Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
WITHIN OUR LIBRARY
Briel Reference TO Some Of the Striking
Paintings and Publications.
rur MAIN PORTRAIT GALLERY.
,,,o,oia.s Governors In Prominent
.r,y-Thc RcadtnE-Room and the
Arrangement of the Books-some
Very interesting Documents.


-he library and gallery. which. together
..,h their many invaluables that could
49,, have been replaced. have been so
ting exposed 10 possible destruction In
The Cspltol. are now handsomely homed
and we'll protected. The new state and IL
...rv hundlng Is completed and occupied.
p.s,5es The library and gallery. It ac-
..,,podatos several OF the public officers
-, ,ba commonwealth. and her Supreme
,-,,rt OF Appeals has been provided with
.rsr,ers which. however. have not been
acc pied.
The main front OF the new ediice looks
va.tward. towards the capitol. and is
o.j,e imposing. The side elevation on
che south is very beautiful. The structure
q ~ Granite. cream-coored bricks. mar
rh, and iron Ascending the granite steps
~ the south corner Of the west front,
,,as.ng through the massive basement or
he Ionic portico. by the ofiice OF the Ad-
tlifaut-Geuersl, and q poi ton OF that OF
Auditor Marye and across the aisle
leading TO the Treasurer's. you are. with
an easy motion % the elevator soon land
IA on the upper floor, where the library Is
nearly rearranged.
PICTURES STRIKE THE EYE.
On leaving the elevator the first thing
,bat greets you. on the ieft-hand wall,
q Amerigo Vespuccio. and he would be
Immediately followed by Christopher CO.
Jumbo. were not the famous Indian chief.
BLACK Hawk, sandwiched between them.
pocah0ntas and Captain John Smith are
Ysrs ~ h. al nor YQi =
gallery
But this same ante-room contains other
objects OF interest There Is an illuminat-
"a copy OF the Magma Charta, wrung
from King John, Of England, by his re-
lellious barons. a. D., 1915. The colored
seals Of the King and his sureties and of
the bold knights who gained this great
charter OF liberty are attached TO the
document.
There is also a copy of the warrant for
the execution Of the unfortunate Mary,
queen OF Scots, in 1851. with the signature
and co!ored seal OF Queen Elizabeth. But
this Is Offset by a copy OF the warrant
for the execution of Charles L., King OF
England. I'm lG4s. with the signatures and
seals OF the regicides
There is an illuminated copy Of the roll
o. Battle Abbey. 1866, with the tinted
shields OF the most distinguished knights
who fought in the battle Of Hastings. by
which one contest England was per-
mlnently conquered by bastard Duke
Of Normandy. Just above this great roll
q honor and OF British aristocracy is a
portrait OF Thomas Jefferson; sug-
geSt've comment upon English history for
arly so years; recalling the vast differ
ence between the principles Of this great
cisatlantic free republic. and not only
sass d lob he roll nf 10
their descendants and successors. fought
hled. and died. but even those which Eng
land. in her comparatively enlightened
condition, unnecessarily maintained
against Jefferson and his cOmpatIiOts, for
years OF war and stu more years OF
peace. till unavoidable and successful war
broke out again. in 1872. Yes; Jefferson
represents emphatically the immense dif-
ference and contrast between the political
principles Of these United States In 1900
and those Of the English monarchy at
the very same period. There are other
portraits of him in the gallery.
THE MAIN PORTRAIT-G ALLERY.
There are here otner objects OF in
terest among which are large groups Of
phl tographs. embracing some of Virginia's
most modern celebrities. and a beautiful
llised or relief map Of the State. From
his auteroOm. you can 90 straight into
the main portrait gallery, which occupies
the whole western front In the south
west end the courteous Librarian. Mr..
Scott. has his desk. which is at the juno
ton Of the gallery and the library propet
Mr. Scott has some excellent company
near him. In Governor Spotswood and
his lady. Littleton W. Ts7ewell, Governor
Peasants, President Tyler. and Thomas
and William Nelson.
10 this long and narrow gallery, with
rise OF seven steps In it. have been trans
ferrel the portraits. which adorned the
Capitol for so many years, and which
Illustrate and embody so much of the
various periods OF Virglnla's history,
from Pocahontas and Smith down 10 Fitz-
hugh Lee and Charles T. O'Ferrall.
On a line In the middle OF the western
wall hang graphic representations of four
OF the greatest men of modern times,
oil native Nirginians. Il. L.. Lee, Joseph
J. Johnston, and Stonewall Jackson were
not only eminent generals. but were great
IN every good respect. And In this the
Incompatible VI. +. Maury was like them.
All Of them. especially Lee and Maury.
were not only high but lofty men, OF
broad and benign upperness. Their great
eonpeer j. L. b. Stuart. is not far
away one with proper authorities in
hama could make this rare and valuable
gallery source Of delightful study for
months, and the library could furnish the
desired authorities, for Virginia has for
years been, with judicious liberality. en-
laIglns the collections which illustrate
Ler own varied and romantic history.
VIRGINIAS OWN ANNALS.
Besides a very large number Of tracts
WA volumes, she has her own Annals.
t4ltfH No IDaf
NE Byrd. or Westover manuscripts, 20
handsomely brought out by the enterprise
Of MI Thomas II. Wynne: copies Of the
'.4eet records OF the FIRST settled counties
u iAe state, which were Liable 10 perish;
tAe Mcdonald Papers, obtained by him
tFem the public archives Of England. and
othcrs
]" the southern Literary Messenger and
'ter volumes which the library contains
aye the writings OF some Of her own sons,
Nhich were intended 10 preserve. create.
ma ext nd the public interest in her
Nen'i1l history. Amons these are the
,"O Ndmpbe!la, father and son. II. II.
uoWison' - B. Minor. J. Esten Cooke
Aiss Magiil, Tucker. Wirt Henry. Alex
'uler Brown, kercheval. and others.
ia TIE north vnd of the gallery are the
esaer works. mostly photographs and en-
sravinls. There is a portrait of President
emerson DAVIS, medlum-sized photo
s'aph- Due honor will be paid him at
.aa' Tor here his remains have been
Anaiiy deposited. and here his grand
monument is to be reared.
SEDDEN AND RITCHIE.
among the crowded photographs the
writer scanned those OF two highly-valued
IIehds-James A. Seldom. one of the Con-
ie-efste secretaries OF war. and Thomas
n!Itchie, the Napoleon OF the Press"
mere IS also a small. excellent engrav-
lis Of the renowned Edmund Pendeton