Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-05
A ROMAN RELIC.
History of the Servius Tullius Stone
Which Was Sent to Lincoln.
From the Chicaoo Iater-Ocean.

From the Chica0o Inter- Ocean.
Serylus Tullius, is said to have been
the sixth King of Rome, and to have
reigned from 57S 53S B. c. His time ante
dated the period OF authentic Roman his
tory, but there is little doubt that he lived,
and that ne was, as tradition atiirms,
just and worthy ruler, whose constant
effort was to help and uplft the common
people. He was himself of obscure origin,
and his active sympathy with the lower
classes excited the hatred of the wealthy
Romans, and at last his son-in-law,
LucIus Tarquinus, headed a conspiracy
against him, and he was murdered BY
hired assassins in the streets of Rome in
the year 53S b. G. He had built a stone
wall around the city during his reign
AS protection against the incur
sions Of barbarian tribes. This wall was
so we'll and firmly built that for 700 years
it served its purpose etfectually. Though
now in ruins, il still bears the name of
Servus Tullius. Before the sad death of
President Lincoln completed the striking
parallel between his history and that OF
the justice-loVIng King of Rome, some
Roman patriots, in order to show their
admiration of the noble character OF the
American President, and their apprecia-
ton of the likeness OF his virtues to those
of Servius Tuilius, took a stone from the
wall, where ii had been placed ,, 400 years
before, had engraved upon it an inscrip-
ton and sent it as memorial to Presi-
dent Lincoln. The Inscription, which
was in Latin, is translated as follow:
"To Abraham Lincoln, President for the
second time OF the American republic.
citizens OF Rome present this stone, from
the wall of Servius Tulllus, by which the
memory of each OF those brave asserters
OF liberty may be associated. Ammo,
1861
The stone is a conglomerate sand stone,
21l5 inches long, 80 inches wide and So
incnes thick. The lower edge and the side
bearing the inscription are dressed true:
the opposite sides show the uneven natural
surface Of a stone. The upper edge and
both ends are broken as If with a hammer.
1t is not known when or by whom
this store was sent. Over a year
after the death Of President Lin
coin it was found buried among
some rubbish In the basement of the Exec
ut.ve Mansion. The attention OF President
Johnson was called 10 it, and he caused
diligent search TO be made through the
papers OF the White House. in the nope OF
finding some letter or document giving
clew as TO how and when the stone came.
Nothing at all connected with il was
found, however, SO all that is positively
known Of the history Of the relic is the In
scrlpton Wnlcn 1T bears on Its face. 1t is
thOught that it arrived before the death of
Mr.. Lincoln, and he. to avoid newspa-
per fYrore concerning it, quietly put it
aside and said nothing about It. As no
one in the mansion knew anything about
it, there is but little wonder
that it finally came to be
thrust among rubbish as thing of no
value. When it was found, in the spring
OF 1856, 1t was placed IN the crypt of the
basement OF the capitol. In June, 1870, a
resolution was brought before the House
OF Representatives proposing to put the
stone in the United States Botanical Gar
dens. Mr.. Cullom, Of Illinois, however,
proposed TO have 1t placed in the Memo
rial Hall Of the Lincoln Monument at
Springfield, H., and supported his propo.
sitlOn with such convincing arguments
that 1t was adopted. The stone was sent
to Springfield, and in August, 1871, was
placed, with many other relics OF Mr..
Lincoln, IN the memorial room Of the
monument, where 1t is still to be seen by
all visitors.