The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-02-06
RHETORICAL RELICS.
Some Of Those ON visw ct the state d.
partment.

Though visitors seldom entsr-it, the
library Of the State Department. DON.
tains some Of the most valuable historic
relics In the possession Of the Govern
ment Here 10 kept the original draft
OF the Declaration OF Independence,
and there has been added within the
past few years the identical desk upon
which Jeffe rson wrote It. Jeflerson's
desk Is small mahogany box.like
wrtting.desk, about eighteen inches
wide. two feet long, and three inches
thick One might easily take 1t on his
lap to use II, but Il was probably laid
upon the table while the Declaration
was penned upon It. II has o series OF
small compartments, on one sids for
pens and writing material, and when
opened its top Il covered with green
baize. Pasted upon one Of lie inner
leaves isa note In Jefeison 'sown hand.
writing, dated In Monticsllo. In which
he says the desk was made by n Phila.
dslphia carpenter. and that Il was the
one on which he wrote the Declaration.
This note closes with the following sen.
tence: "Politics as well as religion has
its superstitions; these, gaining strength
with time, may one day give Imaginary
value to this relic for It's associations
with the birth OF the great charter Of
our independence.
In the same case containing this desk,
on the shelf above il, lie the staff of
Benjamin Franklin and the swords OF
Washington and jackson. Benjamin
Franklin's cane is q thick, gold-headed
stick, of knotted crab tree. II Is
painted black, highly polished, and on
It's end II has brass ferule. Its head
Is designed, a. says Je fiersons will, In
the form OF cap Of liberty, aud its
gold 10 very yellow and shows but little
alloy. This cane supported Franklin
during oil state occasions, and when he
died he willed IL TO Washington. saying.
"If 1t were scepter, General Wash
ington has merited il, and would be-
come it. Washington willed IL to his
nephew, Charles Washington, and the
grandson of Charles Washington gave
Il to the United States. :
George Washipgton's sword, shown
here, Is the one which he wore when
Colonel, and the one that hung at his
side throughout the Revolution. 1t is
not flashy article, and there is no gilt
ter or gold about 1t, but its edge looks
very sharp. and its blade, slightly tar
nished, not over an inch wide, was evil
IDENTIFY made to do good service. It's
sheath and belt lie beside it. This belt
10 of yellow buckskin, tho plain silver
clasp of which is marked with the let
ters &c. w. and the sheath is of
dark leather stamped with different
figures. George Washington mentions
this sword in his will, in which he gives
one to each Of his nephews, with the
request that "they be not unsheathed,
except for self defense, and the defense
Of their country and its rights" An
drew Jackson's sword is o very ex-
pensive article. II will weigh twice
that of Washington's, and Il has
heavy gold handle, and Its sheath is of
gold and STEEL Its wide blade. slightly
curving, shines like a mirror, and at
the middle it shows evidences of having
been broken in two, aud welded to-
gether again. It's sheath Is somewhat
scratched, aud 1t has evidently been
pretty we'll used.
Another curiosity in this room IL an
immense shell or torpedo from six to
eight inches In diameter, and over O
foot long, which Elihu Washburne, our
Minister at Paris, picked up during the
bombardment Of Paris and sent to the
State Department as relic. Il is q
Misunderstanding shell, and Its de-
scription says that 1t was thrown into
the city during the siege. just below
this, in box about two feet wide. and
three feet long, is a plaster cast of one
of the first treaties on record. II Is q
copy OF the tfeR.y;, between the Athe-
mans and Chalcideans. made H6 years
before Christ, when Socrates was 20
years old. and Pericles was in his
prime. The original of this was en-.
graved on slab of Pentalic marble,
found in the south wall of the Acropois
at Athens. - Cleveland Leader.