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George Washington Racks Up 220 Years of Late Fees At Library

Posted by samzenpus on from the at-least-he-read dept.

Everyone knows that George Washington couldn't tell a lie. What you probably didn't know is that he couldn't return a library book on time. From the article: "New York City's oldest library says one of its ledgers shows that the president has racked up 220 years' worth of late fees on two books he borrowed, but never returned. One of the books was the 'Law of Nations,' which deals with international relations. The other was a volume of debates from Britain's House of Commons. Both books were due on Nov. 2, 1789."

38 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. And he decided to pay the late fees... by Doug52392 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... in $1 bills.

    1. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by Shakrai · · Score: 2, Funny

      You've got a +5 funny right now, but you won't think this is a laughing matter when Philip Baker Hall shows up at Mount Vernon to collect the debt....

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by eleuthero · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Mount Vernon isn't the Washington estate - it is owned by a private company (they manage several historic properties - similar to the Patrimonio Nacional company in Spain and various others that own most of the royal palaces in Europe). Finding heirs to pay the "lost book fee" (I'm sure there is a maximum late fee clause somewhere) will be next to impossible and this was done only for publicity (if it came to it because of some weird public concern, the library would 'forgive' the fine... gaining more publicity).

    3. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by treeves · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually I heard they don't want the fine to be paid, but they do want the books back. I imagine two library books kept past due date by Geo. Washington are worth a lot if they can be found.

      --
      ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
    4. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by JWSmythe · · Score: 2, Funny

          Well, they'd probably accept a federally issued picture id. He could whip a dollar bill out and say "look, me." Then again, with decomposition, he probably doesn't look much like his pictures any more. That, and folks may get the heebie jeebies when a decomposing zombie comes walking in to pay a bill. :)

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    5. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by AnotherUsername · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Shoot it!"

      "But's it's former President George Washington! That's practically treason!"

      "It wants our brains! Shoot it! It's coming through the door!"

      "But, but...President! Founding Father! George Washington!"

      "Zombie Apocalypse begins today if you don't shoot it!"

      "But this is the Father of our Country"

      "I don't care, give me the gun!"

      BOOM!

      "You...you shot George Washington...Who...Who are you?"

      "Ash Williams. You can thank me now."

      --
      I don't like Linux. This doesn't make me a troll.
    6. Re:And he decided to pay the late fees... by rockNme2349 · · Score: 2, Funny

      So..... Dear George, your library fees are now -$32768.00

      It turns out if you wait long enough you no longer owe money on them, but the library will pay you to bring them back!

      --
      Sewage Treatment Facilities - "Our duty is clear."
  2. case by CSHARP123 · · Score: 4, Funny

    When he goes to renew his Library card next time, bring a case against him and collect lots of those Washingtons

    1. Re:case by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      looks like he really bucked the system lol

    2. Re:case by eleuthero · · Score: 5, Insightful
      If you've read any of his writings, he was a slave owner because of a period understanding of necessity - he also freed his slaves at his wife's death (something Jefferson was unable to do because of a million dollar - modern conversion - debt).

      Privately, however, Washington could -- and did -- lead by example. In his will, he arranged for all of the slaves he owned to be freed after the death of his wife, Martha. He also left instructions for the continued care and education of some of his former slaves, support and training for all of the children until they came of age, and continuing support for the elderly.

      Washington on slavery

      It is sometimes helpful not to bash people who were stuck in a system that they sought to improve with as little violence as possible (This didn't end up happening in the US, but in Britain and other European countries slavery was outlawed over time without violence).

    3. Re:case by gandhi_2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "But, as it is, we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other."

      --
      THL phish sticks
    4. Re:case by Neoprofin · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Never spoke out publicly against slavery. Signed an act that allowed hunters to enter free states to recover runaway slaves. Supported only whites to become citizens of the United States.

      On this point he and the rest of the founding fathers had the choice between the ugly reality of slavery and half of the colonies not signing on to the constitution or agreeing to the fight for independence.

      The result of the revolutions failure could have been Canada and they could have all been freed 20 years early, or it could have been apartheid South Africa. If you're going to Monday morning quarterback at least consider that this world of black and white you live in is often complicated by circumstance and in this case not even hindsight really clears things up.

      Slavery is wrong, everyone gets that, but before before you lash a man for not trying hard enough to solve the injustices of the world consider the limitations to their power. He never had the authority or the support to rid America of slavery and any attempt to do so would have undermined the few things he could enact.

    5. Re:case by hagar� · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Reductio ad Hitlerum!" This is hardly the time or place for references to Harry Potter.

      --
      Insert something insightful here, or I'll insert something painful there.
  3. So... by TheSpoom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Where are the books now?

    --
    It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
    - E. Debs
    1. Re:So... by Eevee · · Score: 4, Informative
      If we go to a better news source, we see that

      Sadly for fans of 18th-Century political literature, they appear to have vanished.

