Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-08
A LIBRARY IN HIS HEAD.
A Colored Man in Washington WHOM
Lawyers All Over the Country Know.

COIored Man in Washington whom
Lawyers All Over the Country Know.
Opposite the winding staircase which
aseends to the rotunds, says Washing
ton special, and directly beneath the
Supreme Court room, is the finest law
library in this country. 1t contains 49,
600 volumes, and the annual additions
amount TO about 1000 volumes. Though
nominally part OF the miscellaneous
library. and under the jurisdiction of MIR.
Spoford, it has had for years Its librarian
and separate accommodations. Within
the portals Of this vast collection the
profoundest lawyers or the United States
have laboriously traced legal principles
and mArshalled arrays OF authorities.
The rule of silence is without breach. In
this legal reservoir there Is that quiet
which rests upon the waters in whose
depths genuine pearls alone are found.
The legal explorer meets with but one
annoyance. There Is not n gas Jet or
lamp within the room. No emploVe
dare even carry a match. After the fire
in 1901, which proved 80 disastrous, a
statute was enacted prohibiting the use
OF cOmbustibles of any kind within the
libraries. And thus, when duck prevents
the eye from longer following the studied
text, the doors are closed, and perhaps in
the middle of sustained argument
which the reader would fam pursue 10
conclusion, the volume must be resigned.
The assistant law librarian, John
Francis Nicholas Wilkinson, ia a colored
man. He is the eldest attache in either
library. For y years he has been the
familiar purveyor Of tho law books, and
in every leading office of the larger cities
he could find lawyer whom he knows.
NO authorizations of the law reporters
stagger him. He refers 10 no dictionary
to discover the meaning OF the initials or
condensed names used, but promptly goes
to the proper alcove, and uneFringly
brings forth the desired report, whether
1t be one OF musty British series or
some earlier State collection of opinions
whose editor sought 10 emblazOn his own
name upon 1t rather than employ the
modern convenience OF consecutive num-
bers. 1t Is this perfect familiarity with
the library which impresses Mr.. WIKI.
insOn upon the visitor. The pages of the
Supreme Court Justices are momentarily
coming down with acquisitions for au-
t1orities that may rangesfrOm the ancient
Brehon laws, French causes ceiebreS, OF
reports of the Court de Cessation to the
whole domain of American decisions.
With the precision of a Swiss bell-ringer
Mr.. wilkinson draws out the required
works from the shelves. But what is
more remarkable as a feat of memOrlzing
is the accuracy of his recollection OF
cases. He has no need of recourse to
di-ests to locate the leading cases in our
Jurisprudence. The library has grown
during Mr.. Wilkinson'G incumbencY from
$1,000 TO $1,000 volumes, but he has kept
pace with 1T.
For six generations back Mr.. Wilkin-
sons ancestors have been free, He has
African, Indian, and white blood in his.
veins. In 1881, when the fear OF a slave
instruction terrOrlzed the South, and
the free negroes were driven from VIT-
ginla, WilkinsOn's father became re-
sident of Washington, where he was
caterer to the leading statesmen who
messed together there. The son was
early placed in a brickyard, and followed
brick making until be was % years old,
filling the winter intervals with catering
and playing in band. In 1857 he was
employed rs a labOrer to assist in clean
ing the general library. Congress made
an appropriation tor an additional labor
er, and Wilkinson got the permanent job.
Wilkinson was soon detailed to the law
library, and there, through the grades of
labOrOr, messenger, and assistant librar-
ian, he has served ever since. In 1882
Mr.. Lincoln removed john S. Meehau,
the law librarian, after 81 years. service,
and appointed DIR. Stevenson OF Terre
Haute in his place. The new appontee
discharged every emplOye except the
younger Meehan, Wilkinson was told
that it had been decided to employ no
colored help. But ne was restored in a
few months, and, the Supreme Court and
Reverdy johnson then on the Library
Committee, requested that he be never
removed.