The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1894-03-10
A PRICELESS RELIC.
GUARDING The DECLARATION or
INDEPENDENCE.

cros. CareIessness Has characterized the
Care Of the Precious Manuscript Tor
Many years-The names Have Nearly
An Faded from Sight.
In one Of the corridors Of the senate
wing Of the Capitol Is statue In marble
Of John Hancock On the granite pedestal
Is an inscription which reads, He wrote
his name where all nations should behold
II. and all time shall not efface il.
This Of course refers to the Revolution
airy patriot whose bold chirography APP
pears conspicuously on the Declaration Of
independence. The history Of that period
states that several Of the signers, while
sympathizing with the colonists in their
struggle. were a little timid or hesitating
about signing their names, as they would
be punished as principals in the revolt in
case the revolt be unsuccessful Not so
with Hancock Grasping goose quill and
using plenty Of ink he wrote his name at
the top Of the column. lie wrote so boldly
and distinctly that the name Of John Han
cock was as easily seen as an electric light
on a dark night.
Every schoolboy is familiar with Han
cocks handwriting. and as one OF the sign
ers Of the Declaration Of Independence the
name OF Hancock is familiar to great
many people who probably could not give
the name Of any other Of the patriots who
signed with him. Hence the sculptor or
designer Of the statue was led TO declare
that lie wrote his name where all time
shall not ei1ace it,"
However true this may be as sentiment,
the fact Is that HancOck's name is now al
most entirely effaced from the Declaration
cf Independence. II can be seen by the aid
o. a strong glass, but is so illegble that a
stranger to the document or the style OF
handwriting would have difficulty in read
ing the name correctly.
Other names attached to the document
have faded out entirely, and can no more
he read than il they had never been writ
ten. OF the sixty or more names which
were written, not more than ten can now
be read, and they have faded to pale
sickly color. As to the others, there are
faint traces Of writing. but nothing in the
form OF signature can be distinguished
sufficiently to enable any one to read them.
Some are only partially obliterated. and
by supplying missing characters any one
familiar with the document can make out
the name which should be there, but no
longer is, except in very indistinct way.
OouSlutTliB lut pTlctlcHS CHARACTER OF
the Declaration OF Independence as his
torical document it is astonishing that
from the beginning proper care should not
have been taken to preserve it from the
ravages of time, and at least from msus,s
During recent years it has been jealously
guarded in the library of the department
Of state and precautions taken to prevent
any further injury. 1t is now between
two large plates Of French glass, inclosed
in hard wood case. all of which is her
metically sealed, so as to keep out air and
dust. No atmosphere or other influence
can now reach the precious document,
which in showing "a decent respect for the
opinions of mankind proclaimed the rea-
sons for the separation"
The handsome wooden case in which the
Declaration is kept is in an upright posi-
ton, fastened to a latticed partition, with
two doors in front opening outward. The
doors open only far enough to view the
document and exclude the light, except
such rs admitted by reflection. This is
done out OF abundance of caution, for it is
doubtful if sunlight could affect it i'm its
present condition, yet the present custodi-
ans are determined to spare no pains to
prevent further damage.
The general belief OF visitors to the
library is that the fading of the document
is probably due to a poor quality of ink
used, and that such writing would natu-
rally fade in the course of tine. This is
only partially true. There have been pre-
served specimens of colonial penmanshin
sntedating the Declaration of Independ-
eEce by many years. which are still clear
and distinctly legible, and will continue
legible for another generation. The pres
ent condition Of the Declaration is due to
r,isuse. Prior to 1871 it was kept at the
interior department. and was guarded
With less care than the caveat in the patent
for a -four SITTER
NO special effort was made to keen IL
from injury such rs is now being done. and
In 1876 it was loaned to the Philadelphia
Centennial exposition and exhibited in In
dependence hall. During the Centennial
year an attempt was made to take letter
press copy Of it, which was successful in
extracting much Of the color from the
writing, and in some places the writing
shortly afterward disappeared altogether
IL is hardly conceivable that so dangerous
an expedient should have been attemnted
merely to crafty the people who desired
facsimiles. IL could only damage the orioi-
nal and give no promise that the comics
could be satisfactory 1t is unlikely that
the Declaration of independence will ever
again be placed on exhibition in connection
! with any event, no matter how important
by an executive order it is to remain in
the state department and will not be
loaned Tor any purpose, no matter how
worthy. The custodian believes that there
will he no further fading OF the document
as long as It remains undisturbed, but to
him and to every visitor it is matter Of
regret that the attempt to make a letter.
press copy should have been permitted. IL
looks worse than some Of the manuscripts
in the British museum which are three
times as old Washington Cor. Milwaukee
. Wisconsin.
His Contempt.
Il remember an occasion when .rn5o.
Black got the worst OF an encounter with
Ihad Stevens said ,IudVe Sta,..,. ..rrt