A book that George Washington borrowed 221 years ago from a New York library has was finally returned to its rightful place.
Staff at the New York Society Library happily accepted a replica copy of "The Law of Nations" from members of the first US president's Mount Vernon estate yesterday after they discovered he removed it from their collection on Oct 5, 1789, but never brought it back.
"I hereby absolve George Washington and his representatives for any overdue library fees incurred," The New York Daily News quoted Charles Berry, the New York Society Library's chairman of the board of trustees, as saying.
"The library was not about to pursue a fine, but we were delighted to learn that a copy of this book was coming back to us."
"We express our gratitude for your patience ... and for your generosity in erasing the considerable funds that were probably owed by George Washington," James Rees, executive director of Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, told library staff yesterday. "He did not do his public duty."
