Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
Written Cor The Evening Star.


I'HE COMMENCEMENT OF NEW CON-
- gress IL always era in political well
a. In Official life at Washington, and its advent
j. the more important when il occurs in the
presidential year. for more than one occa-
sion II has been called on to exercise the power
conferred upon it by the Constitution of de-
Gliding the contest for he presidency.
IN 1925, on the 9th of February. i: was called
on to exercise ;hat prerosative. and through the
vote of Kentucky, which had been cast for Mr.
Clay, John Quincy Adams had been elected,
AID from that act arose the charge of bribery
and corruption which followed Mr.. Clay
through years OF his political life The mem
Der of Congress who assumed the authorship
of the charge. but who refused to appear and
testify before a committee of investigation was
George Kreamer, a member of Congress
FROM Pennsylvania. but. as he was person of
no intellectual force. MIR. Clay always regarded
MI Buchanan a. the real instigator of the
charge and the man Kreamer his tool and
from that periOi until his death he refused to
recognize Mr.. Buchanan either socially or
the floor Of the Senate. In debate, If he had to
refer TO him, il was as the Senator from Penn
sylyania-
Gen. Jackson believed most firmly the charge.
and only when near his death and under the
advice Of the reverend gentleman who pre-
pairing him to formally enter tine church, in
which he died devoted commitment. did he
abandon that belief. and saId in letter ad-
dressed to the Hon. VIM. VI. Gwin, i read a few
DAYS before the death of DIR. Gwin at New
York: Il forgive Mr.. Buchanan for having
Caused me to treat Mr.. Clay for many years
with injustice"
ONE RESULT OF THIS CONTEST.
Out of the result of this contest, sixty-six
years ago, grew the division of parties from
which emerged first the national republican, as
opposed to the republican party, and then there
carne the whig and democratic party. repre-
sentins conflicting theories of the American
government That was the last presidential
election until 1877 which was brought before the
House, and that Is SO recent and the result is so
stamped upon the minds of the American peo-
PIE that We need never fear a repetition of it.
The meeting of the Fifty-second Congress on
Monday next will form "a verv striking contrast
10 the Washington when Congress met on Feb
ruary IL. 1901. to determine the election to the
presidency of Jefferson or Burr. The contest
lasted for days. and an equal number Of votes
had been cast through many ballots for Burr
and Jefferson, and finally on the 18th February
jefferson was declared elected. The states of
Vermont and Maryland voting blanks deter
mined the election and ended an uneasy feeling
which pervaded the country. The meetings Of
Congress had taken place previously in a part
OF the north Wing of the old Capitol, where the
Senate, Supreme Court and the House of Rep
resentatives had met. but in 1891 the Honse met
from its peculiar shape, which stood on the site
of the south wing of the old Capitol, between
the site of the present House of Representatives
and the rOtunda-
The Washington Of that day as described by
historians. consisted of only one or two unfin-
ished public buildings and a few houses stand
ing among large and scattered farms on a hill
side by the Potomac. Ten years later q Brit
ish minister compared it to Hampstead Heath
and it was even later when Moore visited this
city and found Squares in morasses, obelisques
In trees The political changes and the ma
terial changes wrought by the unparalleled
growth AID prosperity OF the country are not
greater than those which will meet the eyes Of
the new members to assemble on Monday next
to begin the sessions of the Fifty-second Con-
gress.
THE NEED OF A NEW LIBRARY BUILDING.
Our city in its growth and beauty developes
those attributes which so to make up a great
seat of government. The most important for
Its future is the establishment here of the
great universities with their libraries and gal
le-ies OF art and the museums and all those
national institutions which will make il the re-
sort of the scholars Of the world. So much
has been done toward that end of late years
that we reasonably hope in future of contin-
Ted and uninterrupted prosperity that shall
make this city not only the most beautiful in
its adorEments, but also the most interesting
Is the seat of learning and of the arts and
sciences.
The completion Of the new national library.
with its boards of books, until then almost in
accessible. will add greatly to the Importance
of Washington The stores of interesting liter
airy and historical manuscript which fill the
cases OF the government departments, more
particularly those in the Department of State
shoI!d be rendered accessible by being placed
on deposit in the great library building, where.
as curiosities independent of their value to
the student Of history. they would form q
most important feature in the grand building
which VIII be so attractive portion Of WASH
ington.
SOME or THE NEW YORK LrBRARIEs
recent visit to the libraries of New York
impresses more forcibly on my mind the i'm
portance which the completion Of this library
will add to Washington. The recent increase
OF the great libraries in the country has kept
pace with the growth in the more material ele-
ments OF Its greatness The money values
which have of late years been devoted to these
institutions exhibit the interest felt in thus
providing Tor the higher education of the pres
ent and succeeding generations.
One OF the most interesting and yalnable Of
the libraries of New \ ork Is the library of the
Historical Society of that city. The society
was organized in 1894 and il contains the most
complete records OF the stateand country nrior
to the revolution The papers OF Gen. Stem
ben. Gen. SCHUYLER. Lord Sterling Gems G. ates
puer and others and the papers. official and
others. Of the colonial days are of the greatest
n
Washington have been prepared for pub-
location by Mr.. MoGcure ID. Conway under
tie auspices OF the society. The collection has
oatcTowa tie builiing erected some years AGO
anu the consequent disadvantage of the want
OF space Is felt by those who visit it, for much
that Is Of value Is packed away out of sight and
use. as. fer Instance. the i74 original water
color paintings of Audubon in this great
collection, but not accessible. The library is
filed to repletion with valuable collection of
books, manuscript. newspapers, pamphlets
anu antiquities, forming q complete and IN
rIyaled history OF America In this collection
ere 1900 volumes, ali bearing upon American
history
Crowded into the comparatively small build
Ing, which stands 80 unobtrlsively on % ave-
nue., Is the valuable collection Of Egyptian an
t4uities I4ade by DR.. Abbott while residing for
twenty years il Egypt Nh. Lenox presented his
Neveveh scuiptors and large collection he
had taken wears to form Of relics of the Ameri-
can Indians
TIE BRYAN COLLECTION OF OLD MASTERS
The wallis are crowded from floor to ceiling
with the paintings which formed the gallery
Of the Bryan collection of old masters Of nm
doubted authenticity. long residence in
Europe. a thorough knowledge Of art and an
enthusiastic devotion TO Its collection enabled
NJ -. Il