Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-05-22

A Roman Relic.
SerVius Tullius is said to have been
the sixth king Of Rome, and to have
reigned from 578-538 b. @. His time
antequated the period Of authentic Ro-
man history, but there is little doubt
that he lived, and that he was, as tradi-
ton afirms, a Just and worthy ruler,
whose constant effort was to help and
uplift 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 Tarquinius,
headed conspiracy against him, and he
was murdered by hired assassins in the
streets of Rome IN the year 53S B. @.
He had built a stone wall around the city
during his reign as a protection against
the incursiOns of barbarian tribes. This
wall was so well and firmly built that for
700 years it served its purpose ehectual-
ly. Though now In ruins, 1t still bears
the name Of Servius Julius. Before the
sad death Of President Lincoln cOmplet-
ed the striking parallel between his his
tory and that of the justice-lOVlng king
of Rome, some Roman patriots, in order to
show their admiration Of the noble char
acter of the American president, and
their appreciation Of the Likeness Of his
virtues to those of Servius Tullius,
took a stone from the wall, where it had
been placed 2, 400 years before, had en-
graved upon it an inscription and sent it
as a memorial to President Lincoln. The
inscription, which was In Latin, is trans
lated as follows:
''TO Abraham Lincoln, president for
the second time Of the American repub-
lie, citizens Of Rome present this stone,
from the wall Of Servius Tulluis, by
which the memory Of each OF those brave
asserters Of liberty may be associated.
Ammo, 1865
The stone is a cOnglOmerate sand
stone 271 inches thick. The lower edge
and the side bearing the inscription are
dressed true; the opposite sides show
the uneven uatual 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 stone was
sent. Over a year after the death Of
President Lincoln, it was found buried
among some rubbish in the basement Of
the executive mansion. The attention
of President johnson was called to it.
and caused diigent search to be made
through the papers Of the white house,
in the hope of finding some letter or
document giving a clew as to how and
when the stone came. Nothing at all
connected with it was found, however,
so all that is positively known Of the
history of the relic is the inscription
which it bears on its face. 1t is thought
that it arrived before the death of Mr.
Lincoln, and he, to avoid a newspaper
furore concerning it, quietly put it aside
and said nothing about it. As no one
in the mansion knew anything about it,
there is little wonder that it came to be
thrust among rubbish as a thing Of no
value. When it was found, in the spring
of 1866, it was placed in the crypt of
basement Of the capitol In June, 1860,
a resolution was brought before the
house Of representatives proposing to
put the stone in the United States Bo-
tanical gardens. Mr.. CullOm, of Hi
nOis, however, proposed to have 1t placed
in the Memorial hall Of the Lincoln
monument, at Springfield, H., and sup
ported his proposition with such con
vincing arguments that it was adopted.
The stone was sent to Springfield, and
in August, 1871, was placed with many
other relics Of Mr.. Lincoln In the mem
Orial-room of the monument, where it is
still to be seen by all visitors.