New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-13
A HISTORIC PEN.

| In q matter or historic Importance III ID wen
to start with clear understanding OF the facts.
| A great deal of trouble has been caused In the
! past by the failure CT heroes to plant monu-
ments at the time on the exact locations or thelr
heroic deeds. II Homer on the day OF his Dlr'h
had taken pains to tack up tablet on the wall oi
his mothers house, he might Eave prevented mat
world-long quarrel as TO the place of his natiV-
ity which has gone so far that some even dOuol
il he was born at alas though he could nave
lived without having been born The aspiring
youth that fired the Ephesan dome took care
to have the reporters present and so outiiVes
In fame the pIous fool that raised 1t. Noah lett
no stone on Ararat to mark his landing, so there
are some who doubt his whole story. AT the
tragic moment when Darnleys blood was poured
out on the floor of IIoyrood no chemist was
present 10 make affidavit to the nature OF the
corpuscles, and though the stains remain, thcre
be sceptics who say they are only ink. Our
ancestors have been exceedingly neglected. In
leaving us contemporary records properly at
tested. We owe it 10 pos;erity that our raw
material be better kept, and that the AUTHENTICITY
OF the relics we hand down to them be proved
by proper guarantees. We should not wish our
children to guard and weep over ,rappngs or
doubtful legitimacy
Therefore there Is reason for special concern
lest some confusion arise about the ever-to-be-
remembered implement with which Governor
Morton ordained chaos around Ncw-YOrk Bay,
since his Prcsidency-aspiring signature OF de-
strlction will outlive in fame that OF many plOls
workers on the halfraised structure OF GOOD
government The pen which signed this Hero
sratic name Is to go to the Manhattan Eye and
Ear Hospital, and by it be put up to the com
petition Of the museums OF the world. Whether
the Vatican, the Metropolitan or the British
shall get the priceless pen, 1t Is extremely i'm
portant that nobody shall ever be able 10 say,
with color Of reason: This Is not the historic
article" So 1t is with considerable anxiety that
notice among our contemporary current his
torians irTeconcllble differences as to the
structure and appearance OF this simple but
mighty instrument. Two enterprsing journals
publish pictures of IT, In one ii Is exhibited as
a large fountain-pen tapering at the end, with
the rubber barrel partly covered with zgzag
carving, and adorned with two bands of chased
gold. The other represents 1t as fountain-pen
straight and smooth from end to end and with
blunt top without gold band or carving or
taper but simple and transformations as lead
pencil The accuracy Of this picture Is attested
by its being shown IA the Governors hand, the
reporter with wise forethought apparently hay
Ing taken 4 camera with him into the Executive
Chamber when the act was about to be signed
This ought TO settle the question. Yet II Is to
he feared that the antiquarian q century hence
VIII be puzzled when he encounters these files.
In both he will read that the pen had gold bands
and SO will he inclined 10 accept the picture
showing those bands and believe in the pen
among the claimants which corresponds To the
picture. But then in the other paper-wh.ch has
an equal reputation for yeracity-he will see the
plain pcn grlsped firmly In the fingers OF the
Governor a picture Of unquestionable accuracy,
for II was taken on the spot. The wellroundcd
taper fingers Of a man in the prime of lie hold
ing the pen according 10 the best teaching of the
writing master. the neatly man.curcd nails, the
deep Gun, the edge Of the coat sleeve, are all
there To convince and To cOnfound. The museum
with the plain pen will have "A case. and the
Identity Of Junius and Of the Man Of the Iron
Mask will become dead ISSUES in the face OF the
contest that must rage over the true Morton pen.
Something must b. done. The Governor. with
true historic insight, saved pen and took meas
urcs for the reporters TO have a description Of
II, fac-simile Of his signature and picture
Of the Executive hand in the process OF cXecut-
Ing Brooklyn. But now an unforeseen catastrO-
phc occurs. and two pens are hcraldcd as genuine.
With such precautions II would seem that the
historians might agree Indeed. they must agree.
Let them get together and decide on a really
truly picture TO which the hospitals relic shall
be made 10 conform. Or failing in that, let "A
commission be appointed T. prescribe an official
Morton pen. Ii Is OF the utmost importance that
the question De solved now. Think what il
would mean for some future descendant OF the
Old Brookynltcs. who comes TO weep over the
symbol Of his homes undoing. to have his feel
ings outraged 10y awful doubts about that over
which he wcpt. II l. to he remembered that
Harold lost the Confessors crown through the
oath he took unwittingly upon the holy relies,
and that he must have won his just cause ut
Hastings had he been able 10 impelch their
authenticity. Suppose some future Governor
should be able TO disregard with impunity his
Oaths to Mr. Plat because Of controversies about
the truth or falsity of the sacred Morton emblem
Of obedience, which from this Is 10 he the
proud badge Of the select few by whom Mr. |
Plat has never been betrayed. Better war and
pcstilence than turmoil and trouble" such as
that would make. Let an understanding be
reached at once Let there be no William Pat
terson questions about the Morton pen. Let IL |
clothed ON with truth go rolling down the ages
telling TO other days than ours that there were |
once independent communities of freemen at the |
mouth OF the Hudson. but that by that token
they exist no more
THE SPANISH POLICY