San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-01-14
THE GOVERN RHETORICAL
PAPERS.


The Charge That These are Open
Only To a Il ternry ring.
From the Brooklyn EagIe.l
A Washington dI-patch yesterday
stated that the Washington Post
charged that there was q literary reg
which cOntrpll, d all the valuable
historical papers in the prsses-
lion of the United States govern
ment, and that they were only
accessible to a small number
III writer's on New England history
Congressman Lodges name was
connected with the story, aud also
those of WOrthingtou T.. aud Paul
Ford, of this city, sous Of the late
Gordon l. Ford. A reportet found
Mr.. Worthington Ford aJ his resi-
dence, at 81 Clark street tOdsy and
obtained the following Statements:
This Is u q after of twelve years
standing. The person who is kick
ing up all this trouble is William
Henry Smith, the head of the Yves.
tern Associated Press, and well
known I'm that section of the country
in connection with the Arthur Sins
lair letters. While Mr.. Frelingbuy.
sen was Secretary of State Mr.. Smith
requested that he should be supplied
with q list of all manuscripts In the
State Department of historical
nature that had not been already
printed, and asked for copies of the
same. The rules of the department
at that time forbade even the examin.
alton of manuscripts 10y an outsider
think the only persons who received
any privileges up to That time were
sparks, Bancroft and Ever
EFT Hale. The documents were not
only badly arranged aud much worn,
nut there was no index or calendar
70 serve as a.guide When Mr. Bay
ard took office he at once began the
calendaring of the papers, aud thus
far ca endars of the Monroe, Jefferson
and Madison papers have been pre-
pared. Out of perhaps some 800 or
700 volumes Oi manuscript, barely
100 are in condition for use. Twelve
years ago it was out of the question
10 comply with Smiths request, hut
he was told that il he would desigs
nate what documents he wanted
c"pias would he furnished him. In-
stead be offered to send all irrespon.
sible clerk. rot recommended to the
deparr m-nt in any way. Mr.. FreIiDg
huysen properly refused. There tie
mstter ended until the third year of
Mr.. Bayard's administrations, when
Smith renewed his request and re-
ceived q similar reply. Esd
Zach year since that he has re-
peated this attack, clsiming-first,
there was q literary ring, and, sec
Ond, that clerks i'm the department
were stealing manuscripts wholesale.
He has used every means to discredIt
the methods of the department.. 1
obtained copies of the Washington
papers, made by persons trusted by
the Secretary OF State, working In the
department. after business hours, and
for which / paid $500 for copying
My brother Paul Is now obtaining
copies of the Jefferson papers
in similar manner. Mr.. Lodges
copy of the Hamilton papers was
made in that way. If Mr.. Smith
chose to observe the necessary rules of
the department he could obtain what
he wishes. Such unnecessary attacks
may lead to reversal of the liberal
policy of the government. Mr.. Bay
ARDS system was ADOPTED by his sue
cessOrs, and 1t is only a question of
time when the punlio will be in pos.
session of full calendars of these his
torical stores.n