Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-20
GREAT MEMS HANDS.
Peculiar Signatures of Episcopal Bish-
ops and Statesmen-C Conventions Au-
tOgFaphS

tOgraphs.
Philadelphia Eyeni1sg Neaes.
When the Episcopal Convention adj
iourns there will be three new bishons in
the field. To properly equip a bishop if
takes two yards of parchment aud the
autographs of all the bishops, clergymen
and laymen in the convention. In the
vestry-room of Holy Trinity Church SIX
yards of sheepskin are being signed. and
when periect with ali the names thereon
they will be the credentials of the favored
prelates, DR.. Potter, OF New York, and DR..
Randolph, OF Virginia, and Dr.. Knicker-
booker All sorts Of handwriting are dis
played on these lengthy certificates. and
since the Declaration of Independence no
document was ever prepared in this city
Ihat had such striking chifographical
features, or bore the names of so many
learned and representative men. There
are over 800 names on each certificate,
Only six bishops and twenty deputies
signed the certificate of Bishop Clagget.
the hrst bishop ever consecrated in
America. The document was signed
nearly 100 years ago in Old Trinity
Church, New York.
Among the signatures Of bishops on the
present certificates the most striking
scrawl IS that of the aged and learned
Bishop Whipple, who writes his name in
frankness as the student sees in the nota-
BILE signature of John Hancock in the
greatest document ever signed.
Another large and bold hand is that of
NJ. DE Wolfe Howe, Bishop of Central
Pennsylvania. A hurried ink scratching.
small and not easily read, is the signature
of the active Bishop CIarkson, of Ne
braska. Near this is the almost lady-like
signature Of the handsome Cortlandt
Whitehead, Bishop of Pittsburg. The
Well-knOWn Bishop Cox, of Western New
York, signs in a small space, cutting his
"C" with heavy line, which signature is
quite the reverse of the large running
hand of Bishop Seymour of Springfield.
The most business-like hand to be found
among the autographs Of the bishops is
that OF Bishop McLaren, of Illinois, who
writes as if he might have been aceus-
toned to signing checks,
Although not among the official sigma
lures OF the convention, a curious and
suggestive autograph is taat of Bishop
Smedley, the Metropolitan of Canada. He
writes hard, nervous hand, as if he had
written German all his life and had tried
to write English with the proper Spence
rian curves.
The most curious and eccentric sigma
lures among the deputies is that of DR..
Morgan Dix of New York. 1t is an i'm
proved edition of the cOrk-screws that
Assistant Treasurer Spinner in former
years appended to the legal tenders.
Ex-Governor Stevenson, of Kentucky.
signs i'll nervous, irregular hand, but it
is forclble signature. &. L. COnOyer,
the distinguishedde deputy from New Jersey,
dashes his name with single stroke of
the pen. Lawyer Nash, of New York.
put a typical lawyers scrawl on the
parchment, while the distinguished
Robert Z. Winthrop, whose family name
adOrns numerous historical documents in
the archives Of the State of Massachusetts.
wrote his name on the paper in a free, un-
encumbered style that gave no indication
of his great age.
EX-Secretary Fish, whose name has
been appended to more important public
documents than that of any other men,
Der OF the convention, writes a common
place hand. His II is larger than his
capital +, while his whole signature is
void of interest, apart from the record of
the writer. Next in Importance of record
is the hand of Senator Edmunds, of Yer
mont-a bold, suggestive signature that
III peculiar way imparts the fact that a
great statesman has written it,
DIR. Beardsley, the President of the
convention, makes an ineligible scratch
with good heavy shade lines and full
round letters. The most perfect Spen-
CeIIdH manu- - IllI OI Uehefal DeVefeduX,
the railroad king of Ohio. DIR. Hunting
ton, who has become famous as the Secre-
tary of the Joint Committee on Annexed
Prayer Book, writes bold, but shapely
signature. EX-Secretary Delano signs
himself in style that reminds one Of a
painstalIing school-boy's writing. Dr.
Philip Brooks, the great divine, put his
world-known name down in small.
cramped hand. Nearly all the signatures
have something peculiar about them, and
the documents would be exceedingly in
teresting to lovers and students Of auto.
graphs.