The New York herald., 1851-12-25


'A the habit Of v.sking up their spssches in the
Library Of Cosfrsss. Those members We tovs
been the mcst skDful in making searches on ssb-
jeots connected with history, science, or political
economy, and have understood best the art Of dis
playing their gleanings in the best form before
Congress, ard through the newspaper press, have
been the most successful in obtaining reputation
as statesmen. Whit hey will do now is problem
stical but We recommend Congress to begin ct
once 10 collect library, by purchasing the great
collection OF books, pamphlets, and manuscripts
Of Peter Force, Esq, at Washington. Mr. Force
has been for many years engaged in preparing,
under the direction Of Congress- for publication, the
series of volumes called the American Archives
We presume he will consent to dispose of his col
lection, (amounting, probably, to 10000 volumes,)
for the use Of Congress; retaining, Of course, the
right of using such volumes and manuscripts as he
may want to complete the national work on which
he is engaged.
Compared with the national libraries in Europe,
however, our Congressional Library was . small
affair. The national library in Paris has ,474, 900
volumes; the library of the British Museum has
about 5O0,O 900 volumes. Other European national
Copenhagen, 557, 200; Dresden, 4O,5OO; Vienna,
$4,000; st. Petersburg, 595,OOO; Munich, 800 600;
Naples, $4,000; Florence, $4,000; Gottingen,
$4,000; Rome, 465,O00; Edinburg, 2ss.So4, &c.,
sc. The most extensive collection in any other
library in the United States, is that Of the Lii
brary Company of Philadelphia, which at present
has over sc, 900 volumes. 1t was founded in l74O,
through the instrumentality Of Doctor Franklin
and others.
In this city we have but few large Libraries. The
Historical Society, the Society Library, Merean-
tile Library, Columbia College, American Insti-
tute, have al good and increasing collections and
all are exposed to destruction by FIRE. The most
unaccountable neglect on the subject of FIRE proof
building and the preservation of the public records
has always prevailed in this country. The late
Richard Bartlett for time the Secretary of State
Of New Hampshire, and the latter part Of his life
resident Of New York city, collected vast amount
of Information on this subject, 70 which he called
public attention in an interesting pamphlet; but
We never heard that he succeeded in accomplishing
much good from his suggestions, which shouldhave
entitled him 70 rank among public benefactors.
1t is to be regretted that the valuable library Of
the late DR. Jarvis has lately passed under the
hammer of John Reese, and is now dpersed to the
four winds. That ibrafy~as the work OF the life OF
mar Of learning and taste-aswas Dr. Jarvis-and
there was not public spirit enough among the people
Of Middletown, Connecticut, to purchase it, and
thus lay the corner stone Of literary capital at
the central city Of the State.
We presume that Congress will lose no time in
taking measures to commence the formation of a
new library. The valuable French and other
works obtained from Europe, on the exchange plan
of M. Vattemere, we presume, are destroyed. The
papers of Washington, Hamilton, Madison, and
Jefferson, purchased by Congress, however. have
escaped those papers being depositsd in the build.
ing occupied by the Department of State. The
annual appropriation for the purchase of books has,
for the past forty years, been five thousand dollars
The New ENGLAND CELEBRATIoN.-Wep publish
to-day full report Of the New England dinner at
the Astor House 1t will be seen that ii is charac.
terzed by the usual amour. Of twaddle and self.
glorifeation, at the expense of the inhabitants of
other portions Of the Union, and ether races of men
in every part oft;
The annual celebration Of the New England
Society has become an annu al farce for everybody
to laugh at, and the present festival does not ap-
pear to have differed much from Its prede SCISSORS.
There was the same quantity of parched corn,
pumpkin pie, and pork and beans, and piece of
the identical Plymouth Rock, 90 happily called "the
blarney stone Of New England" There was the
same bossting about the Anglo Saxon raee-tAe
descendants Of the Pilgrim Fathers; and it was in
timsted In toss. to Daniel Webster, the Secretary
ef State, sent by telegraph, in reply to one from
him about the everlasting Plymouth Rock, tha.
las long as the spiri, Of the Pilgrim Fathers bears
sway in the councils Of the nation, the peace and
happiness Of the nation are secure.''
Now, what was the spirit Of the Pilgrim Fathers
in reference to freedom Of conscience, for which
they had been persecuted themselves, and driven
from their native landl No sooner did they obtain
footing in thisree land, than they sho we'd spirit
Of intolerance and persecuted other religious sec,s
particularly the professors o! the Catholic religion
The spirit Of the Pilgrims, therefore, is not caleu-
lated to produce peace or happiness in this or any
other country. A far better spirit and better
example if tha. of the Catholic settlers Of Mary
frs. who ever established precedent for
religious liberty in this country, or any part ofthe
wtrld.
Nor were the Pilgrim Fathers tie first colonists
IN this country, as hofe who claim 70 be their de.
scendants would have the world believe Virginia
wss settled several years in advance of Massachu-
'etts, and both the Epis:opalian Cavaliers Of the
. Old dominion" and the Catholics who settled
lneer Lord Baltimore, showed q far more magrani-
nous and noble spiri. ihal the narrow, seetarian,
Ielfsh, persecu.ir spiri. Of the Reundhesd Par..
ans Of the bay state.
To talk Of the Iredeminance and superiority Of
'eculiar races in this country, in which there is
iusisn Of every race under the sun, is about tie
most absurd Of al ideas. Perhaps Is the happy
mixture Of races that is cause Of the superiority
II the American population over every other. II is
! well known fact in natural history, that crossing
improves the breed Of animals.
The Romans, who gave laws to the world, we're
morg grel breed. sprung from all the ou.casts and
'agabOnds Of those nations surrounding aacien.
Some, Who vere invitei to the asylum of the City
4 the Seven Hills. The En- gIsh people never OBJ