New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-31
Libraries in Washington.
Correspondence Of The " Y Tribune.
" .....c-n,- INadnns1au MAY of |


WASHINGTON Wednesday, May 20, 1852
Whatever may be the diversity and ver-
satiity of excitement found here in the aggomerafion
of politicians leaders Of parties and all kind OF ceieor
ties, one want remains deeply felt in the almost COM
plete impossibility to find anything for the quiet and
real nutrimentum spiritus How far, previous to the
destruction of the Congressional Library, this want
found satisfaction we leave it undecided sure it is
that the craving appetite OF the like nature now looks
vaiply around for means to be slenced. Doubtless
there here small private libraries more or less
accessible TO stranger but he is obliged TO guess their
existence And then these accidental, microscopcal
libraries are so curousy composed by the fancy whim
of e Master the Mistress and the Misses of the family
for the sake OF little show, and above all, to aid in
killing the great encmy-;me-that one scarcely can
find there any attractive for higher or more
serious occupation Of the mind.
The truly American aud very complete collection Of
Mr. PETER FORCE makes honorable exception.
There at ncc you feel the breathing of idea which
inspired md directed in its formation 1t is an enght-
ene patriotic conception and under its influence these
shelves have been logically and Systematically filed
The lbrarv Of the War Department, however small, at
least discloics tnat there is aim and principle as
well as order in its composition. Sorry not to be
shall pass over the unrivaled bad Of the building
ITSELF but yet fears may Justly be entertained that the
inward soul which is animate these walls may be "a
,nisei.r-l, ----I,~a si-~ ---.~.-i L-ay S"'.
ONLY hope that may prove mistaken and that the spirit
of the founder may be satisfied in future time that
wha, he wished-thc diffusion of useful knowedge-is
really the result Of this costly Institution As yet it Is
difficult to say what is the fact about it, Thus let US
hope that in the of years and time, there will
appear something as library worthy OF the name and
of the purpose OF great and learned institution.
Aside from the large there Is scarcely any thing
to be looked at an embryo OF great comprehensive
scienfc establishment What is here already dscloses
rather certain ou,sdedness and superhciaty In what
meant to be library one vanly looks for any idea
whatever of system, logic, or order It's, or looks
10 be- a collection of books made bindly, at random,
md thrown in the same manner heedlessly into their
places In one word this comparatively small collec
ton presminenty distinguished by the absence fary
notion of coordination, and by utter ignorance OF the
first rules Of photography.
The Congressional Library is to be erected. With
the inexhaustibe means at the disposal of Congress,
and It's undoubted good will TO do something grand and
worthy of the of Congressional Library Of such
an unparalleled great country the United States, it
ought and can be the first library for choice and even
fer number in America, and could become without
precedent and unrivalcd-te be counted among the
first libraries of the civilized world Being intended to
serve the of political body its fundamental idea
It's principal aim ought to be to possess the most com
peie standard collection in those branches of know
ledge which concur to form and noursh the mind of the
real statesman and to lie rade hecuta for
accidental superficial busybody of politician Any
enumeration OF these various and sll-em5racing
branches belongs not here. Such selection made
large, immense scale, ought not to be limited to
encyclopedias, productions in the English Ian.
gunce alone. As is the case, and will be more
and more the case, America represents humanity and
all the bcacons, all the various products of the mex
hausble yersst lily of the human mind all It's manites.a
tons ought 10 be within the reach Of its citizens OF It's
Legislators The bellies let,res the fine arts and the ike
rather sht teratures ought to form wellchosen aids.
In its principal object that of satisfying unfold
ing the mind of statesman the Congressional Library
ought above all to be suggestive and stimulating and to
exercise such acdon it must be complete ii Is
allowed to any human work to be. Sa9gestire and
smlla.iqg say we; that s eyoking directing and en-
couracng inguisitiye mind In its studies researches
opening before him, it were unawares without ex
hausng and annoying efforts and troublesome details
the accumulated treasures am higher products of the
human intellect thus conducting him gently by the
hand exercising on him Irresistible attraction to pen
etIste deeper and deeper among those clear and lofty
regions Of new, and, for very many, unknown in
telectual world. How pleasantly ref e.hing is TO
make the hearty confession that the American mind az
large dstr guishes itself above all others by its eager
ness its craving after instruction information know
LEDGE And this is still the with those fresh
coming here from the parts of the con-
nen where the scarcely settled OF society rem
ders il impossible 10 have good libraries, to offer to the
mind wholesome, solid, and strong nourishmcnt
welhed and Systematically organized library viii Of
itself give direction ouch minds and exercise over
such library here may not remain among those pious
desires which are never TO be realized
What has already been done toward repeni.hing the
empty shelves of the Congressional Library has been
directed rather by booksellers eager for lucre than by
a hihhocrsrh, bibh0phile or any systematic in
telect whatever 1t shows clearly before ones eyes
that these booksellers wished to ge, nd OF costly works
and editions which for years had found purclssers
and ,Lus formed dead capital in their shops They
have succeeded thus far as we are told well known
houit from Boston supported by influential men, dis.
charges in this manner upon the shelves cf this Library
all is useless editions ard gets well paid Jr this biblo-
graphical trash BY and-by, booksellers from other
cities viii follow and share the spois Next viii be tie
tern CT some European hcus-s And thus very likely
great number Ct volumes viii be scrambled :ossther.
but VIII there be world Of real higher Intellectual
he' i'46Ho but SifHss s:u fal,as doubt, bat hope
10 pEove rstsken. P.s