Fort Pierce news., 1911-09-22
LAST LOOK
It Preserved the Declaration Of
independence In 1914.
SAVED IT FROM THE BRITISH.
Tho Precious Document Would Aav.
Been In The State Department whsn
It Was Burned but For PIsasOnton's
Final Glance Around the Room


Final Glance Around the Room.
Comparatively few OF the presen,
generation know how near to being
lost was once the most precious Of our
national documents, the Declaration
of Independence. It was during the
war Of 1872. The Declaration Of indie
pendence hung for many years in q
frame in the state department In th
room then occupied by Stephen Pleas
Onton. Mr., Beaseley. commissary OF
prisoners of war in London, forwarded
to the state department some Londol
newspapers, stating that the English
fleets and transports were receiving
troops at Bordeaux, France, with the
intention Of operating against WASH
ington and Baltimore Soon after |
was learned that the British 6eet was
in Chesapeake bay and that 1t was
ascending the Patuxent The officials
and citizens of the little capital city
were hourly expecting an attack.
Upon receipt of this information
which was few days before the
enemy entered Washington. Mr.. Mon
roe. then secretary Of state, JameY
Madison being president, mounted hil
horse, rode to Benedict, small village
on the Patuxent, where the British
forces were being landed, aud climbed
an eminence within quartes Of milt
Of the village, iii order 10 ascertain
the strength Of the enemy. Being con
vinced. after his inspection that We
had no force available that could sue
cessfully resist them. he sent note to
Mr.. Pleasonton by yidette. advising
him to see thai the best care was tax
en- of the books and papers of the state
department
Acting ut once upon this authority
MIR. Pleasonton purchased some coarse
linen and had 1t made into bags Of
suitable size, in which he. assisted by
others IN the office, placed the books
aud other papers.
While engaged in this work Genera
Armstrong. then secretary of war
passing the state department on bis
way to his own Office, remarked thai
be thought they we're unnecessarily
alarming themselves, as be did no
think the British were serious In theil
intentions of coming to Washington
Fortunately Mr. Pleasonton was OF 9
different opinion. and observed that j
was the part of prudence to take meas
ures to preserve these valuable papers
of the revolutionary government. HaC
Mr.. Pleasonton delayed but re"
days. had he followed the ADVICE o.
the secretary Of war; an irreparaDl'
loss would have been sustained. TO
thA papers which Mr.. Pleasonton na'
nlaced In the coarse linen bags com
nrised the secret journals OF congress
lben not published; the correspondence
NJ General Washington, bis commis
sion. resigned at the close OF the war
tbe correspondence Of General ureen
and other officers Of the l'evolut'on' u
well as laws, treaties and correspond
once of the department of state IRON
the adoption of the constitution uow'
to that time ..a,
Mr. Pleasontop had the bags car.e'
70 q erist mill. which he selected as
snitable depository. The MILL wnlc
was unoccupied, belonged to Euga
patterson and was situated on "
virginia side of the Potomac Deyon %
the Chain bridge, two miles "po'
Georgetown. -, ond AZ,
p,easonton was just quitting the " y,
can't rooms when, glancing BACK SUI SUI
: Sanlv 70 see whether anything na m
heen left behind. to his consterna'lo,
he saw the Declaration OF inuepssS .,spyaS
aUca which had been oyer,ooas. ~,
Sanc,ng upon the wall He nassi s
a',t !, out OF the frame and carr'eu
swav with the other papers .sor
he then began to be uneasy eth ~
,ho nlace he had chosen TOT :, y
,ns pv,.,sn took washington, wnlcn : :
asn,iv @ believed they would 40; an =
nrlnis 80 Of that. they would ID a
probability detach force TOT TOT 'sr sor r n
p.oo@ nDS ~ destroying a foundry IOr ~ -
nas,ng pv' of cannon and shot u o',l II
: .na~ ",',nporhood and. of course wvu' ,o
consider grist mll, H. ~ a. countr
(. .Sar .b meant to subdue. MT, 1sa wi ",
.e .ne' therefore visited some OF =, tue ,vev u,
gina clS ,oo willing to loan him was0t .nss
LessouFS;O ,'s0 $Oere they we're deposited ssS,e
an empty SsD 1oIss 70 Rev Mr. LittslOSn, ,.v,, wa
were 6ns g,sso 3, Z the collectors Of in's'n'