The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-04-13

- 1919 ~ 80 - 4Issnt-
RICHMOND. VA.
Tuesday Morning, April IS, 1882.
CONGRESS AND ITS NEW LIBRARY.
Holding neutral position in political affairs,
the Dispatch has been little in the habit Of COM
meating upon the proceedings Of Congress.
all OF which seem directed rather to the fur
therance Of parlizan schemes that the substan-
tial interests Of the country. II has allowed
the House Of Representatives to vapor away
q discretion, without one word Ct censure.--
The Senate, too, has inflicted much tedious
ness upon an already afflicted people, without
the slightest expression of disapprosal on Tho
part Of The Dispatch. There is, however, one
subject connected with Congressional affairs,
upon which we propose now to say lew
words; and we shall utter them the more freely
because we can do so without assailing any
political party in the land. We refer to the
" Library of Congress"
The collection of books which was formerly
known by that name, and which was DESTROYED
BY FIRE in December last, embraced many lite
rary treasures and was undoubtedly very va.
luabie. But in some respects it was anything
bat a Library, using that word in its largest
sense. II cost enough in al. conscience, to
have been of rare excellence. The average
cost of great masses of books rarely exceeds
two dollars a volume. We believe the volumes
already collected for the Astor Library of New
York-purchased mostly in Europe by that
al H. I ~ rors,yol-diI
not exceed an average of three dollars. But
the books destroyed in the conhagration at the
capitol, cost an average of FIVE dollars. Bought
at such extravagant prices, they did not sup
ply any one want of the scholar. There was
scarcely a subject upon which the searcher
sitter knowledge could inform himself tho
roughly by the use of the congressional books.
The collection could not therefore be proper
" termed Library, in the same sense that
the volumes of the British Museum or even
the collections at Harvard University are so
called. There is certainly no difficulty what
ever in accounting for the incompleteness ofrhe
former Library of Congress, or the ridiculous
fy large sum which Uncle Sam had to pay for
it. The secret lay in the manner of making
the purchases. This was as follows:
Among the committees appointed by the
Speaker Of the House of Representatives and
the President of the Senate, is joint COM
mittee on the Congressional Library. These
gentlemen have carte blanche, within the limits
ofthe annual appropriation, to buy such books
as they may think best. Now it is well known
that there are few men in Congress who are at
all remarkable for literary requirement, and it
is rare that even these few are appointed upon
the Library Committees. Every body is aware
that the arrangement of the committees is al.
ways made with direct reference to politica
considerations. Thus it has frequently hap.
pened that the interests Of the Library have
been committed to the hands of very incompe.
tent and uncultivated men. If we are not
greatly mistaken Davy Crockett, once served on
the committee for the Library. When these
men are called upon to expend the money set
apart for the purchase of new books, it is ma
tural enough that they should turn, in their
ignorance, to the publishers catalogues for as.
sistance. The Honorable Jedediah Squash of
Squashville, Indiana, finding himself one Of
the Library Committee, and never having en-
joyed any other literary cultivation than such
az was afforded by the Squashville Literary
Institute, resorts TO the attractive bulletins of
Messrs. Longman, Murray and Dohn in Eng.
land, and of Putnam. Appleton and Harper in
this country. to know what ought to be pur.
chased. Thinking that he cannot go wrong
with such guide books, he orders, hap hazard.
hull lott of "new and valuable publica.
tons" at the prices affixed in the catalogues.
and thinks he has done himself great credit
and the country an immense service. This is
the whole explanation of the MATERNITY the
Congressional Library was both Heterogeneous.
and runously expensive.
When this costly and i'll assorted collection
was destroyed by fire, we had hoped that in re-
placing it, Congress would adopt some better
mode of purchasing the volumes, and take
some prompt steps towards repairing the sad
loss. But they have done nothing beyond an.
propriating $4,000 for the purchase of spcb
works as are of immediate Importance for ,e.
ference, and SO far as we know, have empIoved
the old machinery ola committee. The nroner
mode would be to elect two or three acean
pnsnea scholars, whose high literary qualif.
taoas should be acknowledged by the country.
nd empower them to buy up such works in
Europe as, in their judgment, should be suita.
Die. In this way, Congress might have really
valuable and well chosen library, and save =
large sum OF money to the country. Had such
course beea adopted at once, upon the burn.
nag ofthe old Library. already the nucleus of
better and nobler collection might have been
received in Washington. But by their neglect
81 this, the true policy, they have allowed some
9! tne most golden opportunities for the pur-
chase OF rare and valuable works in Europe.
% escape them. The sale Of the Library of |
sne late Hing Of France, Of which we have |
lately received accounts, was such chance :,