sociation of the Union shall not, including the two hundred acres of land aforesaid, exceed the sum of five hundred thousand dollars. The said Association, in contracting with the proprietor of Mount Vernon for the purchase of the same, may covenant with him, so as to reserve to him the right to inter the remains of such persons whose remains are in the vault at Mount Vernon, as are not now interred, and to place the said vault in such a secure and permanent condition as he shall see fit, and to inclose the same so as not to include more than a half acre of land; and the said vault, the remains in and around it, and the enclosure, shall never be removed nor disturbed; nor shall any other person hereafter ever be interred or entombed within the said vault or enclosure. "4. The said property herein authorized to be purchased by the said Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union shall be forever held by it, sacred to the Father of his Country and if from any cause the said Association shall cease to exist the property owned by the said Association shall revert to the Commonwealth of Virginia, sacred to the purposes for which it was originally purchased. "5. This act shall be in force from its passage. Under this act of incorporation The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association was organized by the appointment of Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, (the daughter of the "Southern Matron, mentioned on page 370,) to be "Regent" or President, for life, having for her associates in the management, a number of Vice-regents, composed of one person in each state, nominated by the Regent. These constitute an Executive Committee to whom is intrusted the entire control and management of the affairs of the Association. The Committee and Regent hold the relation towards each other like that of the National Senate and the President of the Republic. Her nominations may be confirmed or rejected by the Vice-regents. When the late civil war broke out, the Managers were preparing to make a final appeal to their country-women for a sum of money, the interest on which should be ample to keep the Mount Vernon Mansion and Estate in the best order. The purchase money was all paid, and nothing was wanted to crown the efforts of the Association with complete success, but such liberal endowment. Already much had been done to ward the renovation of the property. So early as July, 1859, a year before all the purchase money was paid and a deed given, the late proprietor allowed the work of repairing to commence. A Superintendent and fourteen men of various trades were at once occupied in the labor. Attention was first given to the renovation and restoration of the exterior of buildings, garden walls, et cetera. A new wharf was built, and a good road and paths were constructed between it and the Tomb and Mansion. But little had been done to the interior, when the war broke out in 1861, and the income derived from visitors, ceased. During the war, the Home of Washington was in charge of an accomplished woman whom The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association had placed there, assisted by a Superintendant of the buildings and farm. And it is a pleasure to record, in honor of the American character, that while the war raged, at times, with intense and destructive energy in the vicinity of Mount Vernon, and the soldiery of both parties engaged in the contest were there, the most profound and reverential respect for the Home of Washington was observed by all. The sentiment of love for the Great Patriot was too deeply rooted in the American heart to be eradicated by the intense hatred which such a war engenders. It was shown at Mount Vernon in the most delicate manner. No notable injury was inflicted upon building, tree or shrub during all the time of the internecine strife. Since the close of the war the Regent of The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, has resided at the Mansion and, with the assistance of a Secretary, has had a general supervision of affairs there. The work of interior renovation has gone on slowly, until now, (1870,) a greater portion of the wood-work has been painted, and the roof of the Mansion has been newly shingled. The whole building is now in a state of fair preservation. An appropriation by Congress, has been spent in the work of renovation, mostly in the rebuilding of the Conservatory for plants, on a larger scale, which was destroyed by fire in 1863, and with it, the ancient Lemon Tree, Century Plant and Sago Palm—all there in Washington's time-delineated on pages 158 and 159 of this work. From the sale of plants and flowers reared in the Conservatory, a considerable income may be expected, among which will be found descendants of the Sago Palm. Much of the old Vegetable garden, yet surrounded by the brick wall built by Washington, is devoted to the raising of strawberries, the sale of which, to early summer visitors is a source of considerable profit. These fountains of revenue, the sale of hickory canes cut from the forest of the estate, the price of admission to the grounds and Mansion, and per centage of the receipts of the steam-boat from passengers to and from Mount Vernon, constitute the entire income of the Association. These are insufficient to put and keep the grounds and buildings in good order and to make the restoration complete. There should be an endowment, either by Congress or by the free gift of the American people large enough for the interest on the sum to be ample for making Mount Vernon, aside from its associations, one of the most attractive spots in our country. Now it is quite otherwise. Nature has done much, but art and labor has done so little, that from the Wharf to the Tomb and up to the Mansion, the visitor sees, at every step, evidences of poverty. The Tomb and its neighborhood have a most forbidding appearance; while the Mansion itself, bereft of nearly every thing mentioned in this work, is less attractive than it might be, if its surroundings could be beautified by Art and skilled Labor, and its rooms present an exhibition of objects of every kind, yet in existence, that were associated with Washington's life. Already, some contributions of that kind have been made by patriotic citizens. These may and should be increased until the Mansion of Mount Vernon shall become a rich Museum of relics of that classic period in our history, the old War for independence and the establishment of our National Government. Considered in its relations, historic and patriotic, Mount Vernon should be one of the most precious objects of the care of the American people. The means to make it creditable to our patriotism, gratitude and generosity, should be given with a quick and lavish hand; and it is to be hoped that the Association may soon be able to proclaim, as a part of its own experience, that the great Republic of the West is not ungrate ful toward its Founders. INDEX. A. Adams, John, description of the inauguration of...... Adams, Mr. and Mrs., visit Mrs. Washington after the death of her husband..... Address card of Washington..... Alexandria, Washington invited to partake of a public dinner at....... 66 present condition of...... Appearance, personal, of Washington, when on horseback.. Arch, triumphal, at Trenton, in honor of Washington. Arlington Spring, kitchen and dancing hall erected at, by Mr. Custis. Washington's tent at............... Arms of the Washington family, picture of.. ........... 214 131 .... 131 131 114 106 189 190 49 255 293 32 Armstrong, John, letter of, to General Gates respecting Washington's reception in New York Washington's butter-bowl in possession of. |