The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-20

fairs was purchased by Congress and IS
now an important portion Of the Congress,
sional Library Col Force was one Of
the early settlers of Washington. re
came here as early as isl2. and vas for
years the editor and puhllsher OF an In
iuential Journal. which became the organ
OF the John Quincy Adams administration.
lie was elected mayor OF the city for sey-
eTai terms. but devoted nSgrly his whole
life 10 the collection of books and pamph-
lets relating 70 America and its Giscog-
cry, through It's colonial period. % the
Revolutionary War. aad the early history
OF she government. The collection wus a
very large one. and was remarkably per-
feet. Col Force having ransackod the IL
brariss Of Europe TO complete his wonder
ful collection. lie had among other rare
pamphlets the Matthews Pamphlet" as
IL was called, containing serious charges
against the Father OF his County Mat.
thews was the royalist mayor of New
York, and with his accomplice, female,
was removed from oiiiCe and banished 10
so many miles above tide water" Il also
contained the celebrated letter OF Alex
apder Hamilton exposing The attempt 20
blackmail him while Secretary of the
Treasury. This library was for years con-
tanned in small two-story building on
the corner OF Tenth and u streets. There
was no citizen OF Washington more widely
known than Col Force. and I'm connection
with this collection he obtained a natioaal
lame. As the collection increased Il OUT
grew the small buildins In which Col.
Force commenced his library and over
flowed into other buildings erected for the
purpose OF containing the very large coll
lection which eventually became the prop
erty Of the government.
Considering how perishabie are all hu-
| nan works. II is surprising how Iong-lived
are booFs. They outlivc empires and dy-
nasties and the very edinces erected for
tEeiC protection. They are more enduriaS
than marble or bronze, and in the great
collections formed in this country are TO
be found rare books and manuscripts that
have deted the destroying hand OF time.
All books published on America or per.
tanning 10 America are 20 be found in
| the LenOx Library. New York. the varj-
Gus editions in Spanish. Portuguese,
Dutch. Italian, French. Latin, and Eng
lish. In securing these rare volumes.
Mr. Lenox displayed his knowledge Of tia
books he was purchasing and which for
years he was engaged in collecting.
Another of the Institutions which have
| been swept away in the march Of i'm
prOvement. and which was a fayOrite re-
| sort of the book lovers Of its day. was
the old Washington Library, on Eleventh
street opposite Carusi's saloon. l an
not prepared to say what caused the dis
persion of its books, but after many years
of existence 1t passed Gway. Ny inquiries
some years ago were answered by a rela-
! tive of a gentleman who took great inter-
| est In it for a number Of years / was
| informed by him that the books had been
| transferred 20 the Young Mems Christian
Association, then on New York Avenue.
| This valued institution, the first and only
Cre for many years IN Washington, de-
serves a more extended notice than | arm
prepared TO give it at this time.
JOHN +. COYLE.