The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-02-23


PRESIDENT JAcKsoN's MAUsoLEUM.
the constitution the president OF the
United States cannot receive personal
gifts or decorations from any foreign
nation or pOtentate. Therefore the
presents which have been made TO our
presidents by other nations. when re-
ceived In the country. have been turn
ed over TO the government and usually
assigned places either In the National
museum or other governmental institu-
lions. A variation from this rule was
made In the case Of President Harri-
son. In the Columbian year two med
ais. one from Brazil and one from
Spain, were sent personally TO Presi-
dent Harrison. Congress passed II spe-
cial law allowing him To retain posses
sion or them when he left the White
House
At the time OF his tour around the
world General Grant was made the re-
clpient OF many valuable gifts; but. as
he was not at that time president OF
the United States, OF course the con-
stitutionAl regulation was not a bar TO
their acceptance. George Washington
also received many presents from for
elgners after his retirement from the
presidency.
COnccdedly the most important and
costliest gift ever made To the nation
was the Bartholdi statue Of Liberty,
but stored away In the corners OF
WashingtOn's public buildings are
many rich AMI splendid objects de YER
III with which other countries, and
especially the oriental states. have seen
lit To honor us.
One or the first presents made 10
America OF which we have n history
was n large and deliberately decorated
silver cup. hearing the coat Of arms OF
the house OF Brunswick. Ii was pre-
scented by George | 10 the Virginia
house OF burgesses, where IL was used
as II mace until the Revolutionary war;
after which IL passed through several
families and finally into the hands OF
tile Colonial Danes. Icy whom IL was
deposited In the National museum.
Probably the most extraordinary gift
ever made TO the United States Is the
sarcophagus sent 10y the sultan Of
Turkey To President Jackson. The
tomb Is OF carved marble ana Is very
ancient. dating back To the dynasty OF
Saleucida. This dynasty WAS found
eel In Syria after the AlcXandrian CON
quest OF NicatOr. son Of Antiuchus,
one of AleXander's generals. The era
of Seleucidr In chronology is conSid-
cred AS beginning in BIZ Il. {. ana end
ing with the reign Of Epiphanrs In l6l
Il. 4. The sultan In rendering this
gift To President Jackson specified that
IL was To receive his body after death.
The president was naturally somewhat
surprised, but in his response made one
OF the most deliciously tactful speeches
In history, in which he said, "A hum
Bile representative ~ a democratic PEG
pie is utterly unworthy To lie in the
sepulcher Of king. and | would fam
content myself with a less ostentatiOus
burial place among my fellow country
men," The sarcuphagus became the
property OF the government
May l. 1910. the ship Sultana arrived
I'm New York harbor. She WAS the first
ship to visit this country from MCscat,
and In honor OF the event she bore from
his hlghness sud said. the imam OF
Muscat, TO his eNcelleucy Martin Van
Buren,, president Of the United States,
friendly greeting and the following ar
ticles as presents 10 the country: Two
Arab steeds or famous breed. Il bril-
liant gold mounted iaVclin, Il string OF
$50 pearls, two single pearls Of large
size ana great price, bottle OF altar
or roses, a bale of four cashmere
shawls and five demijohns Of rosewa-