The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-09
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
The Declaration of Independence and
Other Documents of Interest.

Inc l)ccIaFaliOn Oh independence an
Other Documents of Interest.
The National museum has recently
placed on exhibition Il collection of
relics possessed of more than ordinary
interest. 1t includes the original draft
of the Declaration of Independence
drawn up at Philadelphia, July s, 1776,
The signature of John Hancock. prcsi-
dent of the continental congress, is at
tached to a document giving Washing
ton full command of the troops, with
all the powers of commanding general,
Dec. q, l716. Another Revolutionary
document is one signed by Washington
himself in 1888, giving private his
honorable dismissal from the army.
Gen. Clinton, March 1913, writes from
Poughkeepsic, N. y, ordering u regi-
ment, armed and equipped, to the forti
tication at West Point.
There are several very old Spanish
documents under royal seal, one of
them dating 1854, but written so poorly
that your correspondent could not make
ont 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 aftcrward
crossed out at the expiration of the
loan. 1t bears the date of l747. Rob
ert Fulton's name is signed to letter
in regard to his patent,
a series of very interesting letters,
beginning with one signed by John
Adams and Timothy Pickering, his sec
| retary of state. come next in order of
consideration. This is q deed of land
in 1.-The territory northwest of the River
Ohio. and above the mouth of the Ken
lucky river signed and sealed 1898.
A letter by Madison and one signed by
John Randolph of Roanoke" June,
tion. James Monroe, president, and
j. 9. Adams have their signatures at
tachcd toa public document permitting
the governor of the territory of NIichi-
gan to sign treaties with the Indians.
make the following remarkable extract
from letter signed by L. Whitney:
The senate was worse than the Span
ish inquistion. 1t was turned into u
| 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 innocence. No other man than
Gen Jackson could withstand the
damning facts arrayed against him for
a 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. Q, Adams sigma
ture, is addressed TO John Talisford.
| ESQ. Adams tells him that he can not,
consistently with his duties rs president
of the United States. interfere and par
don Young mail carrier who has COM
mitted some fraud He holds that al
though young he was old enough to
know better. and that to pardon him
would be simply to give license to such
try. 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 plea
of the youth OF the mail-carrier.
} The famous letter written by Buchan-
an, when approached by his friend il
regard to his willingness to accept tho
nomination for president, is among the
other letters. He says:
Il do not think the presidency worth
the effort necessary TO reach ii, and it is
very questionable whether any Penn
! sylvanian in our day and generation
will ever win the prize
There are autograph letters by Lin
coin, Grant, and cX-Gov. Hayes, o.
Ohio, the latter being a message to III,
senate in regard to the Panama canal
A number of confederate documents
are in the collection. One is Il treaty
signed by Albert Pike, Indian commits
sioner of the confederate states, witt
the Indian tribes west of Arkansas
sealed and tied with ribbons in all du,
form. There is copy of some resolu
ton passed by the confederate senate
and house of representatives, and APP
proved by jefferson Davis. A thins
that interested me most of all these con
4 federatc papers is q bill at Richmond
Aug. IA, 1868. for ''black cloth Goa
and pants, costing $40. A proclama
ton interested me considerably, and
copy it as it is:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Pen
| lNSbLh, aSSlSlANl ADJl lANI tEN Elk
AIS OFFICE, YORKTOWN, Dec %
1861. General Orders. No. 120.-Th
major general commanding desires t
announce to the Army of the Peninsul
that the troops will winter where the
now arc.
If the enemy attack Ms we will dc
feat him, and after the victory we wi
have better quarters at Fortress Monro
and Newport News.
BY command of Maj. Gen. Magrudel
HENRY BRYAN. Assistant Adjutar
General.
There are several other letters, nc
exactly historical, but nearly of equ;
value. OF these | will mention onl
three. There is one signed by Sir Wa
ter Scott, requesting the payment of
bill of f20, written July 20, 1929. Th
original copy of Longfeliow's Exec
sior." with the authors autograph,
among these papers. The verse c,
posed to view is:
The shades of night were falling fast
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth who bore, mid snow and ice,
banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
The last document is Thomas Moore
poem, Like One Who, Doom'd
1t is in his own handwriting. wit
music to accompany it. 1t is SO pret,
that copied it:
Like one who, doom'd DER distant seas