Show I Y Yr r rf f L a tl 4 L l Y r ry i r 4 1 P 4 J 1 tl I l 1 lZ fl t- t if il 3 h i f It j j f 0 I t ll P 12 i t U ziT lJ Off r J ZIl i jl 7 T f C L x S LC z T T ro t G- G i y i i W 4 I 9 tv r r S r Jrr j iu i v r r i d i i t 1 r l r tY ra l f r ft rL S J r f i Rr x g d. d t tS t'S I r J z l r 7 S f J Ii n. n r rr Ii h I rM X t 1 S I 1 P 11 I i jI I d T 7 Y Tr r 1 I 02 r t 1 yu l lY uY LD If present plans are arc carried out aur an au J f r effort will bo made in the near future e to have o the United States Congress y i appropriate funds for fol the thc purchase of 1 k ono orio of ot the tho most interesting and most J fr u valuable collections of Washington r relics rel- rel l- l t. t ics es extant These really Invaluable mementoes of the Father of ot His Country Coun- Coun I r tr try aro are now in the custody of Miss Mary j Lee daughter of the late Genf General General Gen- Gen f eral era Robert E. E Lee Ice of the Confederacy ac acy and who Is on her mothers mother's I side 4 c a great granddaughter of Martha r tr t Wa Washington hin ton The project for tor the pur- pur of ot these articles so closel closely as- as with the life ICe of the hero of e. e the Revolution will If carried out t bring bring- into the possession of our nar na- na r Honal government all the most signi- signi yC t possessions of the Iho first president r r ot of th Q Ite lIa t no Q to u t l p ner sonar sonai nal po e g oL or of Uie- Uie toe ine 8 savior j r oi r- r his ills nis country are arc regarded as its all but sacred IJ by a large proportion of ot the American I public Certainly tho the cave care lavished upon them and the efforts for their C t if preservation have not been equaled in i the case cast of the reminders of any other r p public man who has had a place In V. V tho the history of the New World The 1 fact that this reverential regard was manifested from the er very very- date of oC Washington's death Is presumably re responsible re- re for the fact that the Washy Wash Yash y ington relics ington-relics relics were never scattered never scattered as r r were the belongings of oC man many a hero yX-d yX whose worth was fully appreciated ony on on- ly 1 y b by posterity Almost all of the really Important r relics of the military career and private private vate life of General George Washing ton are arc now included In one or anOne another another an an- f other of or three general collections One On of or these is o ot course the cherished I accumulation now in li inthe the possession o ok of f k Miss Mary Aary Lee b by right of descent I The second collection of rare Wash Wash- in is that own owned cd by the national government and which occupies lh the place of ot honor in the national Museum Museu m r t in ht Washington 1 Tho The third Is to b bo e J I found at nt Mount fount S. S Vernon the home homo o of ot f 1 Washington on the Potomac and 1 Is Js s Mi q 0 i to a considerable extent made up of o f f r relics donated or loaned by persons person ons S 1 i r residing siding In various parts of ot the coup coun tJ t tf tl try f i. i It Is a D. matter malter of congratulation that tha t j J S the tho objects that once belonged t to o Washington which are arc of or the greatest grates t I popular Interest are arc already in th the e f possession of Uncle Sam and as ha has s r b been en explained aro are on exhibition a athe at t u Jj l to the United States Staf 5 National Museum Museu m i where the they may be bc seen en by all visitors visitor ms s j. j J. J to the national capital This collection n I includes that most Interesting of al all l Wash Washington in ton tro trophies tho tho hies-tho Iho famous s II 1 t t camp chest which was n Ulc used by uy Wash Yash ington all an through tho the Revolution It hl his i s 1 headquarters art tent used continuously 1 t 7 d during the war from Lexington t to I. I f S York Yorktown town his baptismal robe and th the thelast e tc I last chair In which ho sal Hat prior to h his hiso is isn o i death and finally the Continental u uniform un un- n x form worn by General Washington n during the iris war for I independence J All these literally valuable sou en n tM Irs lt-H came into the pos possession of th the g government v through the purchase b by y act o of congress In 1878 of oC what w was known as the Low Lewis Is Collection Persons Pet Per f sons ons who arc aro at all familiar wit with h Washington's family history will su surmise sur r P mise miso that these relics represent the i Inheritance in inheritance In- In n of DC the tho other branch of tl the to r t family from that whose kc p kes kesha es s ha have 0 coma down dawn to 1 Miss o. o Mary Lei Lec- Lec The Tho two children of or Martha Maltha Washing g roti ton adopted children of General Gener Washington 1 and their heirs quite o rightfully rl came carne Into possession of jf most of ot the personal belongings of DC t the h e r distinguished family at Mount Ve VerI Ver- Ver r J non but all who knew of Washing h I tons ton's fondness for the pretty Nel Nolly y pe I r. r Custis can readily surmise that aho sho s st I J t was presented with all an tho best hest of t the tho h f moment mementoes cs and It W was S this collect collection 0 p f that Uncle Sum Sam purchased from Crom t the h o 1 W Nellie Curtis heirs for the sum um of or y