Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-03
HISTORICAL PAPERS
Librarian Young Urges Removal to the Con-
gressional Library.
Archives of the Departments should
Be Examined and . COmmis-
sion LIS Suggested.

port on the Library of Congress. THE
necessities of the removal and the eX-
| IRENE care required IN the custody of the
manuscripts have thus far made it impos-
sibe to arrange the collections for the
public. The manuscript department has
been assigned TO the northeast pavilion,
| en- the first floor. This room is isolated
and therefore easily guarded. There is a
| room adjoining. to be. used by those de-
string to consult manuscripts. When the
| work of classification is complete. there
will be found in the general library many
| in portant manuscripts, which in time will
| be removed to their appropriate depart
ment. The Toner and Washingtoniana
| collections as in many respects covering
the same ground, will be placed in con-
| tiguity.
Among the manuscripts worthy of men,
\ ton, besides references in the Force col
| lection, is a package of correspondence of
| General John Sullivan of the revolution,
covering the period of 1775 to 17S3: the
minutes of the council of safety of Lam
| caster, Pa, for 1774 to 11T7: the CORE
| spordence of Henry r. Schoolcraft; lists
| Of British and Hessian prisoners lodged
| at Lancaster: some letters from President
| and Mrs. Madison. While there are many
rich deposits dealing with the colonial
times, the library is not strong in what
| pertains to modern periods, especially since
the revolution.
of the manuscript department to note par
| ticularly what pertains not alone to the
| United States, but to America in general.
Canada, Newfoundland Nova Scotia, the
| West Indies, but mere especially the coun-
tries to the south-Mexico, Central and
South America-should have special atten-
ton. The recent Venezuelan incident il
| lustrates the value of this suggestion.
Collection of Autographs.
while not pertaining TO the higher pur-
pose of Il library an autograph has an
| ever-varyng interest. A collection of au-
tographs should be one of the features
| ard to this end there might be an exhibi-
ton of letters and other documents ema-
| rating from President let us say as
We'll as from citizens of renown in various
| Spheres of attainment, which would be
| an attraction to the thousands who visit
| the library A photographed collection
| illustrative of the progress of writing from
| the earliest time and embracing available
| countries would be an acquisition. This
| Is quite as important as showing the pro-
| gress of art and painting. There is. il
| is believed, none in the United States With
the use of the sources of history and the
demand for originals. it is requisite that
rare and obsolete types Of writing should
be made decipherabe. No institution
could undertake this work with greater
advantage than the Library of Congress-
Where a manuscript is unattainabe a
| fac simie is to be desired The Declaration
| OF Independence virtually exists for read
| Jig purpose in fac sinie Such publ cate, MS
| as those of the English PaIeogra phicai So
clety and the Ecole des Charles of Paris
arc of great waite. Fac SMILES of manu-
| scripts are issued from the European Ii
braries from time to time, and these will
be sought for the library. Descriptive cata-
ioSues of manuscripts, together with gen.
eral and special works on photography, are
desirable.
In Department Archives
There is another consideration to which.
in the interest of the library, as well per-
haps as that Of other departments of the
government, your librarian would despect-
fully ask the attention of Congress. This
Is the transfer of the public archives of an
historical and not of an administrative
character. The opportunity of doing so
now, when the library is in plastic condi-
ton, should not be neglected. With little
ehort and 10 the greater convenience of
olher branches of the government our
manuscript collection, as far as American
history is concerned, would become the
richest in the world
The Department of State has the mcst
important collection of manuscript ar
cniVes. Among them papers of WASH
inSton III 30 volumes folio, Madison in 10
and Jeherson's III 137 volumes quarto The
Franklin papers are in 81 volumes and
those of Monroe in - volumes uuarto. The
hamilton papers are in III volumes folio.
FOR these the government paid $3.50. ZOO
me Department of State came into pos
session Oh the documents relating to The
revolutionary war, not because such an ar
ranSement was suitable, but because there
was no other branch of the government to
which they might go. Now that Congress
mas created department of manuscripts
this should be their destination.
The manuscript archives of the War De-
paftnent began in $500. in the record and
pension division of this department IS gath
cred large mass of inaccessible material.
covering in the main the revolutionary
period, and in consequence having interest
only because of its historical value This
consists OF muster rolls, roster and COM
pany returns. in many instances minute de-
scriptlve accounts, records of army service,
commissions and papers of similar char
aeter. The most interesting, though not the
most valuable. volumes are the oaths of
allegiance taken at Valley Forge. which
embrace the officers of the American army
from Washington down.
The manuscript archives of the Navy
Department fortunately were saved when
the department was burned by the British
in 1914. Secretary Jones reports the pres
ervation of the papers and effects, except
the furniture of the Office As in the War
department, the correspondence is ar
ranged in two groups letters received and
letters sent. An interesting series is that
known as Captains letters in $50 vol
umeS, beginning in 1865. OF nearly equal
import are the Masters commandant let
tiers. 1so4-1S3I. and the 'Commandants' let
tiers, ISIS" 1850, making 93 volumes in all
III daultiol 10 the above there Is a series of
80 volumes, beginning in 1914 AS the
business OF the department increased and
the work was distributed more systemat-
ically among its officers, new series were
eeSun. Thus the report of the African
squadron date from 1919, marine corps let
ters from lS2S and executive letters from
lSia communications from the board of
the navy commissioners form a series from
Isl! to 1872, when the board was abolished
and It's place taken by the bureaus. whose
correspondence begins at this time. Ciassi-
lled reports from cruising stations incIud-
ing the Brazil, Mediterranean. parifo
East and West Indian and home suuad,
rons' begin in the years 1S44-1S4tj. and the
navy yards reports about 1S4S OF these
the most valuable are the captains letters
beginning IN 1906, making about 35D vol,
umes, and commanders letters, from ISi,l
10 1850, about 30 volumes; miscella Moons
letters, from 1904, about 450 volumes.
In the file room of this department are
the warrants for the Lafayette grant and
the pay roll of the members of Congress
Tor the Thirteenth Congress- There is in
the ONCE of the register of the treasury an
almost complete set of books of records of
the public debt-a record of money loaned
the United States, for which bonds were
issued, from 1I76 down to the present time.
They have been classified under the differ
ent states. and have their r,rio;, ~.