Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-05-21
lN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Portraits, Papers and Relics Ihat have
Played a Part In the History They
Record.
Perhaps nowhere in the United States
are we brought so closely to the begin
nings of our country as in Washington.
The city abounds in portraits. papers
relies, that have played their part IN the
history they record. IL would be i'm
possible even in long series of articles
to describe all the interesting things TO
be seen in Washington. and tell where
they are to be found
| do not believe that the most care
less boy or girl could stand in the Ma
tional museum before the cases contain
ing the Washington relics and not be
impressed with sense of what Wash
ington and his followers endured TO
make this nation possible. Most OF US are
familiar with the picture of Washington
resigning his commission. We remem-
Der the buff waistcoat and breeches, the
blue coat trimmed with buff. and with
large brass buttons. But when we
stand before the case containing that
suit we realize that the picture repre-
sents life as we never realized before
We NAV read of his life at Mount Yer
non. but when we see the dishes that
were used there, the chair in which he
sat Just before he died, his shaving case.
Martha Washington's gauntlets, the cur
tains she made, the chairs she used we
feel that there really was life IN this
country before we became part OF II.
We may read of the revolution, but It
never becomes so real as when we stand
before the tent, the camp chest, the
cooking utensils used in camp during
that war by Washington.
Then we see there was another side
to life than war even at this time; we
see the original draft of the circular
letter signed by John Hancock, July 5,
l776. with a copy of the Declaration Of
Independence-the original copy of
which is deposited in the state depart
ment; we know that the law. the will
of the people. had become one OF the
forces in forming that republic that
was hardly recognized as having life,
though to-day it ranks among the first
of the earth. Land-grants to people
whose faith in the nations future made
them want homes within its borders are
here, signed by names sacred and honor
able in the memory of this people.
Perhaps we realize little the growth
of the country politically when we see
| that in 1907 the secretary Of the treasury
wrote his own official letters on plain
paper, without any distinguishing head
for we see the original letter Of the
secretary OF that year acknowledging
the receipt of the accounts Of light
house keeper Now magnificent build
ing. an army Of clerks. the formality
almost of a court. surround the secre-
tary of the treasury.
Relics OF men prominent in The mill
tarv and political history from the days
of the revolution to the close of the last
war are here. and give vivid sense OF
the beginnings of this country.
The donation Of the Grant collection
is too. recent to need special mention
bust. standing as it does in close prox
unity to the relics of that first war. we
!. are forced to see how different our po-
sition of those early days was from thai
of to-day. la the Grant collection arr
! RlilS every NANAAA@ t1fF~-f -f-.-,-
tiful in all that gold, silver and jewels
combined with skill can make rich ant
rare.
As we pass down the hall we see th'
original life-cast of the face of Abra
ham Lincoln, in both plaster ans
bronze. on which Mr.. X. W. Glider has
written that beautiful sonnet which
every boy and girl should commit t.
memory. The casts in plaster and bronx
of the hands of Lincoln are also here
The cast was taken the Sunday sue
ceeding Mr.. Lincoln's nomination 10
the presidency. and you win appreci
ate more keenly what the men WIZ
knew him saw in him if you will rea'
and commit to memory Mr.. Edmund {
Stedman's poem on The Hands of Lin
coin" The manuscript of this poem i
in the same case.
You will have seen the military an
political history of the country in brle
when you have reached the rotunda Q
the National museum, and yet yo1
L have looked only in the cases on on