t 1900 In the year ear eat 1878 When tho nl government first acquired e d ii WV ashington Washington relics the they were d deposited doi de do- e- e i s posited at t th the United States Stales patent o of- of lice but In the year oar 1883 the they wo were re transferred to the National Museum Museu m t k an 1 there they have reposed ev over o er since Every Even time I. I an international al o exposition is Meld held nold in any American Americ La t J city it Jt Is Jg one of the ambitions of ot U the ue r S management to secure CUre the loan of ot r I these troph trophies Ics as a il special feature e s r but the relics relies which are kept in gin glass ss cases CaBeR and closely guarded aro arc account account- nt- nt A ed cd much too i precious HS to permit of ot transportation about the country a and n d r. r t f their display in buildings not hr fire Iho o- o W to proof t roo o Ji il l 1 Until a vel very few feu years rears ago o the roll relics cs r IN at 1 H I I lY j y r a r r Jrr N i. i ft r a J r. r ly e J g S r rr rr r l. l S 4 S. S S Jr rA ti sc s sr r r n S' S e w wT T n rat a ff oTO Y rn nr GA C r- r 1 l L. L s sS' sS I 17 T Th a I I of Washington now held by Miss MIsto Mary fogy Lee were also on display at the National National Na Na- Museum side by side with those ow owned ned outright by the government go and these ancestral heirlooms to the re representative o of oC the fife Leo Lee family is Js especially es especially es- es pc Interesting now nary that there is res reason to hope that the tho relics may be placed places permanently in Inthe the safekeeping of the federal government Just who could right rightfully claim own ownership to them was for far years ears In dispute and repeatedly repeatedly- put the government go officials In ht a quandary The federal authorities had taken taleen possession of tho the relics soon after the this ou of the Civil war when the Union troops invaded Arlington the beautiful home tome o of Gen Robert E. E Leo on aft the Potomac opposite Washington N Now ow the inns mansion at Arlington had been built by General Central Va Washington's sou George ton Parke Custis snit and after the death o of M artha Washington the builder n of or Arlington hod had removed from flom Mount Vernon to his new home the silver plate date china and other hou household articles which had been bequeathed t to him hint Tho The only daughter of f the he household In time line married Robert nobert E. E Loo Loe who camo camp to male make his home homo a at t J Arlington lon and thus the tho beginning o of the war for Cor tho the Union found the ih prized Washington W relics left lert behind In a room in the Iho basement of oC th the home tome suddenly abandoned b by the C Confederate ch chieftain When Arlington was converted int Into a Federal arm army camp the captured captures r relics were sent to the patent office at 1 Washington lon for safe faro keeping A f few fw ew years after the thc clo close e of or the Iva IvanA war n A Mrs s R. R E. E Lee petitioned that the hi Washington relics relies be returned to he her herand and President Johnson after atel a consultation con imitation with his this cabinet ordered that this be done but hut congress entered a r vigorous olous protest and pissed passed a n tat law prohibiting the secretary of the tho in 1st In- In from flom allowing the articles to b bo lid r removed cd from flom his department Th The e matter rung hunS fire for years and then when tho the government by act of congress congress con con- gress paid to tho ho son o of or General Len Lee the sum of or in n settlement o of I his claim for thu the confiscation of or this the Arlington estate many of fhe tho govern overn- I moot mont officials deem deemed d that this thin haymen pay hay men ment embodied D. D a. a purchase price for fo ro tho the Washington relics and under tin the s supposition that the they were government govern govern- ment property properly the trophies were transferred trans trans- to Jo tho till National museum The Thc next chapter In the story of or the tin Washington relics brings us to the tho administration ad od- od ministration of or the late President McKinley to whom whom Miss Mary lary Lee ap- ap ap applied plied piled for COI tho the restoration of tho the family heirloom Senator Daniels of Vir- Vir ginia transmitted tho rho request witch which the thc chief chile executive immediately re ro- ro erred to the tho attorney general of or th this the United States Mr 11 P. P C. C Knox wh who was al at that time at the pearl head of oC th the department of justice marls marIe a n thor tier rough investigation atlon of tho the rather complicated com corn situation and Onal finally reported that tho the government had never neve through an act of or any o war laid pro pro- to the tho relics and that tha It was clearly within the jurl jurisdiction of the President to release them t to the thin heir of or the original owner 1 If JC h ho chose choso to do so 80 President McKinley thereupon Issued In Instructions that th this thc relies relics were to be he turned over o to Miss Mis Lee It Is understood that the relics that tha wore restored to tho ho Lees after niter two two- score scole years ears are arc now stored in a buildIng build build- Ing lug owner owned by a n