REPORT OF BOARD

APPOINTED TO

VISIT MOUNT VERNON.

To the HON. G. C. WALKER,

Governor of Virginia:

SIR: The board appointed by your excellency to visit Mount Vernon, in accordance with the 8th section of the act passed March 17th, 1856, "incorporating the Ladies' Mt. Vernon Association of the Union, and authorizing the purchase of a part of Mt. Vernon," respectfully report that in obedience to the suggestion made by the grand council of the association, the board fixed their meeting for the 14th day of May, 1873, at Mt. Vernon, the day of the convocation of the association. The section of the act above referred to defines the duty of the board. It is required that they shall visit Mt. Vernon, and examine and faithfully report to the governor all the proceedings of said association touching that place, and the manner in which they comply, or fail to comply, with this act, and other laws of the land. By the terms of said act, the said association was made a body politic, for the purpose of raising money with which to purchase and improve two hundred acres of the Mt. Vernon estate-to include the mansion and tomb of General George Washington, garden, grounds and the wharf and landing now constructed on the Potomac river-said property, when so purchased, to become public property, and forever held by the State of Virginia, sacred to the memory of the Father of his Country. It was also provided that the conveyance of said property was to be made to the State of Virginia, and should be held in trust for said association, forever sacred to the memory of Washington, whose mortal remains shall be kept perpetually therein—and upon the further trust, that said estate shall be subject to visitation by the State of Virginia, and to such proper and becoming improvements as the said association shall determine to make.

But in default of said association making such proper and becoming improvements, or keeping the same in repair, upon such default being found by a board of visitors, then said estate shall be subject to improvement and repair at the pleasure of the State of Virginia; and to this end, the possession of said estate shall vest in said State.

By a subsequent act, passed March 19th, 1858, the former act was amended in several particulars. By it the said association was authorized to purchase the two hundred acres, including mansion, tomb, &c., and to receive from the owner a

deed in fee simple; but denied to said association the power to alien the said land, or any part thereof, or to create a charge thereon, or to lease the same without the consent of the legislature of Virginia being first obtained. It moreover limits the amount of the stock of said association, and provides that the vault, and the remains in and around it, and the inclosure, shall never be removed or disturbed; nor shall any other person hereafter ever be interred or entombed within said vault.

The property purchased by the association 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, then the property owned by said association shall revert to the Commonwealth of Virginia, sacred to the purposes for which it was originally purchased. It will thus be seen that the latter act merely amends the former in some particulars, leaving it in full force and effect, except so far as modified or changed by the act of 1858.

The board of visitors organized on the 13th May, 1873, in the city of Washington, and proceeded on the day following to Mt. Vernon. This being the first appointment made under the law of 1856, and the council being of opinion that the amended charter repealed the provisions of the original charter, and the executive of Virginia having never before acted under the law of 1856, the council did not furnish us with any detailed statement of their proceedings prior to the year 1872.

In addition to this, the Mt. Vernon Association, whilst desirous and anxious that a most rigid and thorough scrutiny should be made into all their acts in view of certain charges and complaints, yet were fearful that some interference with their chartered rights might be contemplated. We gave them assurances that nothing of the kind was intended.

That as the said association holds its authority under Virginia, and has no powers except such as she has granted expressly or impliedly, that Virginia could, if the association transcended its authority, institute legal proceedings to annul the charter; but so long as the "Ladies' Mt. Vernon Association" was faithful to the spirit that had animated it to conceive and carry out the object of purchasing and preserving the home of the Father of his Country, there should be no fears of the sacred trust being impaired.

