Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-03-27
Rare autographs.

Senate is a volume Of autographs that Is
as rare and interesting as any in America.
As is well known, all of the official com
munications from the President 10 the
Senate from the beginning of the govern
ment are preserved, and Gen. Anson Me.
Cook, when secretary of the Senate select
ed few of the greatest historical interest
and had them bound in red morocco COW
ers. They are all executive documents,
and all but one are nominations to Office.
That one is a message from the President
Of the United States, aud reads as follows :
Gentlemen of the Senate The Presi-
dent Of the United States will meet the
members of the Senate in the Senate
chamber at 11.30 o'clock TO advise with
them on the terms of the treaty to be ne
gotiated with the southern Indians.
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
"NEw York, Aug. 81. 1879"
Another interesting document, in the
handwriting of the second President OF
the United States, reads:
Gentlemen of the Senate nominate
George Washington of Mount Vernon to
be Lieutenant General and Commander
in Chief of all armies raised and TO be
raised in the United States.
"JoHN ADAMS
"The United States, July ,, 1898"
In the same penmauship appears the
following, which shows that John Adams
was not above appointing his own son to
an important office 1t will be noticed
that be dates all his communications "The
United States =
Gentlemen of the Senate nominate
John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, as
minister plenipotenlary from the United
States to the King of Prussia.
"JoHN ADAAIs.
United STATES, May 20, 1891"
In addition to these are the nomina-
tions of Jeiler.on's S cabinet and Madison's,
which are written in his own handwriting
on a single sheet of paper. The nomina-
ton Of the Monroe cabinet and that of
John Quincy Adams are also preserved,
as well as that Of Andrew jackson, who
wrote all his nominations with his own
hand. Next comes the nomination OF
Roger B. Taney to be chief justice of the
United Safes in the well known penman-
ship of "Old Hickory" The nomination
of every cabinet from jackson down to
Cleveland are preserved. Those of Will
liam Henry Harrison and Polk are in
their own handwriting. a curious paper
is Andrew Johnson's nomination Of u. S.
Grant to be general of the army. 1t was
written by clerk on a sheet OF ordinary
legalcap paper with a blank place III
which Grants name was inserted by John
son himself. The list of Grants cabinet
was made out the same way. A clerk
had taken a sheet of foolscap and written
al nominate to be Secretary Of
State" etc, and the blank was filled out
in Gen. Grants own han l. One Of the
papers reads as follows:
"To the Senate nominate William
7. Sherman to be general of the army Of
the United States in place of Ulysses S.
Grant, resigned. L. S. GRANT"
Sheridan's nomination to be lieutenant
general accompanies this, and was made
on the same date and in the same form.
The nomination of President Hayes cab
met was made out or printed blanks, q
sheet for each one, as are those Of Presi-
dents Garfield, Arthur and Cleveland
The last paper in the book is the nomipa-
ton of Gen. Grant to the retired list of
the army, and it is signed by Grover
Cleveland. - Chicago Record'e flashing
ton Letter.