Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-02-02
Speaker Colfax.
THE FORCE LIBRARY

MI A r. Sponord, librarian of Congress
mas JUST concluded a thorough examination OF
the historical library belonging to Peter Force,
Esq. of this city, and has subm itted 70 the
JOINT Committee on the Library a most inter-
estlng report of The results of his work. in
"nicn Ne was engaged about two months. He
says that In the department of books relatin y
TO America, the library embraces the largest
private collection ever brought together ana
an immen,e collection CT the early American
voyages, In Latin, French, Italian, Spanish
herman, Dutch and English, while in books
and pamphlets relating to the politics and
government d the American colonies, it staads
' aeo IA lhis country. In the field of
early printed American books, so much SON INT
Ior ny Collectors, and which are becoming an
heaiy more scarce and costly, this library
Possssses more than ten times the number to
De ioona In Inc library Of Congress. Not 10
oweu upon particulars, 1t need only be men.
tioneo tnaf there is a perfect copy of Eliot's
ano o,, bioie, me last copy of which offered at
aucuon brought $500, and was last year resoId
Al si.o0o forty lone different works of increase
ana Cotton Mather, printed at Bosom and
=, m1Iaee, from 1871 70 las; a large number
OF sui carrier books and pamphlets by Norton,
Cotton, and other Puritan divines; and a yery
com piele representation Of the numerous and
mucn sought for publications of the presses of
Franklin and the Bradfords. "a
IN tne department OF early printed American
1t swspapers, there are unusually complete
New York, PennsyIvania, irxinia. And otss,
states. dating from 1735 to 1900 and coyerinr
Win mneA fnllness the period Of the stamp
the establishment Of the present Oonst,tuf,oo
~ pamphlets printed prior to 1900 there are
s,3iO, and subseqse TO 1900 about 30 or IS
thousand: thus making over 40OOO-a oollec
ton unrivalIed in number, variety. and yaIne
oy any otner In America The Library of Don.
gs al present Possesses less than 5000
In the department of maps and aliases re-.
iatirg TO America the collection is large ana
UNIQUE, mum bering over 1000. The number of
E U.s maps, many OF which are, unpnb-
nsneo 10 over 800, covering the whole conn
try from Canada 70 the Gulf
VI DOCKS known as incuRabuld, or specimens
=, me earnest deyelePmento OF the art of print
embraces q complete series of I'm prints by the
most distinguished Of the early print ers rep
Iesentng every year from l467 to 1900 besides
fury. Wing 0'H'
Among the manuscript treasures of this L.
ordry are &c folio volumes of historical al To.
graphs of great rarity and in crest embrscino .
especially. a collection ofrevolutionary letters
cnieny military and political, and ali of un,
Iu.sm0n ao,e antnsnnc,Iy. The number of
But the most important part of this collec.
uon Is the materials IN manuscript collected
American Archives, or Documentsrv His,orv
OF the United states The " hole OF these ma
terials would make about 36O folio volumes in
ana oisasiRa apa snsy are thoroughly analysed
As to the numerical extent Of this library
and Its commercial value, the whole number
OF volumes, oy actual enumeration, Is % $50
without reckoning the pam phlets as yolumes
II the pamphlets are counted, las is done in
most libraries,) the number Of volumes rises 10
about 5000. Mr. Spoderd refers 70 the fact
that the New York Historical Society offered
100000 for this library, but failed to raise the
purchase money BY subscription: notices the
liberal annual appropriations made BY Eng
land for the purchase Of materials to increase
It's national repository of knowledge; ana an.
Peals 10 the Judgment and liberaiity OF Con
eress, not 70 let such an in valuable collection
20 into private hands TO be scattered or con-
sumed by fire. r,r. 3 ~ $50 = =