The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-22
Yor TO De OPENED FOR 100 YEARS
Mysterious Literary Treasure Deposited In the
Library Of Congress.

Library OF congress.
WARRINGTON, July "A box was deposited
IN the safe Of the Library Of Congress when
John Russell Young was Librarian, under tho
pledge that ~ contents should not be revealed
until the beginning Of the twenty-first GEN.
turv. MIR Young, so far IA can no learned.
was the only one in the library who knew what
the box contains. The name of the deposition
Ia not known To any one now connected with
the library. II il a small box weighing n few
pounds and IA supposed to contain manuscript.
Mr.. Young was at first averse to receiving such
a charge, but after considerable correspond
ence he agreed to pledge the faith oil his sue
cessors u prevent the box from being opened
until tho beginning of the twenty first century.
Its contents may be Of great interest or none.
but presumably Mr.. Young would not have
undertaken to have IL guarded Tor 100 years
and more unless there was something OF great
interest In II. n Ia supposed the papers con-
tanned are regarded as Of value to the people
c. the United States In the twentv-first Gem
tlry. Under the conditions Of the trust the
box IL to BIZ opened by the Librarian OF Congress
sny time after midnight Of Dec. 81. A. ID. 1900.
while the contents Of the box can only he
guessed at, Sufficient Information has been
obtained regarding them TO give an outline
OF their character and TO furnish assurance
that there will be some interesting reading
presented when the box II opened. A visitor
In the Congressional Library was once informed
OF the existence Of the box. He was by pro-
fession n literary man and BY instinct a de-
tscive. The thought that he must solve this
mystery 10 obtain mental relief took possess
sion Of his brain. For three DAYS he allowed
himself to be absorbed in this idea - he
vn.Aa NAA-a k.-...l - ~. h. A.
the end of that time he had reached certain con-
illusions and went To see a Trend. The second
man was an amateur scientist and phil osopher,
Possessed OF an ample fortune he devoted him
sell to the requirement % knowledge derived
from books and experiments. 20 the mag
NATIVE literary man and the cOld-biOOded han
OF science undertook to solve the prob, m.
They started a search that lasted over u wear.
The literary partner in the combine recently
told this story 10 a Sun reporter.
We agreed on many points before we set
ascertaining Is contents. First, II must CON
tain something OF great importance. or Mr..
Young would never have accepted the trust.
Second. II must have been confided to Mr..
Young by some one in whom Mr.. Young had
the greatest confidence. and for whose reasons
Tor Wishing to keep rs contents unknown for
q hundred years, Mr.. YOunI, must have had the
greatest respect. Third, IL must contain manu-
script. for It must he something Of interest
TO the library or the donor would have been
invited 10 90 else whore, a., for Instance. II IL
had been money or jewels, it would nave been
placed in the treasury under similar cond ions.
If II had been a relic or relies there would have
been no necessity for keeping II secret IL
weighed only a few pounds. Everything went
TO show that II was manuscript.
IT was suggested that II might have been
MarkT vain impressions of European monarchS
which he has threatened to leave for the people
Of the twenty-trst century. But this was
easily rejected on the ground that the box
the suggestion. The United states Secret
Service was appealed 10 Tor Information
as TO the box, and a. TO the post.
bility that il might contain the history "
some unrsvealed crime. The archives Of the
STATE Department were consulted, the library
searched Tor any account OF, 9 manuscript
answering our ideas. which might have been
known but never published; brides were offered
to employees of the library for scraps of IN
formation relating to the box Legislators.
statesmen and warriors were interviewed;
but all in vain. We canne back alway- Ia the
fact that We must search for a manuscript
whose importance justified its being taken
In trust by Librarian Young. containing matter
OF interest to our great grandchildren. too
important, probably too dangerous To be- re-
veaIrd a, present. and donated to the Library
OF Congress by some one whose 81, landing must
have been unImp+aChabie.
"On this foundation We buiN 1t took "A year
OF work during which acted A. the legs and
my friend ~ ia" brains of the combination.
visited and searched. while he remained at
home. examined the results and Thought. How
We found 1t We are not prepared toteii At present.
especially n II was largely the result OF an
accident, but here i the story.
AT IA dinner table in Washington one evening
about seven wears ago there were seated a
number of gentlemen. The host, whom we
must designate nS Mr.. y. had been in public
life for many years, lie had sal IN both branches
OF Congress, had been n member of the Cabinet
and had even had higher aspirations. With
him were. among Others, a well-known state--
man. a diplomat Of more than usual ability.
q member OF the Cabinet and several senators:
While not altogether a political dinner II had
that comuleNion, especially in view II the ruruurs
Of the hosts desire 10 become ,hie' Magistrate
OF the nation.
Daring He evening the conversation turned
on the most suitable recreation for msn who
worked with lheir. brains, especially men in
public life. The diplomat confessed that he
and indoor in fencing. The Latter sport, he
declared. was the proper relaxation for men
whose muscles were in danger Of becoming
set. For mental recreation h" preferred firt-
Ing 10 an, thing more eAhalSting. His candor
was greeted with uproarlous laughter
The statesman said that for exercise lie
version he devoted himself TO astronomy and
occasionally 10 yorSifyinr. The. Secretary
found mental relief in PLAYING u peculiar sort
of chess. where the Lap. at Eurufo took the
place Of the ch">s-bonrd, Nh" kui@h's We're
warriors. The castles iuriceS-as. the bishops
the romml-~arS and hospital der artmelt-.
after several more had advanced th"ir idrHs
Of the proper way - r,lax their mind. and
bodies II Wa suggested that Mr.. y VA, Vet 70
be- heard.
~ lear you will laugh at me. he said, smil-
inglv. when | tell Won Of nv pot hobby. | don't
believe have ever mentioned it before. You
all know that ] have spent come forty wears
OF my life in public service. During that time
| have found IL Necessary 10 study the course
Of nations from Il sOmew hat philosophical
standpoint. The true way Ia nudge of nations
is to examine them criticall'. not with OUR
judgments influenced 10y our passions and our
personal Interests. but a. though the events
with which We are concerned had happened
a century ago and nothing W. could do could
alter the trend al events. In other words,
ately Ia weigh the influence something we
are contemplating doing will have on our
selves and the world al large, W. must isolate
and insulate ourselves and view II with the
calm and dispassiOnate mind of the impartial
historian.
" IL has been the object of nv life TO perfect
myself in that art. During my career in Con-
gress and while | sat in the Cabinet | had many
occasions when was called upon to deInOr-
strata my theory. and II often worked out to
NV entire satisfaction. ! have had many
opportunities. IA ION know. TO obtain infor-
nation denied to less fortunate individuals.
and have amused my self by digesting the I'M
sibls, for the past forty Years
Although Mr.. \ had ALREADY given to the
world some interesting "reminiscences, no one
had ever expected that he had been engaged
In preparing a history. largely II was suspected
from documents and personal knowledge
which he alone Possessed,
" And do yo, intend 10 publish this Interest,"
ing volume. Monsieur N?inquired the diplomat.
THAT cannot answer ut present he re-
Piled. There are many things 10 be- con-
sidered. A public man must guard his per
sonal knowledge of his political and social
associates with the greatest care; BY pub
fishing such matter duriug his lifetime he may
n,aL. fmr himself pDuprfuI enemies where Ina