk
Says It Will Go to Virginia Divi-
sion of the Daughters.


Monticello Virginia home of Thomas
Jefferson. is not for sale at any price.
So reiterates Representative Jefferson NJ.
Levy Of New York, present owner, who
makes 1t his summer home, in COM
munication addressed to the delegates
and visiting members of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy convent. on
The campaign undertaken by Mrs.
Martin w Littleton. wife of Representa-
tive Littleton of New York, to acquire
possession of the propertr AIr. Levy de-
nounces as not founded on real affection
and reverence for the memory of Jeffer-
son. as attended with misstatements re-
sarding Monticello and about himself
and his uncle. Commodore Levy, and as
an unlawful effort to wrest from him his
property as he has been advised by COM
petent constitutional lawyers.
He points out that he has, as the wish
dearest to his heart. made every effort
to restore Monticello to the state in
which ii was in Jeffersons time, to beau
tify tt, and TO maintain il in the best of
condition. No one, since 1879, he points
out. has attempted to disturb his private
possession, until year ago, when the
present campaign for its purchase began.
He declares the public has free access
10 II, and he is as patriotic a custodian
OF the estate as could be found.
His communication reads, IN part:
Calls It Great Injustice.
L have begged to be allowed through
this medium to appeal to your sense OF
fair pay and to have presented to you
a few of tie many facts unfamiliar to
you concerning the effort to force the
acquisition of Monticello, the home OF
Thomas jefferson. by popular petition
1or action by Congress. rnere IS now
ana mas been established at your con-
Fention an once Tor the purpose of per-
suao1nS You TO sign this petition, and /
1eel tnat Ii you know more of the facts
you may hesitate before allowing your
seif. unwittinsly, to aid in doing me and
my FAMILY great injustice.
NFi'eai Is made TO Your patriotism:
this movement was originated a year a. o..
Yet there is concealed from you the fast
ilat Tor thirly-three years, alone and un-
aided cy government or any ASSOCIATION,
have spent time, energy and a great
amount of money restoring Monticello
and in bringing back to their original
settings many of the relics of the great
American statesman. 1 do not ask COM
inendation: l seek only justice.
Before the House rules committee last
August l stated IN the most positive way
tDat / would not listen to any proposal
Tor the sale of Monticello. AS Mrs. Maj
tin W. Llttleton has formed an assocla-
tion, with herself as managing director
ana MIss Laura Llrtieton as treasurer
and appeals to the public tor FUNDS TO
carry on a campaign for the acqdis. ton
OF Monticello, 1 feel IN duty bound to
notify the public tnat such subscriptions
viii be useless
Not Founded on Affection.
IF the campaign were founded on a
real affection and reverence for the
memory OF Jefferson. / could look upon
it with different eyes, and, however un-
pleasant it might be to see an effort
TO wrest from me this property, it
would be some consolation to me that
! could respect the motives of those
behind the movement. But this cam
paiSn has been attended by nunb ber
less and wholly unnecessary misstate-
ments about Monticello and about my
uncle, Commodore Levy-those about
myself, 1 suppose, / must overlook.
i was not an active participant in the
litigation that was begun after my uncle S
death, when | was a minor When the
litigation was concluded and my title to
the property was confirmed by the courts
L set about as complete a restoration of
the estate as possible. To preserve Mon
ucello in accordance with it's traditions
has been the wish nearest my heart, and
during all those years. since 1879 until a
year ago. no one has said me nay. Mr..
Bryan at one time was disposed to ask
ing the matter fun consideration Ire
changed his mind and assured me that
Monticello was in safe hands.
The public has Il as free access to
the estate as It's safety and preservation
would permit. and as any lover of Jeffer-
sons memory could ask AS to the
graveyard. | would have taken the same
care OF that as ! have, of the rema nder
III L tad "a
do SO.
Il have said that do not expect graft
tude, but l think every American viii
feel that / am entitled to fair play.
have demonstrated IN the last thirty.
three years that l have appreciated
fully the Importance of properly main
tanning this historic place. The public
will not be surprised that l am UNWILLING
10 turn II over to self-appointed di
rector, whose interest in the matter ha.
been of the briefest. especially in view
OF the character OF the campaign o
abuse of my family and of the mis-
statements and disregard of the care
have bestowed upon the estate.
1t is pro, osed to make Monticello 3
public place like Mount Vernon. At Mon
ticeilo the atmosphere OF the home oi
Jefferson is maintained and the feeling
OF reverence for Jefferson is fostered
At Mount Vernon admission fee il
charged. and the home atmosphere ha.
been lost"
Daughters to Get Home, She Says
Assurance that Monticello will be giver
to the Virginia state division of tn,
United Daughters of the Confederacy ha:
been given by Representative Levy. de
clares Mrs Frank Anthony Wake o
Norfolk. Va, custodian of flags an<
penrants of the society.
Monticello belongs to Virginia in the
future. and the government shall no
own it," said Mrs. Wake. Mr. Lev,
has promised that the Virginia division