New-York tribune., 1901-01-27
4 SHOW OF DOCUMENTS.
COLLECTION OF MANY HEARING rrpo,
NEN-HoRK HISTORY EXHIBITED
AT THE LEMON LIBRARY

OA ilDrafy' between them have done a laud-
- ano puohc spirited thing in arranging an
eAhlhluon OF documents bearing upon New-Yorlx
H1s'ors' The exhibition it is at present is
only an affair Of three weeks or a months dura-
hon beginning from last Monday but if all goes
wei the bulk OF the documents NAV be perma-
heiiDs on exhibition in the new and consolidated
Library OF the City of New-York when that
Hasnihcent anticipation attains reality.
ih calnhs this an exhibition OF documents the
Term Is used IN its more proper and wider sense
TO include a great variety OF thincs-rnanu-
SCRIPTS and printed books maps drawings
prints old newspapers and broadsides deeds
ana aooNe all charters All these things afford
N's'oilca information al first hand. and are for
SO much, historical documents For the largest
N9 u -N'N-h ofkers who may be supposed
aAe any interest whatever in the history OF
pher city the cynosure OF the whole display
VIII ne found at the end Of one OF the long show
cases arranged down the middle Of the lower
man, on the left as You enter. Here are the two
earliest charters OF the English province of New
YORK They are TWO thick waGs made up L :
many sheets of parchment. To the earlier of
the two, the Dongan charter is attached the seal
presumably that known as the Privy SeaD of
the King of Great Britain. France and Ireland, |
who at thai date dGsG) happened TO be James
II, some time known as Duke Of York. and in
whose honor its new name of NeW-York was
given 10 the settlement Of the New Netherlands
The wax seal is inclOsed in a silver box upon
the hd Of which is inscribed ~. Bayard Mayor,
l6s6." IN" stands here for Nicholas and in
that name of Nicholas Bayard lies whole
volume OF more Of early colonial romance. The !
later is the Montgomerie $50 spelled charter OF
1881 10 which is attached the seal OF the
province
Both OF these documents are the property Of |
the city Of New-Yorl and have been so for |
longer than any one can remember but their |
resting place has long been in the darkness Of |
the archives where no human eye has looked |
upon them from years end to years end. Con- /
troller Coler even now keeps a fearful watch 4
over their safety, as he should do At least 4
three New-YOrk newspapers. The Tribune 4
among the number, have asked his permission
to make special photographs of the precious
charters, bat in vain. Only one photograph. or, /
rather, autograph, has been made and that upon /
the Controllers own commission. and under his 4
sCperintencence, by Bierstadt The experts on I.
old writings known diplomatists have pro-
nOunced il hazardous 10 allow the parchments T
TO be taken out and handled as often as they
must be If all the photographers who wish to are .
TO be allowed To photograph them.
Among the exhibits in the upper hau are a
number OF rare contemporary prints illustrating
the earlier history OF the city, many Of them
lent for the exhibition by John D. Crimmins
but most OF them the property OF the library /
As one instance Of the light which contemporary
prints may shed upon history, there is in the
upper han a cOlOred print the property OF the
New-YOrk Library. showing the mob in the act
of pulling down the statue OF King George al
Bowling Green. and another OF The Victorious
Entry OF the Royal Troops into NeW-York'
Both of these bear the imprint OF the Imperial
Institute of Arts, at Augsburg. Even though
no date can be found either. il is evident
enough any one who has seen many old prints
that these contemporary, and, this being so,
il may be taken for granted that they show the
events as those events We're supposed by persons
then living TO have taken place. The display Of
New-YOrk newspapers is also valuable am
deeply interesting in this quality Of introducing
one TO bygone events they We're seen by con-
temporaries. The NeW-York Gazette and Mer-
curry" Of 1916 exhibits Of the most impu-
dent journalistic faces record, having broken
itself into two like an am9ba when the war
began and printing The Gazette" in New
York with a British view OF the news. and
The Mercury in Newark Will American
view Another newspaper Of especial historical
interest is one entitled The War" the first
number of which is dated June "a, ISL, pub
lished by s Woodwork e. Co, at No. 43l Pearl
81 Those VINO We're interested in this journal
istic collection viii probably be glad TO look ar
~