The Washington herald., 1913-11-02
w. j. Bryan as Premier Chafes
Under Restraint of Red Tape

even attain an AmbassadorShip al
s17.5oe.
Mr.. Bryan is ex-ofieio Custodian Of
the Great Seal Of the United states.
But he has no authority to use Il for bis
own purposes. For every impression Of It
there must be a signed warrant from the
President. The seal is q big affair of
steel. two feet high. with a screw
thread and twisting handles like q let
ter press. It was cut IN 1855 by a New
York jewelry firm, and cost $4,000 Its
impression is attached to all Commissions
Of cabinet, diplomatic and consular
officers. to all ceremonial communications
from the President to foreign govern
u.6nts, 10 all trs1ties and other formal
agI eements with foreign powers, TO all
pardops. and to all Executive proclama-
tions.
Pricr to 1850 all governments attached
to treaties round boxes of silver or gold,
| in which the seals were enclosed-the
boxes being fastened to portfolios con-
tanning the treaties with heavy silk cords
OF the national colofs, interviewer with
geld and silver. Nowadays. however, the
seals are usually stamped on a wafer
pasted near the signatures. This is the
practice of the United StateS-a silk rib
bon running along the back Of the green
leather portfolio and holding the latter
together. Up to 1853 the Department Of
seal of bright led wsx. attached to the
portfolio by silver cord.
Keeper of Priceless Documents.
Another duty OF Mr. Bryan Is that Of
Custodian of the National Archives-thai
Is to say, Of the historical documents OF
the government. A large part of these,
however. was transferred not long ago
to the Library OF Congress. including the
carefully bound papers Of Madison, Mon
roe, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin and
300 volumes Of the literary remains Of
George Washington. Some OF the most
precious Franklin papers had been dam
aged by mice, and an expert from the
British Museum was employed to repair
them. For each alphabetical letter that
had been eaten cut, and which he was
called upon to restore, he was paid s..
But the work was worth the money, the
paper being replaced and the writing
ccunterfeited SO perfectly that no trace
was left
The documents retained in the posses-
sion OF the State Department include the
Declaration of Independence, the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, the Articles
OF Confederation OF the Colonies (Which
preceded the Constitutien), and such part
OF the records OF the Continental Con-
gress as relate to foreign affairs The
Declaration is fading at such a rate that
experts say its writing will have vanished
altogether by the end OF the present CEN
tury. Meanwhile 1t Is locked Up in a
drawer. to keep the light from getting at
II, and nobody is allowed even to look at
It The original draft of the document,
by Thomas Jefferson, is in as perfect a
condition as ever; but in 1S52 a copper
plate engraving was made from the
Declaration, and the ink of its writing
was partly dissolved by the laying Of
damp sheet of linen over its face. Whence
its unfortunate condition of decay.
All Original Laws Kept.
Among the archives preserved in the
department is a series OF volumes con-
tanning the originals OF all the laws Of
the United States, as passed by Congress
and signed by Presidents, since the be-
ginning of the government. The earliest
of them, Of course. bear the signature OF
George Washington, All of the early
laws are on sheepskin parchment sheets
1-2xS 1-2 feet in size. But later on
parchment paper was substituted-a beau
tful translucent imitation, in sheet SOxlS
inches 49,
In 1895, for the sake of greater con-
venience, the size of the sheets was re-
duced to Is inches by 10 inches, and the
practice was adopted of printing the or
iginals OF the laws instead of having
them engrossed- As fast rs new laws
are made the originals are bound in red
morocco with gold letters, and thus the
series Of volumes continues itself indefi-
nitely.
Hah a dozen years from now the De-
partment of State is to occupy a mag
nificent new building OF white marble on
Fifteenth street, opposite the White Lot
a feature of the structure will be a huge
vault. fireproof and burgIar-proof like a
bank vault, to contain the archives.
There will be metal shelf-stacks TO hold
the books and documents, and the interior
Of the vault will be lighted by cleo
tricity.
Although Mr.. Bryan's present Job NAV
not be wholly to his liking in some re-
spects, one consolation attaches 10 II
which relates 10 a precedent highly to
be approved from his point of view. 1t
Is that more Secretaries of State have
become Presidents of the United States
than any other officers of the Cabinet.
Thomas Jefferson held the Office before
he became President, and so likewise did
James Madison. Jemes Monroe, John
Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and
James Buchanan The only Secretary Of
State who ever ran for the Presidency
and failed to get there was James C.
Blaine.
RENE BACHE.