The board, under the authority vested in them, upon the 14th May, 1873, entered upon the examination of the Mt. Vernon buildings, tomb, grounds, &c., making at the same time diligent investigation as to the manner in which the said association has complied, or failed to comply, with the act above mentioned and other laws of the land, and have the satisfaction of reporting that, in their opinion, but one object and aim actuate said association, viz: the preservation of Mt. Vernon, as it was, when the home of Washington, beautifying the grounds, and rendering it what it should be, the pride and glory of the people of this great country. In consequence of the late war, and its attending evils, the association found itself, at the close of that fratricidal contest, in very embarrassed circumstances, having for more than four years been deprived of its accustomed revenue, and being unable, during the same period, to give the house and grounds the attention they demanded, they suffered much from unavoidable neglect. But by the untiring energy and patriotic zeal displayed by the association, its debts have been liquidated, and the work of restoration and preservation vigorously prosecuted. The revenue which said association has derived from a daily line of boats running to Mt. Vernon, which has been established, and the collections made from different parts of the country, have relieved the association of all solicitude regarding its ability to sustain itself by severe economy. The following are among the most important im

provements which the association have made in the last few years: A substantial furnace has been placed in the cellar of the building, which is essential to the preservation of the mansion-to prevent the decay of the foundation by dampness. Three tanks have been built for a supply of water, and an hydraulic ram set up. Water-works supply the green-house, kitchen, stable and vegetable garden, and with the fire-engine, which has been obtained, protect the premises from all injury by fire. The drainage of the premises, which was very imperfect, and the condition of which, added to the natural unhealthiness of the spot, has been improved and extended.

Access to the tomb has been facilitated by the road from it to the wharf being put in order. Two houses for laborers have been built. About one thousand fruit trees have been planted. The grounds around the tomb, and between it and the river, have been cleared of undergrowth, and over eight hundred rare foreign evergreens have been set out. The green-house is in good order, and is a source of revenue to the association. The room in the mansion occupied by Lafayette, when the guest of Washington, has been furnished and put in complete order, the other rooms are neatly kept, and the great aim of the association to preserve in the entire building, while undergoing necessary repairs, the same antique appearance as in the days of its honored occupant, has been most happily effected. The employees are polite, attentive and courteous to the visitors. One of the most attractive features presented by this time honored mansion is the equestrian portrait of Washington and his Generals before Yorktown, executed by that great and distinguished artist, the late Rembrandt Peale, and presented to the association at Mt. Vernon on the day of the meeting of this Board at that place, by Mrs. Rosalba Underwood, executrix and daughter of the artist. This splendid portrait of the Father of his Country now adorns the mansion of Mt. Vernon, and the heartfelt thanks of a grateful people are due the distinguished daughter of so gifted a father for this expression of her generous patriotism.

The association derives its chief income from the profits of a daily boat owned and run to Mt. Vernon by Messrs. Sykes & Hollingshead, and from sales on the place. An entrance fee of twenty-five cents is charged each person visiting Mt. Vernon. To those coming on the boat this fee is embraced in the fare charged, which is reasonable; in addition to which the boat company pays to the association as wharfage twenty-five per cent. of the actual passage money. This arrangement with said company was entered into for the purpose of preventing excursion parties and other unauthorized visitants from landing at the wharf, thereby protecting the buildings and surrounding grounds from depredations, which would likely result from the free access of unlicensed parties to this hallowed spot.

The board would recommend that Col. Hollingsworth, the resident secretary and superintendent of Mt. Vernon Association, be constituted a conservator of the peace, in and for Mt. Vernon, for its further protection.

In view of the depressed condition of the finances of the State, the board, at this time, refrains from making any recommendation for an appropriation for the benefit of the association; but should the finances of the State, at any time, admit of such an appropriation, we would commend this as a most worthy object of the State's liberality.

It has been suggested by the association that each of the original thirteen States take upon itself the work of furnishing one of the rooms of the mansion with furniture of antique style, and, if possible, with relics of Washington himself. Some of the States have already acted upon this suggestion, and should this noble

design be carried into effect by the association, the board would recommend that Virginia, his birth place and home, should be among the first to collect her relics with which to adorn the apartments assigned to her in the sacred mansion of her great and immortal Washington.

In conclusion, the Board of Visitors hereby tender, through your excellency, to the members of the council of the Ladies' Mt. Vernon Association, their thanks for the polite manner in which they were received and entertrined by them, and the kind attention shown them at their meeting on the 14th of May, 1873.

Respectfully submitted,

H. W. THOMAS, President Board of Visitors.