New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-14
RARE OLD DOCUMENTS.
THE EMMETT COLLECTION RECENTLY
GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
VALUABLE MANUSCRIPTS CAREFULLY COMPILED
WITH HISTORICAL vOLUMEs-THE MuNlFi-

VALUABLE MANUSCRIPTS CAREFULLY COMPLIED
WITH HISTORICAL voLUMEs-THE MUNIFI-
CENT GIFT OF JOHN s. KENNEDY.
N tho rift Of the Thomas Adds Emmett collec-
ton of books and manuscripts on carry NH-''
h,.,orv tho New-York Public Library has just
o,,rad q nossession of extraordinary interest ana
raIue due to the generosity OF John .. he"neuS'
one OF the trustees who bought the cohecuon ~ ',
pr Emmett and presented IT 10 the new consoi-oa'eu
,,hrarv II was removed on Thursday Ho" It's
.a or,ner,s house TO the Lenox Library. where
:, u,ul remain until the proposed new puiiulhs -
| o,etod The amount paid by Mr. Kennedy io'
tho collection is not publicly stated. but IL Is Do
lsved n be In the neighborhood OF sloo'V'o
| Dr Thomas Adds Emmot IL a great-nephe" u
tho irish patriot Robert Emmett He was born IN
1903 and beginning when a mere boy 70 in'o'ee'
! hi,,seIf IN American history. he has made the no"
fsmous collection a lifetime occupation ana piea'
IRE The materials Of which 1t Is composer nov
been gathered from innumerable sources oo"e VI
the volumes were presented to Dr. Emi"e' W
! friends interested In his work. The great mass
| ,.,, NOR. purchased by him at various sales
=, h,s,or,cal relics and the cost OF coveted letter
or public document was never consinered' il nc
desired 1t for his collection The haif-cehtury u
research has been the means OF accumuaths
nearly six thousand pieces 80
Several reasons induced DR.. Emmett to part VIII"
] ,o ,ihrorv He was anxious, above all. that when
Il left his possession 1t should be Kept intact anu
not scattered among different owners Inc uesro
of Mr. Kennedy to secure 1t Tor the lily A1ioi "''
furnished an opportunity to Insure this result ie"
DIR Emmett was constantly aware OF the rish oi
keeping so valuable collection in an ordinary PR
| yato house and the dangers from fire and thett
were an cvcr-present source OF worry 10 MIN Anu
lastly which proves how celebrated inc ooie0.
had hacome the doctor was annoyed by the ire
ouencv of visits from people VINO oesBeu pei
mission to look over the rare volumes
SOME VALUABLE MANUSCRIPTS.
No attempt at description Of the Emmett Library
"a {, will always be known. can give more IMAM the
r,,.s, outline Of Its contents. The most precious
or,,ons are the original manuscript letters ana
o,hcr documents of every public man. almost "'''
On, exception. who was concerned III ''e ''.
,bis country between the time OF the stamp Ao'
,-e, and the close OF Washingtons ADMINISTRATORS
rho plan on which the larger WORKS nave Dee"
oo,,nil,d IL one which has been adopted oy othci
| historians but which has here been cart'e' ou'
with unusual completeness ana detd" fo' 80
ner,od 10 be treated some well,fnowh s'"'ua'u
r,, has been used as a basis. This has been taken
snart and each leaf arranged In the centre oi
n couo mage Portraits OF important persons
n,,o,ed IN the book autograph letters OF each'
/ and any authentic Information when cou.d De sA'"-
e,,d regarding them have been added 10 '''e .,o'e
condeu sed account given in the original WORN. ie'e
arr. All inserted on separate leaves 40 that MS
i
,x,ordea ., a large number OF folio Volumes
AN AMBITIOUS COMPILATION.
o -, tho mos, ambitious compilations OF me
,,,oc,,or "a an enlargement o, "sandersons BioS
raphy OF tn Signers OF the Declaration % me
.rd.-,a " a. that II fills twenty huge volumes III
~, t,verv,hng which could possibly be procured
,,t,,, ., tho Declaration Itself and the men VINO
rx.d ,heir names 10 Il has been brought tosrlhe''
rn ,e,,crs and old portraits the most interest
, contributions There IS. besides this twenty
,.oiur. work another bearing the same IKE Ou'
.,,e,s,,nc OF only one volume. II Is distinguished
90 ",h. hos, set" and contains a portrait OF each
s.,,or With the one important document
mitch .oula he found concerning him. lnrorporateu
m .ns hook - a draft Of the Declaration IN IhoiHds
r1or.on's handwriting 1t IS the original second
co,y made by him when the first. now In Washing
ton had been marred by erasures ana changes III
tho wording Il seems strange tina, this paper
should NJ, have found place In the Government
records with the first copy and the engrossed one
bu, IL is only a single instance among many where
Dr. Ernrnct secured for his collection papers OF Ma
tonal Importance.
The Biographies Of Washington and the Generals
tho 'Sgncrs I'm pan. and OF fully as nuch peculiar
Interest. Il Is IN eight volumes Many newspspssrs
OF period giving accounts OF tne e'en's %. ',S
I'm. \ew-Jersay Gazette OF september 70, l.oi
and az "The Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Al
vertiser Of several different dates from lis 10 l'o
Thor. are quaint Old engravings some OF them COZ
ored representing battle scenes ana .ocdteS niaue
famous by the war.
LETTERS OF WASHINGTON.
Scattered through the various works OF the col
I.c,ion are many autograph letters Of Washington
hiring an ttib,lc and private affairs. one COM