The Elbert County tribune., 1919-02-14
N4JMEO


partment paper surgeons rendered unavailable.
AS labor of love and appreciation for the his
torical value of the document and its 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 24
pages into a condition that would insure them
against further destruction. This entailed the
shipping Fairfax of considerable equipment
Including heavy press.
To put the battered paper in good condition re-
qured 1G days of the most panstalSing work ON
the part of William Berwick the librarys skilled
manuscript nender who made daily trips to the
quaint old courthouse. The first step to'Eard
restoration after he had photographed eHerv one
of the rugged pages was setting the ink. This
was done by liquid process or bath designed to
prevent further fading. Then each one of the
sheets WEI backed or mounted upon crepeline.
sort of transparent durable silk gauze which al
lowed any reasonable amount of handling. Then
came endless amount of scraping patching,
pastine 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.
When 1t came to grating new material into the
old manuscript to replace the old which had been
worn away the great problem lay in finding
material that would match In texture and color
that upon which the Will written. Mr. Ber-
wick was in despair as 10 where to find paper for
the patches which would make the will look rs
good as new, when by lucky chance in second
hand hook store in Washington a number of blank
sheets of the writing paper which George Wash
ina,ton had made especially for his personal
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 no way of
telling where the old part, rather the original
part. leaves off and the grated sections begin.
When Mr.. Berwick completed his task, which
cost the FnirfaN 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 steel freproof
and burglarproof safe constructed especially for
the purpose. in 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--nore valuable than the swords.
books furniture china, in view of the fact that
1t more faithfully portrnys the mind <of the man
himself, rejecting his personality nothing else
could do so perfectly, opens as follows:
l. George Washington of Mount Vernon a citizen of
the United States and lately president of the do
make. ordan and declare this instrument which is
written with. hand and every page thereof
subscribed with my be my last will and tes
lament revoking all others
Tn it he directs that:
To my beloved wife, Martha Washington give and
oequeath the use and benefit OF my entire estate real
personal for the term of her natural life. except
He also ordered that his body be inferred "in a
quiet manner. without parade or funeral oration'
one clause which has been extensively quoted
is as follows:
Irnon the decease my wife IL is my will de
.iye that all the which hold in right
shall receive their freedom
Concerning the disposition of his slaves the
-enarol gaye more explicit directions than to any
other part of his estate. and he especially directed
t,at none of them should be sold outside of Vir-
ginia.
He directed that his debts which he said were
"few and none of great magnitude be ''punctual
lx and speedily paid" He also called attention
to the fact that many of the young men of the
United States were being sent abroad to foreign
Aounttfes to be educated and contracting
habits of dissipation and principles unfrendly 10
republican government. To aid in stopping this
be paye 80 shares In the Potomac company to-
ward the endowment of university within the
District of Columbia under the auspices of the
general government. He also made provision in
AT Mount Vernon. in which might he plnced Iii,
remains of himself and his relatives.
The will may be seen through the glass side sI
the vault in which 1t is deposited. before which
hang heavy green curtains to exclude the light
Fairfnx Court House is doubly rich In view OF
Martha Washington also returned to 1t artel
many years of wandering. 1t signed on Sep