, 1919-02-13
NfJEZED

partment paper surgeons was rendered unavailable.
As a 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 "a
pages into a condition that would insure them
against further destruction. This entailed the
shipping to Fairfax of considerable equipment.
including a 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 llbrary's skilled
manuscript member, 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 a liquid process or bath designed to
prevent further fading. Then each one of the
sheets was backed or mounted upon %crepeline, a
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 Sc remarkably satisfactory but for a
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 new
material that would match in texture and color
that upon which the will was written. Mr.. Ber-
wick was in despair as to where TO find paper for
the patches which would make the will look as
good as new, when by n lucky chance in a second
hand book store in Washington a number of blank
sheets of the writing paper which George Wash
inston had made especially for his personal use
We're discovered. This was exactly what was
wanted and now, unless one holds the sheets of
the restored will in such a position that the bright
light will shine through them, there is no way Of
telling where the old part, or rather the original
part, leaves off and the grated sections begin.
When Mr.. Berwick completed his task, which
cost the Fairfax authorities nothing, the sheets
of the document, mounted upon cardboard, bound
in the form of a book mounted with a handsome
red levant cover, were placed in a 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-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 as nothing else
could do so perfectly, opens as follows:
1, George Washington, of Mount Vernon, a citizen of
the United States and lately president of the same. do
make, ordain and declare this instrument, which is
written with my own hand and every page thereof
subscribed with my name TO be my last will and tes-
lament, revoking all others.
In 1t he directs that:
beoueath the use and benefit of my entire estate, real
and personal, for the term of her natural life. except
He also ordered that his body be inferred Gin a
uuiet manner, without parade or 1uneral OralOn.'
One clause, which has been extensively quoted,
is as follows:
IJnon the decease of my wife it is my will and de-
s,re that all the slaves which 1 hold in my own right
shall receive their freedom.
Concerning the disposition of his slaves, the
General cnye more explicit directions than to any
other mart OF his estate, and he especially directed
that 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-
lv and speedily paid" He also called attention
~ ~ the fact that many of the young men of the
limited States were being sent abroad to foreign
countries to be educated apd were contracting
habits of dissipation and principles unfriendly to
renublican government. To aid in stopping this
he pove so shares in the Potomac company to-
yard the endowment of a university within the
Distrlct of Columbia under the auspices of the
general government. He also made provision in
his will for the construction of a new family vault
nt Mount Vernon, in which might be placed the
remains of himself and his near relatives
The will may be seen through the glass side of
The vault in which 1t is deposited, before which
hang heavy green curtains to exclude the light.
Fairfax Court House is doubly rich In view of
the fact that it new also treasures the will of
Martha Washington, also returned to it after
many years of wandering. 1t was signed on Sep