The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-08
INQUIRY AND REFORM.

Loss OF priceless papers presumably the
I property or the State OF Virginia is admitted
xn.hss thc State authorities
Syxy Ii appears that this information came to
a.stAosc in authority only when New York
auctioneer advertised the missing documents
FER sale.
sers When the State authorities accidentally dis
II &ofcred this fact. they became convinced that
I -ssAe papers must have been distracted without
|issulhority from the archives.
MI To add the mystery. il appears that nearly
.sstsenty years the loss of other papers, then
'saax nov forming part of the collection of the
historian Losing were offered for sale in Bos-
Lon The state employed lawyer 10 recover
them. and then, losing interest dropped tho
lawyer. The latter, his own initiative, Sc
Aer1red compromise which resulted in the re-
turn OF a portion of tho collection Why the
Estate should have gone cold this matter is
I'M, conunarum which II is now fruit'ess to dis
q esssS- Nhy,-f the Library authorities knew
Il That there we're valuable Virginia papers in
existence thcy made no further effort at their
recovery is a matter upon which the people
+.&xe entitled 10 enlightment.
3-sA1aN hen the Assistant Attorney -1eneisl ana
the State Librarian have gone to New
FORK Ia the effort to recover stolen property.
tms~rrimagine that their task will he hard one,
Tor several reasons
- Ii has not yet appeared that anyone about
HI Library has any Information as to when
the PAPERS were there If they were ever there.
o. when they were first missed. There seems
AZ, tJy tha
uaral certainty that the documents In question
EHFe the property of the State than the moral
Sssnrtanty that they must, at some time. have
formed part Of the State archives. /; Id an
h gSsxy ueGuction that they were once among the
N cnerorabiiia of the state-and that they are
a.not nov here But moral certainiies do not
IN very In court. when valuable property
$3.50 stake Why lei US ask, il there not some
1tEr1ain evidence at hand concerning these
d. japers which are among the sacred relies of
R6 Virginia and which are being publicly offered
sAfer sale in New York;
II Ia admitted at the State Library that, even
complete comprehensive
catalogue Of what the Library contains. II is
n admitted that revision of the catalogue and
Do Inventory of the contents come at rare and
s.N l3feruiar periods II IL admitted that beyond
a4sA segregation Of certain manfestly rare and
4 kNaauabie documents, there is practically no
sMn&ANctiye sygiem either 10 prevent a present or
1sfture theft similar that of the past or even
ls4S assure its discovery in a reasonable time II
1lSnmitted.
- 1faad the authorities admitted as much.
|%5r would seem incredible to say that there are
q tn the State Library no records OF sufhelent
. ssnnpleteness furnish at regular and close
sfArvals the basis OF an effective inventory
I fsslt not fair assumption to suppose that
$.Snong the uncatalogued matter in the Library
~. here are other valuable documents 80 exposed
ana forgotten that they may now be
\ gaen with ease with which these which have
sArt4ss come 10 light stolen? DO those
,t,o now say that rare documents missing.
~. 1rsshout being able 10 say even approximately
neshen they we're taken. or whether they were
R.1>xsr in the Library TO be taken, now know
III Mfat else has been taken from the Library
- what remains?
sN sgWe cali attention to this condition in no
81 sAiril OF criticism of the Library authorities as
h rash The criticism is rather against the State.
n xh4ch has been both niggardiy and careless
18th respect to treasures OF history, Papers
III washington. Jefferson and de La faFette are
/ <6inEs whose loss is irreparabe. Their loss
Sf1&hhald however, start on foot inquiry and re-
4 kSersn. inquiry as to how much OF Its priceless
S nfere OF documents the State retains; reforms
#kssskteh will insure that what has not already
\ been stolen will be put beyond the reach Of
lksft