Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-26
NATIONAL RELICS.
The Declaration Of Independence n
Other Documents Of Interest.

relics possessed of more than ordinary
interest. 1t includes the original draft
of the Declaration of Independence
drawn up at Philadelphia, July 8. 1776.
The signature of John Hancock, Presi-
dent of the Continental Congress, is
attached to a document giving Wash
ington full command of the troops,
with all the powers Of commanding
General, December p, 1875. Another
revolutionary document is one signed
by Washington himself in 1855, giving
a private his honorable dismissal from
the army. General Clinton, March,
1918, writes from Poughkeepsie, N. Y,
ordering q regiment, armed and
equipped, to the Notifications at West
Point.
There are several very old Spanish
| documents under royal seal, one of
them dating 1854, but written 81 poorly
that your correspondentcould not make
out even the signature. There is also
a deed of land signed by Lord Fairfax.
| The signature of Benjamin Franklin is
affixed to another deed. but afterward
| crossed out at the expiration of the
loan. 1t bears the date of l747. Robert
Fulton's name is signed to a letter in
regard to his patent.
A series of very interesting letters,
! beginning with one signed by John
| Adams and Timothy Pickering, his
| Secretary of State, come next in order
of consideration. This is a deed of
land in "the territory northwest of the
river Ohio, and above the mouth of the
Kentucky river" signed and sealed
1898. A letter by Madison and n
signed by John Randolph of Roam
oke,' June, 1912, may be passed with
a mere mention. James Monroe, Pres
ident, and j. @. Adams have their sig
natures attached to a public document
permitting the Governor of the Terri
tory of Michigan to sign treaties with
the Indians.
A letter dated Washington, January
20, 1929, and bearing j. Q. Adams sig
nature, is addressed to John Talisford,
Esq. Adams tells him chat he can not
consistently with his duties as Presi-
dent of the United States, interfere and
pardon a young mail carrier who has
committed some fraud. He 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 too harsh, he will leave
it to his successor to decide whether
the crime ought to be pardoned on the
The famous letter written by Blu
chanan, when approached by his friends
in regard to his willingness to accept
the nomination for President, is among
the other letters. He says:
lido not think the Presidency worth the
efforts necessary to reach it, and it is very
questionable whether any Pennsylvania in
our day aud generation will ever win the
prize.
There are autograph letters by Lin
coin, Grant and Hayes, the latter being
a 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 Arkansas,
| sealed and tied with ribbons in all due
form. There is a copy Of some resolu-
tons passed by the Confederate Senate
and House of Representatives, signed
by the Speaker and President, and APP
proved by Jefferson Davis. A thing
that Interested me most of all these
Confederate papers is a bill at Rich
mond, August IA, 1868, for Il ''black
cloth coat and pants" costing $40!
A proclamation interested me con-
siderably, and l copy it as it is:
| He NORA 3rEnS ADnv an ruC DDNvNSY1v A \
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE, ;
YORKTOWN, December %, 1861.
GENERAL ORDERS No. l2o.-The Major Cen
eral commanding desires to announce to the
Army of the Peninsula that the troops will
winter where they now are.
If the enemy attack us we will defeat him,
News.
BY command of Major General Magruder.
HEsRY BRYAN, Assistant Adjutant General.
There are several other letters, not
exactly historical, but nearly of equal
value. OF these l will mention only
three. There is one signed by Sir
Walter Scott, requesting the payment
of a bill of EGO, written July 20, 1929.
The original copy of Longfellow's
Excelsior with the authors auto
graph, is among these papers. The
verse exposed to view is:
The shades OF night were falling fast
AS through an Alpine village passed
A youth who bore, mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device.
Excelsior!
The astdocumentis Thomas Moore's
poem, "Like one who, doom,d." It is
in his W handwriting, with music to
accompany it. 1t is SO pretty that l
copy it:
Like one who doom'd DER distant seas
His weary path to measure,
When home at length, with fav'rinr breeze,
He brings the far-sought treasurer;
His ship, in sight of shore, goes down.,
That shore to which he hasted;
And all the wealth he thought his own
Is DER the waters wasted.
Like him, this heart, thro' many n track
OF toll and sorrow straying.
One hope alone brought fondly back,
Its toll and grief rcpaying.
Like him. alas, I see that ray
OF hope before me perish,
And one dark minute sweep away
What years were given to cherish,
N Y. Sun.
Our treaties with China provide as
follows: ''Chinese subjects in the
United States shall enjoy the same
privilege, immunities and cxemn1ions