Book on display once owned by Washington

Notes in margins in president’s hand

The Clinton Presidential Center unveiled a borrowed book Saturday.

It’s a 224-year-old annotated and bound Laws of the United States, First Session 1789 that once belonged to President George Washington. The brown leather book, faded with age but still intact, will remain at the center until July 12, when it will head to the next stop on its tour of the nation’s presidential libraries.

The book is on loan from the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, and its final destination is in Virginia at the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, which opens at Mount Vernon in September.

The Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock is displaying the book in a glass case in its second-floor theater, alongside an original Gilbert Stuart portrait on loan from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and a few of Washington’s political letters from the 1790s. The additional touches are unique to Arkansas, said Kathleen Pate, the center’s education specialist.

“Not everybody has Crystal Bridges right in their backyard,” Pate said. “But I think it really adds something to the exhibit.”

The book, opened to Article Two of the Constitution, includes Washington’s personal notes in the margins. He wrote the words “president,” “powers” and “required” alongside the article, which explains the president’s powers.

Washington seldom made notes in his books, according to the George Washington’s Mount Vernon brochure provided at the exhibit.

“He’s reflecting on his job’s duties,” Pate said. “He’s looking to the Constitution for guidance because he has no example to follow.”

The Stuart painting shows Washington in formal dress sitting in his office. If onlookers see the resemblance between the painting and Washington’s visage on the $1 bill, they’re not too far afield- Stuart painted many portraits of Washington, one of which was the basis for the dollar-bill image.

“I’m so glad Arkansas has a Gilbert Stuart,” said Ronny Marshall of Hot Springs as he looked at the exhibit.

Washington enthusiasts can also head to Crystal Bridges’ exhibition, Surveying George Washington, which showcases 20 documents written by Washington and his contemporaries, including a land survey that he prepared when he was 19 and a first edition of his last will and testament.

On Saturday, the Clinton Center will host a George Washington-themed day for children from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For free, they can make their own versions of the historic book on display and snack on Indian hoecakes - Washington’s breakfast of choice.

Admission to the Clinton Center will be free Thursday in recognition of Independence Day.

“We purposely scheduled [the book] to come for the Fourth of July,” Pate said. “It’s such a great opportunity to celebrate our nation’s history.”

In its first day, the exhibit was receiving a steady stream of curious guests of all ages.

“That’s from 1789,” said Amber Jackson of McKinney, Texas, as she looked at the book with a child next to her. “And you think I’m old.”

Arkansas, Pages 13 on 06/30/2013

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