The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-05-25
Washington LETTER
BY CARL scHOFIELD. Special Core.
sD0ndent.

BY CARL sCHOFIELD. Special Core.
spondent.
The District of Columbia claims t.,
have the greatest collection of statues
and monuments perpetuating the mem.
DRY of the nations great men. No
other city can boast of such a valuable
array of marble and bronze images Of
men who helped to make the United
States the leading nation Of the world
The Capitals Statues.
The total amount Of money expended
for all the statues in the District is
estimated at $5,OOO,OOO. While this
sum Is enormous, 1t does not adequate.
~ represent the value of the statues.
Many of them were erected by acts
of congress with money appropriated
from the United States treasury. q
large number r gifts Of patriotic SO.
cieties. but the greatest collection Of
all is that in the national hall of fame,
in the capitol, which is composed Of
gifts from the various states. More
than fifty statues are still to be added
to the collection in the hall of fame
by the states.
Gifts From Foreign Rulers.
Twice have presents made to the
president and other officers Of the
United States by foreign rulers been
the subjects of burglary, but each time
they were recovered and are yet in
the custody of the government. The
provision of section 9, article /. Of the
constitution of the United States,
which precludes the acceptance by
government officers without the ION
sent Of congress Of ANY present, emol-
ument, Office or title Of any kind what
ever from any king or prince Of any
foreign state" was an enigma to the
rulers Of foreign countries who sought
to honor u country through its off,
GERS.
Many of the gifts referred to were
proffered after the conclusion of trea-
ties. They were sent to presidents,
ministers, commissioners, consuls and
officers Of the navy, but the consent of
congress was obtainable in but few in
stances, and they went to the custody
of the state department, the patent
office being the repository. From the
latter some Of the most valuable were
stolen more than sixty years ago, but
were recovered and hidden away in
the treasury vaults for over thirty
years.
Some Of the Treasures.
Among the presents were two mus
kets presented to President Jefferson
by the hey of Tunis. a cane sent to
John Quincy Adams made of an ele-
plants tusk and gold mounted, a
gold snuffbox with the initial A in
diamonds presented to General Jack
son by Emperor Alexander of Russia,
a sword with gold scabbard and
mountings presented to Commodore
James Biddle by the ~viceroy of Peru,
necklaces of diamonds and pearls,
cashmere shawls, Persian rugs, other
ornaments of pearls and a gold mount
ed sword presented to Commodore j.
D. Elliot by the imaum Of Muscat.
UUSSSuSS TIOIu "NSSaSs
Later other presents were sent by
the imaum to President Van Buren,
direct. On Christmas day, 1889, the
ship Sultanee arrived at New York
with two Arabian horses, a bottle Of
altar of roses. five demijohns of rose
water, a package Of cashmere shawls,
a bale of Persian rugs, a box of pearls,
etc., most of them for the president,
but a sword was for Commodore Ell
liot and a shawl each for the wives of
L~ieutenants w. +. Shields and A. II.
FOote. The latter officer afterward be-
came an admiral. The horses were sold,
and the state department added the
other articles to the collection in the
patent office.
There was no day Waterman, and
Dec. 81, 1871, in broad daylight, the
door was opened by means of a false
key, and the thief carried off the snuff
box and gold scabbard. The loss was
placed at over $4,000, and a reward of
$1,000 was offered for their recovery.
Little was heard of them for a few
weeks, but they We're recovered in
some mysterious manne in Baltimore.
Soon afterward the National institute
was given charge of the articles as
part of the museum, and they Were
placed in cases for exhibition.
Thieves Get Jewels.
AS a p%recaution against any attempt
to carry them off bells were attached,
i~ngeniously hidden, but this did not
prevent a successful raid. The night
of Nov. 8, 1S4S. there was much ex'
element in the city, for the result OF
the election was not then known, and
until a late hour there were large
crowds upon the streets uncertain as
to whether Taylor or Cass was elect
ed president. The building in which
the gifts were stored was In charge OF
two watchmen, and one, having made
the rounds at l o'clock and found al
safe, awoke his mate and turned in
Thn po11oru(r~ uoOuuir~ o,o xv,oe