Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-06
Manuscripts Given to the Library Of
Congress.
MANIFESTATION FAMOUS PERSONS
Collection of George Watterston,
First Librarian.
AN APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL

An interesting and valuable collection OF
manuscripts has recently been presented tc
the Library of Congress by Mr.. David Wat.
terston of this city. 1t consists of the let
tiers and papers of his father, George Wat
teTston, the first librarian of Congress
GS15-1S29) and founder OF the Washington
Monument Society.
For years this collection was kept in an
unused attic room of the family mansion
Then certain extensive repairs to the house
neceSsitated it's temporary removal to an
clubhouse. 1t thus tempted the domestics
as kindling for the kitchen fire, and large
portions of Mr.. WatteIstons correSpon-
dence with jefferson, Madison. Clay, Payne
and other famous literary and political
characters, together with the papers which
he had collected for histories of the Madi-
son and of the Jackson administration,
were thus destroyed.
Letters From John Howard Payne.
Many letters and papers, however, were
spared and with a number of rare Wash
ington imprints, constitutes the recent gift
to the library. Among the letters especial
mention may be made of a lot from the
author of Home, Sweet Home" John How
ard PAYNE These, :or some reason or
other, escaped the attention of both of
Payne's biographers, FL ainard and Harri-
son, and those interested in the eventful
career of that actor, author and traveller
will learn with qualification of their exist
ence. The following is quoted from a
single letter by way IF illustration, espe-
cially of diplomatic life under the old party
regime. 1t is dated, United States Consul
ate. Tuns, July 3, 1851:
Behold me installed IN my old abode at
last-but how? When l entered under the
roof, with every consular flag displayed in
honor of my coming, all over the city, and
a band of music at my portal, fiddlng and
piping and drumming in it's queer way a
welcome. L die not lind even broken chair
to sit down upon withinSide of the national
mansion. Heap had sold off every scrap
he had there fortnight before; and even
two-thirds of the repairs and embellish-
ments l had taken unwearied pains to es-
tablish were all gone; and difficult. indeed,
must have been their removal Neverthe-
less they had been really wrenched and
torn away-and wantOnly. Tomor-
row is our national fete. have scraped
together six chairs and a table and luckily
brought some champagne and glasses with
me for the occasion from Marseilles If [
have more visitors at any one time than
can seat | must ply them with potations till
they find seat for themselves. l do not
know anything more aptly to compare my
establishment with than the abode, if
takes the copper captain in the play of
Rule a Wife and Have d Wife "
Seeking a Subscription.
One other extract will illustrate the char
acter of this interesting acquisition. 1t is
from the papers relating to the Washing
ton Monument Society, of which Waiter
ston was the founder and secretary. 1t is
as follows: "On Friday, the 9Th of October,
1919 l called upon President Taylor to OBJ
tain his subscription to the Washington
monument After waiting some time in
f1n hgll hn orNd c-rNnly 10 i'm ar,
the subject. He said he was in hurry and
engaged to go out; that he had subscribed
to the monument four times, and that he
would do nothing more. l told him that he
was mistaken, that but two efforts had
been made to raise funds for the monu-
ment, and that l knew he had not before
been called upon since his residence here
to subscribe. but that he must do as he
pleased, and left him with some disgust.
On my way to the treasury office he over
took me, in company with another gentle
man. to whom he introduced me
Judge Nash. and remarked that he did not
like to subscribe to anything. that it
looked like ostentation. but that If we were
in want of funds he would contribute when
required.
Il replied that since all the Presidents
since the organization of the society, who
had been called upon for that purpose, had
subscribed, and as their autographs were
to be deposited in the monument when
completed, l did not think it would look
was eX-officio president Of the society. He
said he could not help it, but would not
subscribe, and we then departed, with
determination on my part never again to
ask him, processing to consider Washing
ton as his idol and model, for a cent to-
ward the erection of the monument in his
honor. Can such things be and not move
our special wonder?"
other Papers.
Besides these there are a journal of a
voyage to Jamaica in the year 1909, mem
oranda relating to the first scientific So
ciety in Washington the Botanical Society;
"reminiscences Of Mr.. Watterston's labors
as librarian and the manuscripts Of two
Of his unpublished works. "reminiscences
of Early Washington" and Essays Upon
National Life and Institutions"
There are also letters from Edward Ever
EFT of the joint library committee regard
ing library matters, from Henry Clay rela-
tive to the history of the Jacksonian revo-
luton in Kentucky, from Edgar Allen Poe
and j. X. Paulding about literary matters
besides letters from James Madison, DAN
lei Webster. VIM. Writ and numerous other
worthless of either national or local distinc-
tion relating to matters either political or
literary.
The library officials think that there could
be no filter memorial to one so long iden-
titled with the scientific and literary in
terestS of Washington than this collection
OF his papers and correspondence, and it's
value as part of the collection of manu-
scripts in the national library is no less
than Its value as a memorial to the first IL
prarlan, Tor the true history of local and
national life is still hidden in the unpub-
hshed memoirs and correspondence of those
who have been in the past most active In
local and national affairs.