The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-05
CONGRESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Begun and held at the city of
New York, on Wednesday, the
Fourth Of March, one thousand
seven hu .dred and eighty nine.

seven nu AQreO ana eiSnly -nlHe'
................ ...''''''''
Then follows the reason for the max
ing and sending of these parchments to
the thirteen States:
saThe conventions Of a number of these
States having at the time of their adopt
ing the Constitution expressed a desire,
in order to prevent misconstruction or
abuse of it's powers, that further declar-
atory and restrictive clauses should be
added; and uas extending the grounds of
public confidence in the Government will
best insure the benefcent ends Of its in
stitution,
ssResolved, BY the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America, in Congress assembled, two
thirds of both houses concurring, That
the following articles be proposed to the
Legislatures Of the several States as
amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, all, or any of which ar
ticles, when ratified by three-fourths or
the State Legislators, to be valid to all
intents and purposes as part of the said
Constitution. WIZ (Here follow the
twelve amendmeDts.)
The parchment bears the following
autograph signatures: Frederick Au-
gustus Muhlenberg, Speaker of the
House of Representatives; John Adams,
Vice President of the United States and
president of the Senate. Attest: John
Beckley, clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives; Sam A. Otis, secretary of the
Senate"
This document belong to Charles A.
Shotwell. Explaining how 1t came into
L. II. su;p of
Troy. o., at the close of the war, thirty
two years ago. l got It from soldier
in an Ohio regiment. ] believe it cost
me SIS. He took it from the State House
at Raleigh, N. c., when that place was
pillaged by Sherman's army.
The attention of DR.. Cyrus Thompson,
| Secretary OF State, was called to the ar
ticle and he at once entered into cores
pcndence with the Secretary Of State Of
Indiana, with a view to a recovery OF the
lost document He also wrote to the
editor of the Indianapolis News, as fol-
lows:
Department Of State,
Raleigh, N. O., Sept. 25, 1897.
The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis,
Ind:
Gentlemen-A prominent citizen of the
State of North Carolina sent me on yes
terday the Enclosed newspaper clipping.
II the facts set forth in the same are
true, the parchment is evidently the
property of the State OF North Carolina,
and ought to be returned to this depart
2 ment.
A similar clipping was sent to me some
time last spring by the Hon. Walter
Clark. of the Supreme Court Of North
Carolina. at whose instance l wrote to
the Secretary Of the State of Indiana.
To the letter, however, received no re-
ply.
trust may trespass so far upon your
Kindness as to ask you to write to me
whether the facts set forth in the clip
ming are true, in order that l may, if
possible, secure the return of the docu-
ment to this department.; and l shall be
verv much obliged. Very respectfully,
CYRUS THOMPSON,
Secretary of State.
Referring to this letter the Indianapo-
lis News of October list, says:
"Mr. Shotwell was asked yesterday il
he intended to return the document to
the authorities Of North aCrolina. lie
seemed averse to committing himself to
any definite statement as to his inten-
lions. and said that it was his property,
valuable to him as a relic and souvenir
of the war, and that he certainly would
not give it up on any demand no mat
fer from whom such demand might
come"
The Secretary of State of Indiana has
also made reply to DIR. Thompson, writ
ing very much in the same strain, as
follows:
Department of State,
indianapolis. Ind, Sept 30, 1897.
Hon. Cyrus Thompson, Secretary OF
State. Raleigh. n. c.:
Dear Sir-Since my letter of yester-
dav L have seen Mr.. Charles A. Shot
well, an.i have had long conversation
with him with reference to the enrolled
copy of the amendments to the Consti-
tuition submitted to the thirteen original
States in 1889. / also saw the docu-
ment and it gives every evidence in the
world. upon casual observation, of be-
ing genuine Mr.. Shotwell repeated to
me practically the same account as pub
Iished. of his coming into possession OF
the document. He says that he was
personally acquainted with the soldier
from whom he bought the document be-
fore he went into the war and afterward
until his death. He says the soldier was
an honorable gentleman whose integrity
could not be called in question, and thai
the soldier told him that he. and others
took the document and other articles
from the State House at Raleigh Al
souvenirs of that occasion. Mr.. Shot
well says to me that he has some reason
- believe that the dacumen. Isl not I'll
one containing the Nmehf mShts whic
were finally adopted. u Hin suspicion
chat copy Of the amendments wer
sent North Carolina, which was discov
cred to be imperfect, and that anothe
copy was substituted in its place 1T
Gays this inference is drawn from tn
fact that by comparison of the wordn
of the amendments in the document wit
the wording Of the amendments as the
now appear in the published Constitr
tion. ne finds some slight differences. Fl
saws that he has already set on foot II
yestigation by which comparison will b
made Of the wording OF the documer
which he has with the wording Of tn
s. nf fha nfhar n