The Benson signal., 1919-02-22
E4Lt2ENX COLI2IHCNLSE
AIzE32E hIAcI1IN0|Q/yS MIL
MS ELE

fI/ILED
partment paper surgeons was rendered unavailable.
AS labor of love and appreciation for the his
torical value Of the document and it's famous
author the library Of congress finally volunteered
to send its most expert manuscript repairer down
to Fairfax to make the repairs and put the "a
pages into condition that would insure them
against further destruction. This entailed the
shipping to Fairfax Of considerable equipment,
including heavy press.
TO put the battered paper in good condition re-
quired 16 days of the most painstaking work on
the part of William Berwick, the library's skilled
manuscript mender, who made daily trips to the
quaint old courthouse. The first step toward
restoration after he had photographed every one
of the ragged pages was setting the ink. This
was done by liquid process or bath designed to
prevent further fading. Then each one of the
sheets backed mounted upon crepeline,
sort of transparent durable silk gauze which al
lowed any reasonable amount of handling. Then
came an endless amount of Scraping patching
pasting and cutting which only the deftest, most
expert fingers could do and the results would not
have been remarkably satisfactory but for
most fortunate circumstance.
Whea it came to grating new material into the
old manuscript to replace the old which had been
worn away, the great problem lay in finding new
material that would match in texture and color
that upon which the will was written. Mr.. Be-
wick was in despair as to where to find paper f.
the patches which would make the will look as
good as new, when by lucky chance in second.
hand book, store in Washington a number of blank
sheets of the writing paper which George Wash
ngton had made especially for his personal use
discovered. This exactly what was
wanted and now unless one holds the sheets of
the restored will in such position that the bright
light will shine through them, there is noNvay Of
telling where the old part, rather the original
part, leaves off and the grated sections begin
po,H Wall
cost the Fairfax authorities nothing the sheets
of the document, mounted upon cardboard, bound
in the form of book mounted with handsome
red levant cover, were placed in a steel freprOof
and burglarproof safe constructed especially for
the purpose lin accordance with the specifications
of the government officials.
The will, which has been called the most val
liable relic of any left to posterity by the father
of his country-mOre valuable than the swords,
books. furniture or china in view of the fact that
it more faithfully portrays the mind of the man
himself rejecting his personality nothing else
could Go so perfectly opens follows:
l. George Washington of Mount vernon a citizen of
United States and lately president of the do
>make ordain and declare this instrument, which is
written with my hand and every page thereof
subscribed with my name to be my last will and tes-
lament, reVoklng all others
n it he directs that:
To my beloved wife, Martha Washington. give and
bequeath the and benefit of my entire estate, real
and personal term of her natural life, except
such parts thereof are specifically disposed Of
He also ordered that his body be inferred "n a
ouiet manner without parade or funeral oration,"
One clause which has been extensively quoted,
is as follows:
Upon the decease my wife it is my will and de-
sire that all the which hold in right
shall receive their freedom
Concerning the disposition of his slaves, the
aonarol gave more explicit directions than to any
other mart of his estate, and he especially directed
+h.+ none of them should be sold outside of Vir-
gnia.
He directed that his debts, which he said We're
"few and none of great magnitude" be "punctual-
lv and speedily paid He also called attention
to the fact that many of the young men of the
ITnited States being sent abroad to foreign
countries to be educated and were contracting
habits of dissipation and principles unfriendly TO
renublican government. To aid in stopping this
NO cave 80 shares in the Potomac company to-
ward the endowment of d university within the
District of Columbia under the auspices of the
general government. He also lnade provision IN
his will for the construction of family vault
at Mount Vernon, in which might be placed the
ronoains of himself and his relatives.
The will may be seen through the glsss side OF
rhe vault in which it is deposited, before which
hxnr heavy green curtains to exclude the light.
Fairfax Court House is doubly rich in view of
Martha Washington, also returned to it after
many years of wandering. 1t was signed on, Sep