The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-04
AN UNFORTUNATE SALE.


oress our dissent from the sale that has
been made of a part of the books in the
State Library.
The books are the property or the state
of Virginia. and there IS but one agency
that can authorize a sale OF state prop
erty. which is the Legislature. We DO not
believe the Legislature ever INTENDED 10
Authorize such a sale
our second objection relates 10 the
character of the books sold. They COM
trise a full collection of all the documents
published by Congress from the founda-
ton of the government that Illustrate the
proceedings and action Of the General
Gov eminent. and they also comprise the
documents of the same sort that each
State has published. They have been
collected with great trouble and at great
pains. and they contain store of his
toricai information that IS simply inVal-
liable 10 the historical student one OF
the chief functions of a public library Is
u have complete collections of just such
documents. so that when the student OF
history desires information upon ques-
ton he may have certain ana sure
fountain of information TO resort 10.
These documents are too bulky for a pri-
waite library. and one of the essential
IDEAS OF a public library is that with ITS
abundance of room it can supply COM
plete sets Of all OF them. \ copy or
every book that was sold Is In the IL
brarv OF the British museum, and we I'M
dertake to say that a very large sum OF
money would not be enough TO buy that
museums set of them If it could not
replace them.
we can illustrate the value OF these
books very easily Prior to 1853 our sub
sidiary silver coins contained quantity
of silver that made two half dollars or
four quarters worth more than a gold
dollar. The result was they were all eX-
Iorted and the country was left without
change. The evil became so great that
the country came TO be flooded with the
notes OF individuals that were named
shin-plasters In the year 1853 tho FL
nance Committee of the United States
Senate investigated the subject, and
thr>st gf is chairman. Hon. Il. NJ. I. Hun
ter, il i..-de fsmous report. recommend
in that two halves and four quarters
slroald be made less valuable than a dol
ar. that has been as much discussed
during tho past few years as the act of
1873. o.monetzng silver. as 1T Is called.
Much as that report has been discussed
lately We know of no place where 1t can
be seen except IN the Congressional Ii
breiy at Washington. our collection con-
taincd the volume Of documents In which
u was ruinto-. We can't say that volume
was sold along with the others. for we
recently wished 10 consult the report
and found that the volume was not IN
It's place. Some one had taken 1t out OF
the Lbrsry. But If it was in its place II
went. along with the rest 1t Is worth
It's weight in gold.
There is in the Library an index OF
these United States documents. \ casual
inspection OF IL revealed some sixty re-
ports OF congressional committees upon
subjects that directly concern the inter-
ests and history of Virginia The material
for making out Nirsinia's claim upon the
Government for every dollar she has ad-
vanced 1t and that It owes her is all IN
these volumes We look upon the collec-
ton as part Of the State Library as price
less.
An eastern barbarian set fire 10 and
burnt up the Alexandrian Library. saying
that II IL only contained what was In the
Koran. there was no use for IT, and II Il
contained anything that was not in the
Koran II ought 10 be burnt We cannot
help chasing The sale of our books with
the idea OF the Bedouin.
As we have said. no one is authorized TO
sell these books. aDd the purchaser has
acquired no title TO them. II they have
not been delivered they should not be II
they have been delivered. steps should
be taken at once to compel the purchaser
10 return them 10 the Library.