Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-19
LIFE OF PETER FORCE
Librarian Spoford on the Work Of a
Great Man.
HERO IN TEE REALM OF LETTERS
Labored Increasingly to Preserve
American History.
EX-MAYOR OF WASHINGTON

1.-THE Life and Labors of Peter Force,
Mayor of Washington was the subject of
scholarly discourse by A. r. Spofford.
librarian of Congress, at the last meeting
OF the Columbia Historical Society.
THE life of such man as Peter Force,
who died in Washington at the ripe old
age of seventy-seven years, was worth
more to American letters and to human So
ciety than that of almost any forty of the
generals and other notables whose names
are blazoned on the scroll of fame" said
Mr.. Spofford. yet he was suffered to mass
away with a brief obituary notice in the
corners OF the newspap FRS, while the names
OF ignorant and presumptuous nobodies,
whom some accident had elevated into no
toriety. filled the public eye. But notoriety
Is not true fame, and the appeal continu-
ally lies from the days to the years, and
from the years to The centuries And in
the high court of the centuries, where all
the errors of the courts below are re-
Versed. the cause Of those 'unaccredited
heroes and unobtrusive workers like Peter
Force, who raise no ripple On the sea of
current history, will be adjudged, and they
VIII De elevated to place in the temple
OF tame as lofty and illustrous as the
fruits of their unpretending labors. en-
1oyed and used by mankind at large, can
justly entitle them to.
Half a Century In Washington.
Peter Force lived over half century in
Washington. having removed here in 1915
from New York. He found Washington a
struggling village of wood, and left it a
stately city of brick and marble. He filled
various public and responsible positions in
municipal affairs and national associations
ne ne was during nine years of his busy
me- editor and proprietor of daily
Journal, which enjoyed the confidence of
henry Clay and John Quincy Adams; but
1t is not as mayor of Washington, nor as
editor of political paper that he will be
best remembered. His characteristic mer-
1t, which differences him from the Ritchtes
the Duff Greens and the F. P. Blairs, who
also bore an active part in political Jour-
nallsm at the national capital, is that he
was more than a journalist-he was a his
torian.
His Early Life.
Born near Passaic Falls, n. j., on No
vember 26, 1870, his father William Force,
being one of the veterans of the revolu-
tionary war, Peter Force was by lineage,
as well as by native tastes and talent, a
worthy exponent of that branch of Amer
lean history to which he dedicated so many
years. Removed to New York in early
boyhood, he became a journeyman in the
printing office of William A. Davis, and
made such progress in the art that at six
teen he was intrusted with the direction
of the office. When the war of 1872 with
Great Britain came he served with honor
In the army as sergeant and lieutenant.
In 1915, his employer having secured a
contract for the printing of Congress, re-
moved to Washington, and Peter Force, at
twenty-five years of age, became also
resident and printer in this city, Here
he soon became known active and
public-spirited citizen, whose judgment and
ms al Urh IN
were brought into contact with him. In
the seventh year of his residence he was
elected to the city council. then to the
board of aldermen, being chosen president
of both bodies. and in 1888 he was elected
mayor of Washington, and served by re-
election four years, until 1910. Besides
thus filling with signal dignity and ability
the highest civil offices in the gift of his
fellow-citiZens. he was also honored by the
highest military office, having been made
successfully captain, lieutenant colonel,
colonel and major general in the militia of
the District of Columbia. He was also for
some years president of the National In
stitute for the Promotion Of Science.
Priceless Service.
But the great distinctive service rem
dered by Peter Force to his countrymen
was something far above TIE province of
the highest official station or military rank.
Very early in life he evinced Jealous in
terest in historical investiga tions, and four
years after coming to Washington he orig
mated and published an annual devoted to
recording the facts of history, with statis-
teal and official information of varied
character. This National Calendar and
Annals of the United States as he called
it, antedated by ten years the publication
of the old American Almanac, and was
continuously published here from 1920 to
1886. except the years 1925. '26 and u,
when none was printed. In 1873 Force
established q semi-weekly newspaper, the
National Journal which became daily
In 1924. and was continued until the year
1881. This Journal was Independent in
politics. with moderate and conservative
views on public questions, and 1t drew to
its columns some noted contributors, among
them John Quincy Adams. The high-mind-
ed conduct of this paper In doing justice
to the opponents of the administration.
orce led to a committee Of the ruling party
(Which it then supporteD waiting upon
Col. Force and asking him to permit them
to edit or to revise the political columns
with view to more thorough partisan
effect They little knew the Independent
character Of the man with whom they had
to deal. Col. Force drew himself up to his
full height Che was six feet talD, and with
that dignity of bearing which sat SO nat
urally upon him, with his clear gray eyes
fixed upon his visitors. he said: I do not
suppose that any gentleman would make
such proposition to me-
Preserving Historical Papers.
Among Mr.. FORCES publications Of
greatest value to the students of history
we're the series, in four volumes octave, of
Forces Historical Tracts. These were re-
prints Of the rarest early pamphlets con-
corning America, long out of print, and
some of which he could not procure. or
else could not afford to own, but bor-
| rowed them from libraries for the pur-
pose Of reproducing them. Whenever
said he. I found a little more money in
my purse than l absolutely needed l print
ed volume Of tracts Many of the
rarissimi Of early American history or ex-
| ploration owe to Peter Force their sole
| chance of preservation.
1.-The series of American Archives, the
great monumental work Of his life, was
published at intervals from 1887 to 1853.
| 1t embraces the period Of history from
March 7. TIA, to December, 1776, in nine
stately folio volumes, printed in double
columns. and most thoroughly indexed.
These archives constitute a thesaurus OF
, original Information about the two most
| momentous years Of the revolutionary
struggle, and especially concerning the
Declaration Of Independence. of inestimable
| value. To this work. the bold conception
\ OF his own mind, to contain nothing less
than the original fountains Of American
history. reproduced in systematic chrome
logical order. he dedicated his long and
| useful life. For 1t he assembled with