Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-05-27
How the NewY York Heraldwas
Sold in the Reproduction
Of a Revolutionary
Handbill.

The New York Herald Of Thursday,
May 20tb, printed a fac smile Of what il
styled a curious revolutionary handful.
and desrfibedit as Icing the Oldest pub.
cation Of the Mecklenburgh declaration Of
independence yet discoverc I in print, sad
to have been issued Immediately after the
Adjournment Of the Provincial Congress.
The editor Of the Knoxville Press and
Herald. upon an inspection CT this fac
smile, was impressed with the idea that
he had seen it but a short time ago in the
SCRAP. book of Hon. +. S. Heiskell, which
was in the office for the purpose of being
rebound. Accordingly the editor utter.
viewed MIR. Heiskell. with the following
result.
We opened out the New York Herald
before him on his study table, and asked
him If he recognized the "revolutit nary
relic" handful. The old gentleman's
eyes twinkled mcrrily as he instantly
replied, my dear sir, set up and printed
that handbill,'' and turning over the
leaves of a scrap-book, he pointed to the
handbill which had arrested our attention.
The handful in Col. Heiskelps posses.
sion is printed on papers ola light brown
color, showing marks of age. Comparing
it with the fac smile Of the Revolutionary
relic i'll the Herald. We found the two to
be exactly alike, even to tho imprint,
'Heiskell d Brown, Prs
We entvrcd into q conversation with
Col. llelsielt on the subject. uud this is
tue sist of his statement
81 Was IN partnership with Mr.. IIugh
Brown, under the finn name of Hsisksll
u Brown, in the printing business in this
city for a period of thirteen years, from
1917 to 1929. About the year 1926
certainly not before that date-we printed
the handbill you see on an order from
DR.. JIG. M. Ramsey, who is still an
henored resident Of Knoxville. | recol>
lest distinctly setting up the type myself.
The border | thought was q marvel in
composition-and it was so regarded at
that day. We printed two or three
copies on silk, and a number of copies on
paper, Ha! ha ha! The New York
Herald says it is a '~curious revolutionary
%handbill,' and an old printer thinks it
could not have been issued until the end
of the last century ! Yes, | set it myself,
ia 1925. or about that year. You can see
our imprint plainly enough reproduced in
the Herild's fac simile, 'Heiskill &
Brown, Prs"
During the greater portion of their
partnership, Nessrs. IIeiskell & Brown
were official printers to the State of Tens
nessee.
After chatting pleasantly for an hour
with the veteran journalist, we departed
leaving him considerably amused over
'the r~evoluti mary relic of the New
York Herald.
We called next on Dr.J GIN Ramsey,
the venerable historian of Tennessee, and
found him bale aud vigorous iu intellect,
though still suffering somewhat in body
from a fall from his horse soue mouths
ago. The doctor welcomed US cordially
, Informing him of the object of our visit
he stated thathe recognized the handful
Sometime about 1928 or 1925, CO.. Wm
Polk, Of Raleigh, n. G., sent him a pam
phlet and q paper containing the Meek,
lendurgh resolutions, and other matteI
pertaining to the Mecklenburgh declara'
tion-in the perfect genuincsS of whicl
DR.. Ramsey is firm believer and eloquen.
advocate. The pamphlet was gotten up
in a poor style, ami 80 DR.. Ramsey hat
Messrs. Heiskell & Brown print the thre,
' resolutions in handbills. Two of thes,
we're printed on satin, and one of tb'
two DIR. Ramsey had framed and now pos
sesses it hanging in his parlor. The othe
n he sent to Gen. Andrew Jackson, VIII
acknowledged its receipt with expression
1t o! great pleasure. The Doctor said h
also had %sevsrel copies printed on pape
Te and presented them to his friends.
j. NJ. Alexander, Secretary" who's
name is attached to the Mecklenburg
u declaration as printed in the handbilli
was the grandfather Of DR.. Ramsey.