Evening star., 1942-02-22
Bv T. G.. Abbott.

George Washingtons personal account
book OF expenses in maintaining his
headquarters and furthering the activi-
ties Of the Continental Army during the
Revolutionary War, which for nearly
100 years was thought to be lost or
destroyed was found not long ago behind
An old safe in the Treasury Building.
No particular attention had been paid
to this soiled old book and it had been
shunted around the Treasury from one
place to another, always in the way and
getting dirtier every day until 1t was
found under this old safe, where 1t
had been tossed to make room for more
current papers, by some one who became
convinced that 1t was written by Wash
ington himself.
Finally some Treasury officials were
prevailed upon to have an expert, on
George Washington's handwriting, look
at the book and give them his opinion
as to whether it had actually been writ
ten by Washington.
Subsequently the late John Clement
Fitzpatrick of the Manuscript Division
OF the Congressional Library-the great
est authority on the life, letters and
handwriting of George Washington at
that time-was called and Immediately
upon seeing this account book, declared
1t to be the long-lost original fair copy
which Washington had started writing
in June, ITS, and completed in July,
1888.
After being authenticated by Mr.
Fitzpatrick, it was sent to the National
Archives, where it was properly cleaned
and treated so as to preserve it for all
posterity. This famous book now rests
safe and secure in the office OF the Sec
retary of the Treasury, where 1t will
probably remain forever as one Of the
Treasury's most treasured documents.
These accounts Of expenses Of the
commander in chief Of the Continental
Army were kept in duplicate by Wash
ington himself. One to be transmitted
at the close Of the war to the Board OF
Treasury of the Continental Congress
for auditing now the Treasury of the
United States together with all the
necessary vouchers, receipts and loose
memoranda; the other, or draft copy,
he retained, and that copy is now
among the Washington papers in the
Congressional Library.
In June, ITS, George Washington was
unanimously elected commander in
chief of the Continental Army and when
accepting this appointment he arose
and, addressing the Congress assembled
in Independence Hall at Philadelphia.
said: AS to pay, sirs, beg Ieape to
assure Congress that as no pecunidry
consideration could haze tempted me to
accept this arduous employment at the
expense of my domestic ease and hap
pdness, do not ,oish to make any profit
from 1t. / DiH keep an exact account
OF my expenses. Those doubt not
they Uu discharge and that is all
desire"
That's why George Washington, re-
ceiving no salary for his services, kept
a notebook account of his expenditures
during eight years of war, in his own
Handwriting, with remarkable order and
precision.
This account book while not an itin-
erary of Gen. Washingtons, neverthe-
less traces the commander in chiefs
movement with greater detail and
accuracy than has heretofore been done,
and furnishes such an unexpected
amount Of new information in this re-
spect that the record approaches
finality.
The keeping of these accounts was not