Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-01
INDEPENDENCE HALL PHILADEL PHIA.

Building was finished the Declaration was
returned to its legal depository.
Until 1894 the declaration was framed and
displayed in a steel cabinet in the library
of the Department of State, where all Wis
itors might it, but in that year it was
Theoretically sealed in a frame and placed
in drawer of another steel cabinet con-
structed to protect also the original signed
copy of the Constitution. Here the Dec
laration still remains. locked and sealed by
order of Secretary Hay. and it is no longer
shown to any one except by his direction.
The new steel cabinet which thus pro-
tects it stands Immediately to the right as
one enters the north door of the library. On
the left of the door is the older steel cabi-
net. once holding the Declaration. but now
displaying in its place a fac-simile made
by order of President Monroe in 1923 that
a copy might be given to each of the sign
ers. their heirs and others
The parchment of the original Declara-
ton shows distinctive signs of cracking,
probably due more to injury through the
process of making the facsimile than to
time or the little handling or Earring which
the big sheet has received
Cracking and Fading Away.
The story is-although Mr.. Michael does
not so state-that when the facsimile was
made in 1923 a sheet of wet linen was
spread over the parchment in order to
dampen the latter and the letters were then
gone over with a stylus, which transferred
their outlines to a copper plate placed be-
Meath Today a facsimile could, of course,
be made by harmless Photographic pro-
cesses.
The wetting which the great document
thus received is supposed to have not only
partially dissolved the ink but made the
parchment brittle. Later when exhibited In
the patent office, the document was placed
in a brilliant light which fastened its fad
ing In 1876 Congress passed resolution
to consider it's restoration and sTeral
chemists offered suggestions. which, 1t Is
said the Department of State refused 10
have undertaken. Early in the nineties the
National Academy was called upon for an
opinion and that learned body decided thal
the parchment should be protected from
both light and air. 1t was then that the
steel case of drawers was devised Two
wears ago committee of the Natlondl
Academy was again called upon to examine
1t and is said to have not only olscou,l ~
tenanced any project of restoration but 10
have expressed the opinion that within an
other century, the famous parchment Will
A complete collection of biographies and
artistic portraits of the signers or the
Declaration has been made by Mr.. Mlchaei
for his work which Will be distributed
only through members OF congress oiIy
nv dint of correspondence extending over
many wears and great personal effort has
Mr. Michael obtained the portraits OF But
ron Gwinnett John Hart and Thomas
Ivnch of whom ii was hitherto believed
there were no likenesses in existence. Most
of the portraits are after Trumbull ana the
ono of BENJAMIN Harrison, by TINS artst'
had to be painted after harrison ue .t
from minute personal descriptions 1urnlsh.
ed by relatives and friends VINO dPPio'ee
the finished likeness .r,-r,-c