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PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF MONTICELLO.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON RULES,
Wednesday, July 24, 1912.

The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. Robert L. Henry (chairman) presiding.

STATEMENT OF MRS. MARTIN W. LITTLETON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order. The committee has been called this morning to consider Senate concurrent resolution No. 24, and we will be pleased to hear from Mrs. Littleton touching that resolution.

Mrs. LITTLETON. I thank the committee for giving me the privlege of appearing before them to-day on a subject so near my heart. I wish that some other true friend of Jefferson could speak to you in my place. I wish very much that my husband could have appeared before you to-day. However, I take courage from the fact that several times before, when the subject of Monticello has been brought up before Congress, Congress has never refused to grant what was asked. So, even though I present the case very inadequately, I feel bold enough to go on and say what I have to say, feeling assured that what I ask will be granted. I am very sorry that the full committee can not be present to-day. I will not take up much of your time this morning and will not undertake to present all of the matter I have here, but will ask to have it inserted in the record.

The CHAIRMAN. That privilege will be given you, Mrs. Littleton. The Chair will state that a number of the members of the committee are out of the city. I think six of the members are absent, but I hope several other members will come in later. You can proceed as long as you please with your statement, and can insert whatever documents you wish to have included in the record.

Mrs. LITTLETON. I thank you for extending me that privilege, Mr. Chairman.

The first time this matter was brought before Congress was in 1863, when Uriah Levy asked Congress to accept Monticello as a gift to the people of the United States. Congress was prepared to do this and a resolution was offered to accept the gift, when Mr. Harris rose and notified Congress that relatives of Uriah Levy had brought a suit, or were about to bring a suit, to break the will of Uriah Levy, and that if Congress accepted this gift it would accept with it a lawsuit. So nothing was done on that occasion.

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