The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-18

will, Of this time and country speaking
II the man of hundred years hence.
They could then weigh the facts / have
collected In regard to the unwritten his
tory of this country, our secret under
standings with other Governments, the
arimus behind the assassination of Gar
field, the true causes which led up to the
Civil War. and other matters, and per-
hips they might derive considerable in
formation concerning events which other
wise must pass as they are accepted by
today. Again, they might amuse them
SELVES by comparing things as they will
be then with things as / imagine they
viii be, and should my prophecies be any
way near correct, L may possibly-who
knows derive some manner of post
mcrtem satisfaction
THE dinner party broke up shortly aft
leIward, and in the rush of succeeding
eN ents the members of the party soon for
got the discussion of that evening. 1t
was recalled to the mind of one of them,
d Senator, some years later. when he was
suddenly summoned to the bedside of Mr..
y. After reviewing his statements on
that occasion, Mr.. Y said: Now, John,
lyoL know 1 have the greatest confidence
in you. I have completed the work on
which 1 was engaged, and 1 have deter
mined how / will dispose of it. i want
you to take charge of it and keep 1t as
llong as you can, and, when you feel you
are about to join beyond, pass the
trust to some one else. Deposit 1t in a
bank, with trust company or univer-
sity. or some other institution reasonably
icertain to exist a hundred years, but
with the stipulation that 1t must not be
opened until after the close of the twen-
teth century. BY that time / believe all
possible damage which might happen in
case IL We're made public will have van
ished and no one can be harmed by the
publication CT my memoirs. 1t is possible
of course, they may attract no attention
whatever. They may even never see print
but remain in manuscript form or be
thrown away as rubbish My name may
! leven be forgotten entirely, and certainly
. If remembered, 1t will be more probably
Jas a disappointed politician than as 6
once honored and popular statesman. 81
, that as it may. however, it is my reques
; that you crafty what you may call M
whim, and promise me this manuscript
will never leave your hands until its safe
ty for the period set is assured
THE Senator gave the promise as re
qrested and accepted the trust. For sew
elal years he kept it in his home in Wash
ington. He had often pondered over tn
difficulty OF insuring its careful preserva
ton. After considering the matter deep
Il, he was about to decide on giving 1t II
charge of Harvard University, the oldes
in the country and one as likely to b
standing N 1000 as in 1901. About tina
time, however, he was impressed with tn
inagnificence and stability Oh the new
Congressional Library and the impress
SION that here above all others was tn
proper repository for this precious docu
mont He was growing old and coul
hope to live only few years longer a
| the best and the sooner he found sal
place for Ii the better. He had ~etire
from public life, but he knew a. ibra
rian, Mr.. John Russell Young, wei
So he made the request. 1t wa "s9fet
as you are aware, and there, IN - sal
OF the Librarian of Congress, re-ts t.
hox with its contents. Even the u:e q VIII
deposited 1t knew not its contents frrtht
l han the general idea have given. v ne
| in bis possession he respected his =; nd
l v.shes and refrained from opening IL, an
l when it passed into the custody of nj
| Young IL was placed beyond the reach
] even the man who deposited it. Undt
4 the conditions of the gift no one. not eve
he. is to be permitted to open the bo
except the Librarian of Congress.
you would like to ekthe donor, yc
say? Why, to be sure. he Is still aliv
although quite old. 1t was from hi
heard this story. I cannot give you h
rame. That is a little secret of our ow
l It would not do to give all the informs
tion we procured to the public. Then tbs
would know as much IS we do
The box reposes peacefully on shelf
, the library safe.