Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-03-11
RELICS IN THE NATIONAL MUS.
EuM.
The Declaration ofIndependeuee and
other Documents of Interest
New York SUN

draft OF the Declaration of Independ-
ence drawn up at Philadelphia, July
a 1776. The signature Of John Han
cock, president of the continental
congress, is attached to a document
giving Washington full command of
the TROOPS with all the powers of com
handing general, Dec. %, 177G. An
her Revolutionary document is one
signed by Washington himself in 1888,
giving private his honorable dis
missal from the army. Gen. Clinton,
March, 177S, writes from Poughketp-
sic, n. Y, ordering a regiment, arm-
ed and equipped, to the fertilization
at West Point.
There are several very old Spanish
documents under royal seal, one of
them dating 1854, but written so poor
ly that your correspondent could not
make out even the signature. There
is also deed of land signed by Lord
Fairfax. The signature of BENJAMIN
Franklin is affixed to another deed,
but afterward crossed out at the ex-
piration of the loan. 1t bears the
date of 1747 Bobert Fulton's name
is signed to letter in regard to his
patent.
& series of very interesting letters,
beginning with one signed by John
Adams and Timothy Pickering, his
secretary Cf state came next in order
OF consideration. This is the deed OF
land in "the territory northwest of
the River Oaio, and above the mouth
of the Kentucky river signed and
sealed 1898 A letter by Madison and
one signed by John Randolph of
Roanoke" June, 1912, may be passed
with mere mention. James Mon
roe, president, and J. . Adams have
their signatures attached to a public
document permitting the governor Of
the territory OF Michigan to sign
treaties with the lndiaps.
l make the following remarkable
extract from a letter signed by f..
Whitney
| The senate was worse than the Spanish inqui.
| siiion. II was turned into beer garden. The
nomination OF Mr., Van Buren, was rejected by a
/ set OF drunken senators, who, when in secret
session, were traducing female virtue and inno-
/ cence. No other man than Gen Jackson could
| Withstand the danninG facts afrayed against him
| for moment,
Only the last part OF the letter Is
shown but | presume that President
| Jackson made the charges which Mr..
Whitney quotes.
A letter dated Washington, Jan. 20,
1929, and bearing j. c. Adams sigma
ture is addressed to John Talisford,
Esq. Adams tells him that he can
not, consistently with his duties as
president of the United States, inter
fere and pardon young mail carrier
who has committed some fraud. lie
holds that although young he was
old enough to know better, and that
TO pardon him would be simply to
give license to such crimes by youths
throughout the country. Adams adds,
however, that, not TO appear toe
harsh, he will leave it to his successor
to decide whether the crime ought 10
be pardoned on the plea OF the youth
of the mail carrier
The famous letter written by Blu
chanan, when approached by his
friend in regard to his willingness to
accept the nomination for president,
is among the other letters. He says;
do not think the presidency worth the efforts
necessary to reach IT, and II is very questionable
| whether any Pennsylvania Ia our day and gen.
GRAFTON viii ever win the prize
There are autograph letters by
Lincoln, Grant and ex. Gov. Hayes,
of Ohio, the latter being message
TO the senate in regard to the Panama
| canal.
A number OF confederate documents
are in the collection. One is a treaty
signed by Albert Pike, Indian com
missioner of the confederate states,
with the Indian tribes west of Arkans-
as, sealed and tied with ribbons IN al
due form. There is copy of some
resolution passed by the confederate
senate and house of representatives,
signed by the speaker and president.
and approved by Jefferson Davis. A.
thing that interested me most Of I'll
these confe derate papers is a bill at
Richmond, Aug. IA, 1868, for "black
cloth coat and pants, costing $4l0.
A proclamation interested me cou-
siderably, and | copy it as it is:
| HEADQUARrERs Army or THE peninsula, As
| slsrANr ADJurANr GENERALS OFHCE, YOnK-
Town, Dec, %, 1861 General orders. No 100
/ The major general commanding desires 10 an.
| nounte 70 the Army Of the Peninsula that the
! troops will winter where they now are
| IL the enemy attack us we win defeat him. and
after the victory we will have better quarters at
| Fortress Monroe and Newport News.
| By command Of Mai Gen Magruder.
HENRY BRYAN, Assist Adjt General
There are several other letters, not
exactly historical, but nearly of equal
value. OF these / will mention only
three. There is one signed by Sir
Walter Scott, requesting the payment
OF bill Of EGO, written July 20, 1929.
The original copy of Lonefellow's
Excelsior, with the authors auto.
graph, is among these papers. The
verse exposed to view is:
The shades Of night we're falling fast
AS through an Alphine village passed
/ A youth who bore mid snow and ice
banner with the strange device,
Excelsior
The last document IS Thos. Moore's
poem, Like One Who, Doom'd." 1t
is in his own hand writing, with mus.
ic to accompany it. It is so pretty
! that | cOpv il: