New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-12
THE FRANKLIN COLLECTION.
IT'S ARRIVAL AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.


SOMETHING OF THE HISTORY AND CHARACTER or
rr,v HENRY STEVENS coLLEcTIoN-THE GREAT
yrrr OF THE p,PERs-A MASS OF DOCUMENTS
xnp.prps SHEDDING LIGHT on THE LIFE
AND TIME OF FRANKLIN.
trRou THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON. Feb. 11.--Withn the past ie"
davs the State Department has received from LUZ
don the last instament arriving three unye "So'
what is known as the Henry Stevens frahhlih oo'-
lection of documents manuscripts, etc., ior tno pu
chase of which Congress appropriated $3o,ooo last
year. Most photographers are familiar with the
history of this collection, but now that 1t has come
into the possession of our Government, and thereby
adds papers of the greatest historical and patriotic
importance TO the National archives, the story,
which has some clements of romance becomes OF
general interest.
But perhaps something should be said first of the
papers themselves The most valuable of them all
is undoubtedly the original of the petition sent by
the Continental Congress in 1774 to the King-the
last PRAYER for redress before the appeal TO arms
The four great documents marking epochs IN the
formation of the Union were the address just al
luded TO- the Declaration of independence, tho Ar
tcles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The
State Department has had among its archives the
originals of all these documents save the nrst
Every visitor TO the Department has probably seen
wall of the library. The lacking paper was the
first in order of time and Of great bis
torical interest and importance. 1t was
the last effort on the part of the colonies to prevent
the "irreuressible conflict of that day. In It's
stately sentences could be not only the outline
of the statement of grievances which was aiVer
ward repeated in the Declaration, but the germs OF
many ideas which we're incorporated in the Consti
tuition. Two originals of this document were MADE,
each signed by the delegates In the Continental
Congress and dispatched by different ships so that
in case of accident to one vessel the other would be
likely to arrive. Both arrived One was presented
to the King who Id not deign TO answer it. and 1t
was deposited among the British archives, where 1t
is now-in the Public Record Office. The other
COPY was kept by Franklin, passed with his other
papers to his grandson William Temple Franklin,
and returns TO the people who sent 1t out On It's
errand of peace more than hundred years ago. This
recovery Is especially important, because Congress
retained no copy with autograph signatures. Ir'
Dwiqht.th Librarian of the State Department,Who
made thorough examination OF the papers In Lon
DON at the direction of Secretary Blame. in ORDER
that he might be satisfied of their genuine
ness before recommending their purchase, which
is largely due TO him. says that when eX-
Secretary Evarts saw this document he said that II
alone was worth the price asked for the collection.
1t is in perfect state of preservation, the address
proper covering six pages of two folio sheets while
on the seventh are grouped by States the se-
natures of the fifty delegates The ink has
faded TO a rusty hue, but every letter and every
signature Is distinct all through the famous roll
This circumstance is of special Importance because
many of the signers of this document afterward
signed the Declaration of Independence, from the
original of which many autographs had faded
which this paper will supply.
One of the most valuable papers in the collection,
as relic of Franklin Is the original manuscript OF
his Articles of Belief and Acts of Faith" This
was written when he was twenty-five years Of age
and expressed his religious views, which, as every
one remembers, were peculiar. This also is In a
perfect state Of preservation, and is supposed TO be
his earliest existing autograph work. 1t Is an adj
mirable specimen OF his flowing hand, which
changed very little through life. There is also the
draft of his famous letter to Strahan the printer,
with the characteristic turn at the close:
PHILADA.. July 5, 1775.
Mr.. srRAHAN: You are q Member OF Parliament, and
one Of that majority which has doomed Country 10
Destruction You have begun 10 burn onr Towns, and
stained with the Blood Of yonr Relations! You aud
were long Friends. You are now my Enemy and am
Yours b. FRANKLIN
Among the manuscripts are the original letter
and record books in pine volumes, of the American
Legation in Paris during the Revolutionary War
and later, including correspondence with the
French Government, the negotiations for supplies,
etc. letters about Paul Jones and his raids, and a
large anoant OF correspondence matters connect
cd with the and the treaty of peace There is
also his original correspondence with the American
Government, or press or other copies of it, with a
great number of letters from and TO distinguished
men here and abroad. The names in this long list
include Washington. jefferson, David Hartley, jay,
De Vergennes, Laurens, Oswald, Adams, Fox, Milf
fin, Lod Howe. Rousseau, BOwdOin, Hancock,
Rochefoucauld, Lafayette, ard host Of others
The manuscripts include also hls essays miscella-
neous writings, etc, with many memoranda to be
used in writing his autobiography, the records and
correspondence of the commissioners on the part OF
England TO negotiate the treaty of peace, and great
numbers of other papers All the letters are SAID to
have been preserved by Franklin himself as of i'm
portance. and annotations upon them in his own
hand in ma cases add greatly to their value.
The manuscripts in the collection number 1888.
No less than 23l0 of them have never been printed
The 628 which have been printed we're used by
Sparks and Ia William Temple Franklin's edition
of Franklin's writings. Mr.. Dwight examined the
originals of those documents which had been
printed and concluded that there had been &c
many omissions of importance, and 50 many atera.
lions, that the printed portion bore FULLY the same
relation in importance in quantity to the un
printed part He reported TO the Secretary: "Thest
papers are more than relics antiquarian curioSi
ties; they are the veritable records OF our history
and are as worthy of place among the Nationa
archives as those of Washington, jefferson anC
Hamilton"
There are besides nearly 800 printed books all o
them related to Franklin in some way. Anon;
them are over $50 numbers of The Peansylranit
Gazette, in excellent condition, and forming an al
most unbroken SERIES Also a collection, said to b.
the best in existence, of the Poor Richard Alma
nacs' There is a beautiful copy of WOllaston'
Religion of Nature Delineated" on which Frank
lin set type in London. and which led him TO writ,
his Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity Pleas
pre and Pain" as an answer to 1t, Of which Their
are also copies Also the only copy known of thu