    2. Re:So... by Kratisto · · Score: 2, Funny

      Not at your local library, if you live in New York.

      --
      Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.
    3. Re:So... by AnonymousClown · · Score: 3, Funny

      If we go to a better news source, we see that

      Sadly for fans of 18th-Century political literature, they appear to have vanished.

      BBC?! So, you're implying the British took them?

      --
      RIP America

      July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001

    4. Re:So... by eleuthero · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It makes sense - they did invade and take over DC and parts of Virginia in the War of 1812. ;)

    5. Re:So... by batquux · · Score: 3, Funny

      And what happened to privacy? What would Washington think about the library publishing what books he borrowed and how much he owes in fees?

    6. Re:So... by negRo_slim · · Score: 3, Funny

      Too shay.

      --
      On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
    7. Re:So... by masmullin · · Score: 4, Funny

      He'd think "bbbbrraaaaaaaaaiiiinnnssssszzzz" because thats what Zombies think.

    8. Re:So... by Manfre · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And what happened to privacy? What would Washington think about the library publishing what books he borrowed and how much he owes in fees?

      Nothing, he's dead.

    9. Re:So... by laron · · Score: 3, Funny

      That was a bit over the top, just to get back two books, wasn't it?

      --
      "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
    10. Re:So... by Abstrackt · · Score: 2, Informative

      Just in case you didn't know, it's "touché" and not "too shay".

      Just in case you didn't know... it's probably Shay. ;)

      --
      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
    11. Re:So... by shadowbearer · · Score: 2, Interesting

        It's entirely possible those books burned with the White House in 1814.

        Quote from link:

        All thoughts of accommodation were instantly laid aside; the troops advanced forthwith into the town, and having first put to the sword all who were found in the house from which the shots were fired, and reduced it to ashes, they proceeded, without 'a moment's delay, to burn and destroy everything in the most distant degree connected with government. In this general devastation were included the Senate House, the President's palace,...Of the Senate house, the President's palace, the barracks, the dockyard, etc., nothing could be seen except heaps of smoking ruins."

      SB

      --
      It's old. The more humans I meet, the more I like my cats. At least they are honest.
  4. Obligatory by cosm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Epoch fail.

    --
    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  5. Hey man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    don't Bundy that book

  6. It's a clue. by Toonol · · Score: 4, Funny

    Get Nick Cage on the case; those two books no doubt contain directions to the Illuminati's treasure stored in the hidden fortress of the Masons.

    1. Re:It's a clue. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, you silly billy. We're talking about the Illuminati, not the Knights Templar.

  7. Re:White Guilt by Shakrai · · Score: 3, Insightful

    White guilt means guilt over doing what the other people would have done if they were in our forefathers shoes.

    Of course every non-white superpower throughout history (the Mongols, the Persians, the Arabs, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Indians) was a beacon of human rights and good will towards men. It's only the evil European powers that exploited their position in the world towards their own ends.....

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  8. Quirk Books Already on It by XPulga · · Score: 2, Funny


    After "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", I'm pretty sure Quirk Books must already be working on a tale that involves Mr. Bookman (from Seinfeld, season 3) travelling back in time, terminator-style, to charge late fees on George Washington. That modifies the course of history. Last scene on the book, Bookman is back to the 20th century and the country formerly known as USA is now part of Canada. In the place of the Statue of Liberty, a huge green statue of Celine Dion greets the New Yorkers.

  9. The library went to a lot of trouble... by operagost · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The library went to a lot of trouble to prove that their records from the 18th century are probably a bit inaccurate. It could have been as simple as a star-struck librarian forgetting to update the register.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  10. Not quite so late, but... by aonyx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I was related to Mary Coyle Chase (author of Harvey). After she died in 1981 I helped clear out some things from her house. We found a book which had been checked out of the Denver Public Library in 1929. It was really fun returning it. I asked how much the fine was. The person at the circulation desk called the head librarian, and after a good laugh, they said there wouldn't be a fine.

    1. Re:Not quite so late, but... by Chas · · Score: 4, Funny

      I was related to Mary Coyle Chase

      Technically, you still are.

      --


      Chas - The one, the only.
      THANK GOD!!!
  11. send bookman to get the book back! by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 2, Funny

    send bookman to get the book back!

  12. Authors suing for loss of IP? by spookymonster · · Score: 4, Funny

    I mean, think of how much revenue they must've lost!

    --
    - Despite popular opinion, I am not perfect.
  13. US Federal Debt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now we know why the US Federal Debt is so high. That fine is probably still being carried by the Office of the President.

  14. Weak Evidence by lee1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The evidence that it was G. Washington is 'An aide simply scrawled "president" next to the title to show who had taken them out'. This seems pretty weak to me. How do we know this means the President of the U.S.? Maybe it was the president of the library, or someone else entirely. The entry was intended to make sense to the library staff, not random other people 200 years later.