mem member er of the famil family at Alexandria Va Miss Lee Leo was wa was earnestly importuned to to allow th the relics to remain In the tho National museum where they could coup be viewed Jewed oby b by all visitors to that patriotic shrine but hut she declined So eager were th the officials to be e allowed to retain them thorn r. r lw A n 3 V C Cv t V v l f A Y lri- lri w 4 44 ti r Y S r T A i o r F J eJ e. e IC 19 y q r d rl Y 3 r y NAr o Y F t f S 'S rv- rv r. r r w. w r rR ry y f 11 R w I as n a loan that Leo when Miss Leo an- an he her Intention of at soIling selling the trophies they thoy even en even offered to 0 allow her to conduct the tho sale from the thc museum museu In the end she did consent to leave lea cave In Uncle Sams Sam's show palace a few objects notably two and the treasure chest cheat in which General General Gentral Gen Gen- eral Washington kept his bonds and other valuable le papers The relic collection which It is Js now hoped the tho government ma may purchase from flom 1 Miss l Lee c is Js eSI especially r rich in n theold theold the theold old china used by th the Washington tamU family There Ther aro ago numbers numbe of oC pieces of ot the lire so called Cincinnati and Lafay Latay- ette etlo sets as w well oll as the rimmed gold white china and the thc old blue and white earthenware According to tra tra- the china was waR pre pre- to Washington b by tho ho officers oC or the I French ench army but for all that t the tho story Is Js a vcr very pretty one it must regretfully bo confessed that history does doss not bear out the tale talc For some of of tho the plates in its this Ulis collection more mOlO than 1 00 each ha haw has been offered b by collectors of ot ceramics cerami s and these col- col col col- coli lectors wore taking into consideration the tit rarity of the design n rather than the historical Int Interest that thal attaches The Lee e collection la is al also o especially specially rich riel in oddly shaped champagne ne and wine glasses and other cUt gl glass cut 9 table appointments for the collection of or which the former widow C Custis urtIs appal- appal had something of ot a fad There are aro two quaint looking glass SlABS can candelabra candela candela- ela- ela bra each ach haying two prongs and n a central holder hoMer for flowers Then there is Jg a silver tea ten ha tray and two small sal sal- B l- l vcrs vcr bearing the Washington 1 coat of arms as well as a large cho tea tea tra tray that i is unique In man many r re re- re p ta Yet Ten treasured gorse is J l.- l. the elliptical shaped tea toa table which t was purchased b by General Washing ton for use uso In the Presidents President's home in iii New York when the tho present metropolis s was the tho seat scat of oC government and which h was later taken to Mount Vernon and and 1 used there during the hospitalities that tha t characterized the latter years of oC Wash in ington's tons ton's life lift The oJ oldest est article In fa the thin Lee t ion tion and one which Miss Leo has kindy kind kind- l I ly y allowed the officials ll of ot the Smithsonian Smith Institution to continue to exhibit at the National museum Is lit the huge hug e iron framed lantern which was U used Cd t to 0 i illuminate the tho great reat hall haJJ at Mount t Vernon when whon its first owner Lawrence Lawrenc e Washington was master there The e big lantern served a a. similar purpose e at the manor house on the tho Potomac c during the regime of George Washing Yashin ton ton and then lien It was transferred to Arlington and cast its glowing beams upon man many a i scene of old Southern South- South Southern ern merrymaking at this famous Camous habl tation Judging from Crom the articles of or personal adornment which have place i jn in ll this treasure trove the Father of or II Ills lIls hi Country was ras more than fond o of gorgeous knee and shoe buckles Three or 01 four tour pairs of oC these gold mounted a and bejeweled ornaments ha e been handed down to excite the wonder and admiration of the present gell generation There Th Ih re are alO some of ot Washington's arm army tents in the Lee Lec collection but bul the tho most m ost interesting of these campaign houses lei le as S has been explained explained already already al already al- al ready owned outright by the govern govern- government ment Interesting object to which Uncle UncIa S Sam 1 lies has a clear title tIde is the bel hel- bellows lows wh willi once rinse once used u to fan into linn f U lame the embers in the groat great e at Mount V Vernon Nothing however brings the Uw present day spectator closer to the conditions of ot Washington's IlC IlCI life I during the most mOt momentous period of his career than the old camp chest previously men mentioned In this Ironbound Ironbound Iron- Iron bound box with its numerous compartments com coin for fOl dishes al aril arid l hollies bottles are to be he seen the pewter t and the rather rathel primitive primitive- knives drives 8 and fortes which the commander chief of ot the continental army used used- cn his ta table le during the tl trying ing days ays when he was directing a 2 military contest against overwhelming numbers of a superiorly equipped d enemy nemy In the present government gov go collection are als also a number of or tables |