The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-15
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE
LIBRARIAN

Colonel James Mcdonald, State Librarian,
presents an interesting report Of the affairs
Of the Library durisg the past year. The
report is made to the Library Committee,
aud from it we make some extracts:
During the year jrst ended the receipts
were Sf.T94Go, and the disbursements 49,
N32. 40. Included in the latter is charge Of
$3.50 for insurance, and others amounting to
SOIL for glass doors to the aicoves and pint
ing the same--eXpenditures which were or
dered by the committee the last session. The
amount of the Library fund at the beginning
of the vear was S10,164.S9. The balance at
this date is SS,972.1S. .l
The volumes purchased during the year
number Oh, and the donations, in exchange,
34S books and 40 pamphlets. The purchases
were made, with few exceptions, by Mr..
Wynnc, with the concurrence of Mr.. Gill
man, to whom authority for this and other
purposes during the recess had been dele
gated by the committee; and the Librarian
takes occasion to say that the Library has
been fortunate in havirg the services, in this
particular, of the gentleman first named,
whose great photographic information, aided
by his acquaintance with the trade, has
taught him where to find and how to obtain
many works whose intrinsic worth is much
enhanced by their scarcity, and has enabled
him to add to our catalogue some OF the
choicest treasures known to the lovers Of
books.
A list of all the volumes received during
the year is also submitted.
Since the close of the last session the mar
BILE bust of the late General }. Il. 3. Stuart,
the work OF Virginia artist (Slr. Nalcntinc),
has been presented to the State by his bro
thcr, Colonel William i. stuart, By whose
direction it is to remain in the Library.
Prompted by like sentiment of public
spirit. M,ior William i. Myers, of this city,
hss placed in the Library the portrait of his
grandfather, the Etc Governor William Is.
Giles; and Mr. William Writ Henry, Of
Charlotte, has contributed an interesting relic
of his renowned grandfather, Patrick Henry
namely. his commission, on parchment,
as colonel OF the First regiment Of regulars,
and commander-in-chef of all the forces
raised by the Committee Of Safety of Virgil
mia in 1915. preparatory to the war for indie
pendcncc. Mr.. Ii. =. Cochran, of Abe
marie, has hung upon our walls. subject to
his ownership, number of interesting me-
mcntocs Of the revolutionary period, in
Guiding autograph letters Of Washington,
Greene, Colonel Campbell If Kings Noun
tain flnP, ana Others. Audlo Colonel John
C.. Shields, Of this city. we are Indebted for
souvenir of our later and not less Illus
trious hero Stonewall JackSonS
In this connection it may lie proper to men
ton that hayin. ascertaiucd Il few months
ago that the original draft OF the Ordinance
of Secession adopted by the State Convcn-
ton in April, 1851, which was missing, and
had been mach inquired for, was in the hands
Of Judge John C.. Underwood, the Librarian
at once wrote to him, with the approval OF
the Governor, claiming the parchment as the
property of the State. lie replied:
"The paper you seek was deposited i'll my
bands in april. 1860, by Hon. William Ii.
Seward, thea Secretary of State Of the United
States. gave him Il receipt for il, promising
to return it to his Department when called
for You will therefore see that could not
properly give it any other direction without
the consent Of That Department."
Addressing himself next to the State De
partment at Washington, and renewing the
claim of Virginia to the document, he was in
formed that Judge Underwood had returned
the document t. the Department. ana it is
the opinion of the Secretary that he is not
authorized To remove 1t from the file or to
part with its clStady.
The Librarian hopes that other and moro
successful means may hc employed to re-
cover possession OF this interesting docli-
mcnt, which is clearly the property of the
State, and the acquisition of which by any
other holder eau hardly be accounted for re.
putably.