Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-12
PETER FORCr Am mis- TdRRARy

A Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune has described visit to
Peter Force, at the time of the delivery of
his library to the Congressional custodian
The library 100000 volumes) had lust
been sold TO the government (for 500, ,0O0),
and the books we're being conveyed to the
Congressional Library, where shelves in a
fire proof wing of the library had been pre-
pared for them. The proposition 10 keep
the library intact has since been abandoned,
and the books are scattered over the
entire space occupied by the Congressional
Library. / called On him in his library
a most fascinating place with all its dust,
and age and barrenness. He met us while
passing out of one Of the rooms. If the
library is dusty and aged and barren, we
thought, then the library and the man are
counterpsrts. The winds Of near eighty
winters had bleached his hair to a snowy
whiteness but the dust of as many summers
had made it gray and dingy. His eyes
had faded in their color, but the sight is
good, and 80 are his other senses. He
leans heavily on his cane, and his memory
well, that could hardly be expected "a
survive its heavy acquisitions.
Peter Force came TO Washington a
iourneyman printer in 1915, having served
his apprenticeship in New York with VIM
A. Davis. 1t is next to impossible to es-
innate the immense labor he has performed
since he arrived here. One can only get
comparative idea of it by spending days
among his books, his manuscripts, and hit
published works. He commenced his lift
as journalist in writing for the Ndtiona
LntelligsneeT, of this city. In 1920 hI
commenced the publication of an
annual volume of national stats
| tics, which he named the Nationa
! Calendar. This was continued until 1896
He also published, during the years from
1928 TO 1880, the official journal during tn,
| administration of John Quincy Adams
In 1888 he commenced the publication
under the patronage Of the government, o
q documentary history of the American
Colonies, of which nine large folio volumes
were published, bringing the history from
| IVA down 10 1879. The plan of tn,
American Archives was to publish all th,
important State papers, letters, narratives
and other documents relating TO the settle
ment and history of the United States from
the discovery of America in 1892, to tht
establishment Of the present government il
| 1889. In the nine volumes published
| there is no comment or opinions of tn,
editors but the documents presented give
4 complete and connected narrative of eael
| years history. The index Of the work alon,
seems the labor of lifetime. Peter Fore,
spent more than City years in the proseeu
| ton Of this work. Il seemed the only am
bition of his life He was unable 20 con
Time its publication for want Of means, bn
the cords of manuscript which he trans
ierred TO the government will some day,
is hoped, see the light Mr.. Force has ais
published four volumes Of historical tracts
chiefly relating to the origin and settlemea
Of the American colonies.
Mr.. Force showed tvs a perfect cory O
Elliot's Indian Bible, the last copy q
which offered at auction brought $500
and which Two years since re-sold at $1,000
| foriy.one different works Of Increase and
| Cotton Mather, printed at Boston and Cam
bridge, from 1871 10 1885; large numbe
Of still earlier books and pamphlets, b
Norton, Cotton, and other Puritan divines
and a very complete file of the numerou
and much sought for publications of Frank
lin and the Bradfords We also saw
large volume printed in 1476, by Pete
Shelter. The first book, on the nucleus O
MIR. Forces collection, was bought il
Philadelphia, and was printed in l475
Many Of the books by the Monks, probably
are valuable only on account of their rarit
and age, and 10 show to what an alarming
extent the beauty of letter press printin
hes degenerated for the letter press Of al
these books is absolutely wonderful ant
beautiful. Printers, ink makers and pape
makers had better go back into the fifteenu
century and learn their business.
We saw many copies Of Franklin
papers; one, the Pennsylvania Gazette, pub
lished at Philadelphia, in February. i734
was especially interesting. Among its ad
yertisements is the following:
VERY GOOD LAMPBLACK MADE AM
sold by the printer hereof
A copy Of the AHercoan Weekly Mer
ciTy, Of September, 1875, We also exam
lned. II was printed and sold by Andre'
Bradford, postmaster, al the sign OF IN
Bible, Philadelphia" Editorial appl
cants for postmasterships of to-day nee
have no lack Of early precedent, and car
not, certainly, be accused Of " new-fangle
notions" in pressing for confirmation.
The files Of the newspapers printed h;ur
the above period down to $500, are VI