Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-19

trip abroad, rs II shows how 10 obtain a
passport. the blank forms OF application are
all shown filled out. so that no mistake need
be made, and numerous letters are shown
showing the common errors committed by
people who have applied for passports.
These errors are so numerous that 1t has
become necessary to use printed forms in
corresponding with applicants concerning
them. There are three forms OF passports,
one issued to n citizen OF the United States.
one to an officer Of the government travel
ing abroad on official business and the last
is issued to foreign officials travelling in the
United States. 1t is this class OF passports
that is issued to foreign ministers when
they are requested to leave the United
States, OF are, as the term is, given their
passports" II is similar to the one given
to Senior Don Enrique Dupuy de LONE, who
was recently minister of Spain at Wash
ington.
The Bureau OF Rolls and Library has
charge Of the original laws of the United
States and OF their FORMULATION. In olden
times the laws used to be entirely engrossed
and were written on large, uneven sheets of
parchment; in later years the size was made
uniform and the stereotype heading was
printed on, leaving only the body of the
law 10 DC tnBTOSstu, Dul nOM u htiiS io"
is printed. This change has been the
means OF a great saving OF time and money
and fewer errors occur. Many errors used
to be made by the ensrossing clerks toward
the end Of the session, when they were
rushed day and night. and they often used
10 slip through and become laws. Once, not
long ago. in an appropriation bill for a
certain department, where the bill carried
an appropriation for $500, 900, the clerk left
out, Inadvertently, the word hundred and
the bill became a law, appropriatins only
SO, 900 for the purpose and causing a years
delay, as congress had adjourned. On an
other occasion in engrossing a private bill
the clerk wrote ten instead of "one" and
the bill passed giving the man $4,000, when
he should have had but $1,000. He never
got but 1000, though, as the Department
of State discovered the error when 1t came
10 proof read the laws and notified the
Treasury department. Since printing has
been adopted but very few errors occur.
pnnish War Declarations.
One of the laws, exhibited to show the
different forms which have been used, is
signed by Charles +. Henderson as presl-
dent of the senate pro tempo. Under this
bureau is exhibited the Joint resolution au-
thorizing the president of the United States
to declare war against SPAIN 1t Is an in
nocent looking paper, but has cost millions
Of dollars already, and goodness only knows
how many millions it will cost us before
it is all over, but we wouldn't take it back at
any price.
The relics shown are of the utmost inter
est. There is Washington's sword and belt
the latter is almost worn out. 1t shows
it's age badly, is bleached out and crumbling
away, and though it receives the most care
r., .-itt IA ,o, not ,.l,,rn ,,,,ph 1nnon.
The sword was probably the first one owned
by George Washington and it was used by
him in his early youth in the seven years
war, and afterward throughout the war for
our independence. Washington owned many
swords which were presented to him after
the revolution-they can be found in almost
any collection of Washington relics, but this
sword is the one he used constantly. Think
of Boston and the Washington Elm, Valley
Forge and Trenton as you look reverently
on this priceless relic of the Father of His
Country. 1t was presented to the United
States by Samuel T. Washington, to whom
Washington bequeathed it, and accepted by
congress in a Joint resolution in 1912. A
copy of this resolution is also on exhibition.
Washington's eyeglasses, given by him to
Lafayette, and presented to the United
States by Count Octave d'Assailly, the great
grandson of Lafayette, are interesting and
peculiar. Washington's letters to congress
are shown, at least, one volume of them is.
There are 152 of them altogether. This is
No. XI, and contains his letter to congress
resigning his commission as general of the
army, and many other interesting papers.
The most conspicuous figure in the ex-
hibit is a small statuette of Washington,
which has quite a history. 1t is by Baron
Marchette, from the original study and
model by his master, NJ. Hondon, of Paris,
17S5-9O, for an equestrian statue, which, ac-
cording to Thomas Jefferson, then United
States minister to France, was sent to Amer
lea with the expectation of receiving an or
der from the congress of the United States
to have 1t cast in bronze. Unfortunately
the model was destroyed by fire in Wash
ington, thus leaving this statuette the only
survivor. 1t was presented to the United
States at the time of the Worlds
! exposition by the Rt. Hon. George Young of
Edinburgh, Scotland. In the same case with
the Washington relics are some of Benjamin
l Franklin. A long black thorn staff or cane,
much too long for use today. when men bend
their elbows in using walking sticks. In
olden times the arm was swung around to
the side. without bending the elbow and n
much longer stick was used. This staff was
bequeathed by Franklin to Washington and
on the latter's death Samuel T. Washing
l ton fell heir to it. He presented it to
; the United States at the same time
3 he gave Washington's sword and it
5 was accepted by the resolution heretofore
mentioned. Franklin's writings are in this
case. 1t will be remembered on looking al
-, these that the Daughters of the American
1 Revolution biackballed some OF Franklin's
4 collateral heirs who had applied for mem
bership in that organization, because, they
said, HE was not a gentleman / cannot
agree with them. In reading his writings he
u shows every evidence Of being. not only
4 genteel, but a thorough man of the world
5 though ! must admit his writings at times
are a bit spicy.
Thomas JeTersOn's Desk.
In the next case is a little writing desk
. with the inscription "Jefferson's Desk ant
l II you take the troutte to read further yor
= will find that this isfhe desk upon which