Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-24
Information About Lon

There is in the Office of the register of
the treasury an almost complete set of
books of records of the public debt-a rec
ord of money leaned the United States,
for which bonds were issued, from 1716
down to the present time. They have
been classified under the different states
and have their origin in the assumption of
the state debts by the United States at
the close of the revolution. Among these
volumes is the first account book of the
treasury, and is labeled Waste book"
1tl6. 1t contains record of all moneys
disbursed by the Continental Congress to
different individuals. This is probably the
most valuable book. from a historical
standpoint, that the Treasury Department
possesses.
"Of other records in this city, besides
those already described, there are in the
office of the clerk of the Supreme Court
the records of that tribunal from it's or
ganization i'll February, 1870, to the pres
ent time.
In the same office are the original pa
perS III 129 cases which were brought be-
fore the courts of admiralty established
before the several state legislatures, agree
ably to the resolutions of Congress, No
vember p, 1713, and January 80, 1777. The
docketing dates of these cases range from
117G to 1874. These records contain, in
many instances, the original letters of
marque in case of the capture of a pri-
vateer, and such evidence as to the char
and circumstances of the voyage as were
necessary to determine whether she was
a lawful prize.
ION January IA. 1850, a resolution estab-
nsnlng court of appeals was adopted.
Originally, under the articles of confed-
GRAFTON. appeals in prize cases were taken
from the state court direct to Congress-
BY the statute of May 8, 1882 the records
and proceedings Of this court of appeals
were given into the custody of the office
OF the Supreme Court of the United States
me records and manuscripts in most
OF the other departments and offices be-
long generally to the period since those
departments were established There are
in the Indian bureau, in the Department
of the Interior, some collections relating
TO the history of the Indian tribes before
the revolution. made by Jedediah Morse
The Post Office Department, with some
slight exceptions, has the records of the
national postal system from it's orranf-
Zation by DIR. Franklin in 1775 The reg
istry OF deeds of the District of Columbia
mas the documents and surveys of the
original laying out of the city of WASH
lngton, with many unpublished letters Of
George Washington.
Reason for Removal.
The main argument in favor Of the re-
moval of the histori al archives of the
government to the library is that this is
the only branch of the government with a
special fire-proof department for the care
OF manuscripts. Access to these priceless
treasures. which belong to the people OF
the country. and many of which have beer,
dearly purchased with their money, is un-
der present circumstances denied In ne
one OF the departments or buildings where
they are Is there adequate provisions fol
scholars and students to consult the manu-
scripts Where any privileges at all are
accorded. students must do their work al
such time and in such manner as does not
interfere with the departmental work.
Access to these documents is, therefore
not obtained by right, but by grace OF the
heads of the departments.
Moreover, while the privilege of consult.
Ing mapuscripts at the State and other de.