The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17

r LIBRARY.
point a eultable person, who shall be a
citizen Of Richmond, as an additional
clerk TO the Secretary of the Common
wealth. such person to be paid such
salary by the city of Richmond as may
be fixed by the Council. This appointee
IS to be under the supervision and con-
troll Of the Secretary Of the Common
wealth as his other clerks, but his du-
ties shall be confined to the state Library
during such hours as the Secretary Of the
Commonwealth may direct
More than one true Virginian will look
on with a natural feeling Of regret When
the historic alcoyes of the old State Ii
brary hall are robbed of their priceless
treasures and relics I'm favor Of the new
Library building. While the latter offers
vastly superior facilities in the way Of
space and arrangement naturally enough
thcre are any number Of sacred memo
rios lowering over the old hall, where
busts. portraits, manuscripts and auto
graphs OF many Of the greatest states
men, turists, soldiers, crat tors, colonlsts'
and authors which America has gwen 10
the world attract thousands of tourists
annually There history and genius rep
resenting the thought and action Of CEN
the subtle skill Of the sculptor and ar
fist alike, while records more precious
! than gold have been preserved for gener-
atoms; there the deeds Of heroes ana
| the words of sages have been perpetu-
| ated as a priceless heritage 10 Virginia.
| sons; there the pride Of the Old Domin-
4 ion, with all her glorious past, finds eX-
| precision in the counteDances Of men
! whose very silence speaks in lofty tribute
to the fairest land Of all, the sacred SOIL
! the Mother of States-Cld Virginia.
The old state Library hall contains
| as many valuable historical relics per-
! haps as any other similar hall IN the
! United States. Al these viii be removed
TO the new building, under the supervis-
ion Of State Librarian w. W. Scott, ana
! will be classified and systematically ar
| ranged with an eye to taste as well as
| convenience.
THE ORIGIN OF THE LIBRARY
According to an interesting little book,
! entitled "The Capitol of Virginia ana the
Confederate States" by Messrs. W. W.
Scott and W G.. Stanard, an importation
of law books was I'm 1866 made by the
House of Burgesses for the use of the
| General Courts and Assembly, 10 be
| kept at James City which was probably
| the germ of the first public library in
! the colonies, except that at Henrlco
! College At one of the early revisals OF
the laws of Virginia Madison presented
hill 10 establish a public library ana
the library was founded in January,
| 1923.
There are now in the Library some
! 5000 volumes, exclusive Of law books.
Most Of them are standard publications,
| usually found in wel-regulatcd Libraries.
| There are, however, large number OF
| very rare and valuable books ana manu-
scripts, some of them absolutely unique.
ANY number Of interesting objects,
framed and hung upon the wall, or other
wise exhibited, attract the visitors no
tice from all sides. Here one sees pho-
| tographs Of the old Episcopal church
near Smithheld. Va, which is The oldest
brick church edice i'm the former English
| colonies, having been built IN l632; then
a letter of Daniel Boone 1l8; documents
signed by Banjamin Harrison ana George
Wythe. signers of the Declaration OF
| Independence; autographs Of Thomas
Jefferson. George Washington. Robert b..
Lee. William Penn, Stonewall Jackson.
| James A. Seldom, and other renowned
| men, or documents, pamphlets, ana re-
! cords closely interviewer with history
arouse the curiosity OF hundreds; while
such objects as the marriage BONA OF
! Thomas Jefferson; the original parole OF
1871, with the autograph signature OF
the defeated English soldier; letter
! signed by Lafayette; an invitation cara
! 10 the ball given the French soldier III
| Richmond. a play bill of the Richmond
Theatre for December %, ISL, the night
| of the memorable fire; the last dispatch
of Stonewall Jackson written on tho
battlefield at Charlottesville and other
relics of great value greet the eyes Oh
! thousands every year.
! Quite an interesting object which at
tracts many is the letter from General
Gates to John Hancock, President OF the
| Continental Congress, October IS, lIU,
| announcing the surrender Of Burgoyne.
This is an autograph. 1T is undoubtedly
the original. and is entirely IN Gates
own hal dwritirg.
y copy of the first Bill of Rights Of
| Virginia, in the handwriting Of and signed
| by the author George Mason. and an
| autograph letter from George Washing
| ton, dated Mount Vernon, seven days be-
fore his DEATH are among the curios, the
list of which is too long to be recorded
here.
THE PORTRAITS IN THE LIBRARY.
The portraits in the Library are chiefly
! engraVings, etchings and photographs
There are a large number of them, many
being the work of artists of high repute
| Among them are portraits or Joseph I.
Cabel long a member of the Virginia
LEGISLATURE and special coadjutor OF
| jefferson in establishing the University
of Virginia; Henry Clay, William II
Cabeu Mathew Fontaine Maury, Robert
e. Lee Stonewall Jackson, a. p. Hill
Black Hawk and two other Indian Chiefs
John Letcher, Robert w. Hughes, John
| Penn. William c. Rives. William Henry
Harrison. the victor Of Tippecanoe; Rich
. ard Henry Lee, Daniel Boone, Capt. Johr
Smith. John Randolph. Martha Washing
ton. Edgar A. Poe, Columbus, BENJAMIN
Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Sir Walter
, | Raleigh, Jefferson Davis and many oth
! | ers.
The bust OF jefferson Davis was made
| in the Office of the Confederate Whit'
| House." in Richmond. in 1852, by AleXan
der Gait His note book, under cate o
February Sth says: TOOK first sitting O
the President in his office; took measure
/ | ments of his face" Then follow notes o
| | various sittings. 1t was the only Dus
MIR. Davis sat for while President.
, All these interesting portraits, busts
I documents and autographs will throw
/ | world of historical light about the new
Library Hall and adorn its walls with at
{ | tractive color and tone. not TO speak o
the heroisrn, courage and patriotism KEEP
ever fresh in the minds OF those viewing
; them.
SUPREME COURT LIBRARY.