Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-05-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. !

BRAR 1-Ihe most ASTONISHING ana IN
teresting thing in Washington now, out
side of the war, Is the new library Of
congress. A Bostonian naturally ap-
proaches this splendid national library
with determination to find 1t inferior
to the Boston public library, which he
feels bound to regard as the maximum
of achievement in that direction. The
Boston public library building looks
smaller than It is, and ii is much smaller
than the library Of congress. 1t is, how
ever, much more simple, beautiful and
distinguished. Vast as it is, the con-
gressional library is dwarfed by the
Capitol. AS an architectural picture 1t
lacks character and sympathy. Seen
from near at hand, the building seems all
steps. ItloOks like a Worlds Fair build
ing strangely out Of place; it is dsap-
pointment. Once within the poEals, the
visitor is dazzled by the splendor and
glitter Of everything. The selection Of
marbles for the wainscoting for the COR
ridors from various American states IL
periodically illustrative of our re-
sources rather than agreeable to the eye;
it increases the somewhat diffuse, scat
tered and confusing effect. One is at
once confronted by the extraordinary
lavishness Of the interior decorations in
sculptures and mural paintings. Moth
ing is here left to the judgment Of the
future. Everything is, SO to speak, done
to begin with. Magnificence. brilliancy,
brightness and exquisiteness of tone are
certainly not wanting. The splendor is
an excitement to the sense. The eye Is
soon arrested-and one is glad to have it
arrested-by the great mosaic picture Of
Minerva by Elihu Vedder. This is most
beautiful and impressive, but a little
out of tone with its surroundings. From
quickly become lost in a maze of cor
ridors, pictures, sculptures and diverse
structural decorations which it would
take book merely to catalogue. More
beautiful pictures are seen than sue
oessful decorations The pictures by
Walker in the south hall Of the entrance
pavilion, representing the youthful sub
jects of poets. are beautiful as pictures
and successful as decorations. The dec
Orations in this hall celebrate poetry,
and it Is delightful to see it's celebra.
ton here 50 memorable and salient
thing. The great reading room is a rO-
tunda. The American people as a whole
has u marked and special fondness for
domes and rotundas. A big hotel whose
Office Is "rotunda" will pay better in
Chicago or st. Louis than one whose
office is not rotunda, and however that
may be. the public taste is here gratified
by splendid rotunda devoted to a most
admirable use. The great room is sur
rounded by an astonishing array Of
sculptured figures. many of them Of a
very high order of merit. The best Of
them the gallery must be climbed to see,
except as fine, but somewhat distant
decorations. and there they can be seen
only from behind or from the sides.
Nevertheless they serve their purpose Of
decorating the reading room with dis
tinguished effect. The reading room IS
saved from utter want of resemblance
to a library by the opening into it, all
about, of alcoves whose book stocks can
be seen from the hail. Taken altogether
the congressional library is characteris-
tic of the nations vastness, lavishness,
impetuous enterprise and genius for
rapid accomplishment. 1t also repre-
sents great advance in the public taste.
The contrast between the pictures and
sculptures in the library of congress and
the Capitol is startling. One Is in diff
ferent world. The library represents the
discovery, only recently made in this
country, that party and personal politics
are not the most successful purveyOrs Of
beautiful works of art. 1t Is not public
library; but access to it's treasures Is
very easy One leaves the place with a
feeling of great satisfaction, and with
renewed encouragement regarding the
success Of the great civic experiment
which the American people are carrying
on.
AN HISTORIC DOCUMENT-Care-
full research among the archives of the
American Philosophical society of Phil
adelphia has brought to light the origi-
nal copy of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence AS written by Jefferson, in his
own handwriting, amended by the COM
mittee of which he was chairman, pre-
sented to congress June 20, 1776, and
adopted July 4. It's complete identifi-
cation was made in 1926 by John Vaughn.
then librarian of the society. who wrote
to Jefferson for that purpose. In brief
the document was presented to the So
ciety by the grandson of Richard Henry
Lee. who stated that it was sent to his
grandfather July 8, 1776. and had been
kept among the Lee family papers. Mr.
Nutr rh 10,
wrote to Mr.. Jefferson. who said that the
document as originally written by him
was amended by Franklin and Adams,
members of the committee of five, but
the amendments were trining and merely
verbal. That particular document, he
said. he still retained in his possession
He wrote out fair copy to report to
congress and another like it to send to
Lee. who had gone to Virginia because
Of the sickness of his wife. He con-
cluded his letter by saying: Il think
the document Mr.. Lee has given you
must be of great value" This is the
only copy of the last draft of the paper
made by jefferson before its presenta-
ton to congress now in existence. After
its passage he made other copies. In
all there are five complete and one par
tial copy in Jefferson's handwriting
One of these he made in 1888 and sent to
James Madison at his request, and it
Is now in the possession of the govern
ment.
ROOSEvELTS TRIBUTE TO LONG
1t is a fine parting compliment that
Theodore Roosevelt pays to the head of
the navy department. Mr.. Roosevelt
talks very little nowadays for publica-
ton, but he said recently that he wanted
TO say one thing before he severed his
connection with the department. Il
want it to be knOwn," he said. that
have never before so regretted taking
leave Of a superior officer. 1 regret
leaving Secretary Long. His high
mindedness. his fidelity to duty and his
singleness of purpose excel anything that
/ have ever seen IN any public officer
under whom I have served"
EAM0IIC VIM TNTCT CONE