Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-28
,reak in tho rows OF portraits on the


break in tho rows OF portraits on the
| wall.
The old library has long been a han oil
| Antiquities IN which the student or Amer
| lean history could wander delighted az
| every turn. Here could be seen The mar
riage bond Of Thomas Jefferson, formerly
| on file In the Charles City county court
| house, In an adjoining case was placeu
| the written parole OF Lord CORVALLIS al
! Yorktown with the defeated biilsn
commanders real signature. Ciose W
| was the last dispatch OF Stone"ah jas
son, written on the battlefield III Iha"-
| cellorsville about j. NJ. lie Was liz liz,
| tally wounded a few hours later. inns
| dIspatch was written In pencil. IL IS saia,
| on the pommel Of his saddle. Not 1ar
AWAY was on autograph letter or WASH
| ington. written from Mt. Vernon seven
| days before his death. There was q GRIM
| reminder of the stirring times thfoush
wbieh Virginia has passed since INA,
| letter Of Washipgton's was written IN tns
pike. exhibited in nearby case, when
was brought to the sacred soil OF the
| State by John Brown to arm 'he
| negroes for instruction In 1893.
| These valuable relies are now, or coon
| Will be- displayed in the new library
where rapid progress is being made In Tue
proper arrangement OF the books.
| THE ORIGIN OF THE LIBRARY.
According 10 an interesting little book
| entitled ''rhe Capitol Of Virginia aud me
Confederate States by Messrs. W. w.
Scott and w. G.. Stanard, an importatloh
| OF Law-books was In 1866 made by the
! House OF BuTgesses for the use OF t,ie
General Courts and Assembly, TO be
kept at James City. which was propaDiy
/ the germ Of the first public library III
/ the Colonies, except that at Henrico
College AT one OF the early reVisaIs OF
/ the laws of Virginia Madison presented
a bin to establish a public library. ana
the library was founded In January
1923
There are now IN the library some
1000 volumes, exclusive OF law-books.
Most OF them are standard publications.
usually found in well-regulated libraries.
There are, however, n large number or
very rare and valuable books and 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. Among these, In ad-
dition to the relies referred 60 above, are
a photograph OF the old Episcopal church
near Smithield. Va, which is the Oldest
brick church ediflce I'm the former EnSllsh
Colonies, having been built in 1852; then
a letter OF Daniel Boone, 1873; documents
signed by Benjamin Harrison and George
Wythe. signers Of the Declaration OF In
dependence: autographs or Thomas Jet-
ferson, George Washington. Robert Il
Lee. william Penn. Stonewall Jackson,
lanes A. Seldom, and other renowned men
or documents. pamphlets, and records
closely interviewer with history, arouse
the curiosity OF hundreds: while such OBJ
tects as the marriage bond OF Thomas
Jefferson; the original parole OF Lord
CORVALLIS. Yorktown, October y, IiSl'
with the autograph signature or the de-
feated English soldier; letter signed w
Lafayette; an invitation-caTd 10 the pan
given the French soldier in Richmond;
play bill Of the Richmond Theatre Tor
December &c 1911. the night Of the memo
rable fire. end other relics Of great value
greet the eyes of thousands every year.
SURRENDER OF BURGoYNE.
Quite an interesting object. which at
tracts many, is the letter from General
Gates 10 John Hancock, President Of
the Continental Congress. October IS, III.
announcing the surrender of Burgoyne.
This is an autograph 1t is undoubtedly
the original and is entirely In Gates's
own handwriting.
A COPY Of the first BIZ 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. ere among the curios'
the list of which is too long TO be re-
corded here.
The portraits in the library are chiefly
engravings. etchings. and photographs.
There are large number of them,
many being the work OF artists or
hfgh repute. Among them are portraits
of Joseph 9. Cabell, long a member or
the Virginia legislature. and Special
coadjutor Of jefferson in establishing the
University Of Virginia; Henry Clay.
William II. Cabell. Mathew Fontaine'
Maury. Robert L. Lee. Sunewall jack
son, a. Z. Hill. Black Hawk, ana two
other indian chiefs; John fletcher. Robert
w. Hughes John Penn. William ..
| Rives. William Henry Harrison, the VIC
tor OF Tippecanoe: Richard Henry Lee
Daniel Boone. Captain John Smith. Johh
| Randolph, Martha Washington. Edgar
| A. Poe. Columbus, Benjamin FRANKLIN
| Thomas Jefferson. Sir Walter Raleigh
| Jefferson Davis. and many others.
| The bust Of Jefcts0n Davis was mace
In the office Of the Confederate White
| House." in Richmond. in lS2. by Alex-
| andur Gait HIS notebook, under GATE
| of February Sth. says: Took hrst sit
| ting Of the President in his office; took
measurements OF his face" Then follow
| notes of various sittings. II was the
only bust Mr.. Davis sat for while Presi-
| dent.