Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-05-29
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HISTORICAL RELICS.
Some Those on View at the State De.
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laa,jncton Cor. Cleveland Leader.1
Tho gin visitors seldom enter it, tha
library OF the state department; contains
some OF the most valuable histories re-
les i'll the possession of the government.
Here is kept the original draft of the
declaration OF Independence, and within
the past few years the identical desk
upon which Jefferson wrote it. JEFF
ferSons desk il small mahogany
box-lke writing desk, about eight
cen inches wide, tao feet long all
three inches thick one might easily
take it on his lap 10 use it, but it was
probably laid upon the table while the
declaration was penned upon it. 1t has
a series OF small compartments on one
side for pens and writing material, and
when opened its top is covered with
green baiZe. Pasted upon one of its i'll
ner leaves is a note in Je!fersons own
handwriting, dated at Monticello, in
which he says the desk was made by a
Philadelphia carpenter, and that it was
the one on which he wrote the declara-
ton. This note closes with the follow
ing sentence: Politics as we'll as re
ligion has its superstitiOns; these, gain
ing strength with time, may one day
give imaginary value to this relic for its
associations with the birth of the great
charter OF our independence.
In the case containing this desk, on
the shelf above it, lie the staff of Ben
jamin Franklin and the swords Of Wash
ington and jackson. Benjamin Frank
Inns cane is a thick gold headed stick of
knotted crab-trec. 1t is painted black,
highly polished, and on its end it has a
brass fcrule. Its head its designed, as
says jefferson will, in the form of cap
of Liberty. and its gold is very yellow
and shows but little alloy. This cane
supported Franklin during his last years
upon all state occasions, and when he
died he willed it to Washinging, saying,
IF it were scepter, Gen. Washington
has merited it, and would become it. +"
Washington priced it highly, and at his
death he willed it to his nephew, Charles
Washington, and the grandson of
Charles Washington gave it to the
United States
George Washington's sword, shown
here, is the one which he wore when a
colonel, and the one which hung at his
side throughout the Revolution. It is
not liashy article, and there is no
glitter of gold about it, but its edge
looks very sharp, and its blade, slightly
furnished, not o'cr an inch wide, was
evidently made to do good service. Its
sheath and belt lie beside it, This belt
is of yellow buckskin, the plain silver
clasp of which is marked with the
letters, &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 un-
sheathed except for sclf-defense and tho
defense of their country and its rights"
Andrew Jackson's sword is very OK
pensive article. 1t will weigh twice that
of Washington's, and it has a heavy
gold handle, and its sheath is of gold
and steel. Its wide blade, slightly curry
ing, shines like a mirror, and at the
middle it shows the evidences of hay
ing been broken in two and welded
together again. Its sheath is somewhat
scratched, and it has evidently been
pletty well USED.
Another curiosity in this room is an
immense shell or torpedo from six to
eight inches in diameter and over foot
long, which Elihu Washburne, our min
lister at Paris, picked up during the
bombardment of Paris and sent to the
state department as relic. II is muir
derous looking shell, and its description
saws it was thrown into the city durino
the siege. Just below this, in box
about two feet wide and three feet long.
is plaster cast of one of the first trea-
tries on record. 1t is q copy of the
treaty between the Athenians and the
Chalcideans, made 446 years before
Christ, when Socrates was - wears old
and PericleS was in his prime. The
original of this was engraved on n slab
OF Pentalic marble found in the south
wall of the Acropolis at Athens.