Daily camera., 1897-09-20
DECLARATION DESTROYED.
The Important Document Ruined
at Chicago.
1t Was Sent to the Columbian Exposi-
ton, Where 1t was Roughly Used
Thought to Have Been Tam
pered With.

most precious document of the United
States, has been practically destroyed.
The ruined remnant of it is kept her
meticalIy sealed between glass plates
and in steel safe in the department of
state at Washington A copy, made
from copper plate in John Quincy
Adams time, is shown to the public.
1t has been asserted that the orig
inal was ruined when the copper plate
was made But officials of the state
department say this is not SO. The
document was spoiled when it was sent
to the Chicago exposition
An old resident of Washington and
an employe of the federal government
made this statement concerning the de-
struction Of the great document:
The first view l ever had of the Dec
laration of Independence was when it
was placed on public exhibition in the
library of the department of state-say
about 20 years ago-when it had been
returned from the Philadelphia centen-
nial exposition. At that time-and I
looked long and lovingly at the great
parchment-it was in a good state of
preservation-clear, legible and bold,
both the body of the paper and the sig
natures, all save few of the signatures
in the lower left hand corner. That it
was then in good readable shape, its
presence at the centennial was proof
positive, else it would not have been
placed on exhibition at that great show.
81 say it the first day of its public
exhibition in the library Of the state
department., say 20 or more years ago,
and | saw it at least once a month
more often weekly-from that time to
the day it was sent to the Columbian ex-
position at Chicago, and 1 must posi-
lively assert that it had not changed
one iota during those 20 years, but that
when it was packed for shipment to
the great city on the lake it was as
clear and legible-Hancock's glorious
sweep included-as when l saw it the
first time.
"The fact of Its being sent to Chicago
to challenge the worlds inspection is
evidence enough of it's condition. The
hundreds of thousands who saw the
great document at the exposition can
attest to its condition at that date
"On its return from Chicago and on
its being replaced in the old case in
the document, l was astonished to
note its condition. AS one of the clerks,
when speaking about it afterward,
said, it was as shriveled as wash
woman's hands. So it was; a wrinkled,
puclered piece of parchment, faded out
of all semblance of legibility. That it
created CONSERVATION among the Off
cials of the department was very appar-
ent, for all feel as though some great
calamity had befallen the land More
than the land, for the Declaration of
Independence was the true kohinoor
tfght of the world), and its destruction,
however it came about, through design
or ignorance, was worlds loss which
can never be replaced.
From the foregoing statement you
will be ready for the statement which
l now deliberately make: That, either
in Chicago, OF on the way back from
Chicago, or after its receipt at the de-
Bt'i IIiIShL VI anu DIlOi Z ~ " dS
placed in it's case in the library for pub
lie inspection, it was ta1npered with!
''By whom or for what purpose I
have not the remotest idea, but as
nearly all the people who had charge of
it in the department while it was in Chi
cago are still in the department, it
should not be impossible to fix the
blame for and to reach the cause of
its destruction-for it is now as dead as
mummy in Pyramid!
''It is nonsense to assert that this
great document should have held it's
own for so years or more, and then,
without cause, have instantly shriveled
up and faded out in the one or two days
it was left on exhibition in the depart
ment after its return from Chicago
FOR it was as suddenly withdrawn as it
was put up. The evidence of foul play
was too apparent, and hence it was
consigned to its tomb and fac-simile
put up for public worship."-N. Y.
Herald