Norwich bulletin., 1915-07-31
G. A. R..

To add another interesting feature to the events of the forthcoming 49th annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Washington, the citizens committee which has the matter in charge is endeaVoring to ar range for exhibition during the week of September 27-October 8, a wonder full collection of historic war relics. Washington is filled with reminders of the great struggle; many of these relics are owned and held by the gov ernment but the average visitor sees few of them. It is planned to extend special courtesy to the old veterans and allow them an opportunity to view some of these highly prized treasures.
 In a fre-proof vault. opening from a. small room on the third floor of the Treasury building, are the manuscript archives which set forth the diplomatic efforts of the Confederacy to secure recognition as a member of the family of nations and to obtain the means to establish navy and maintain an army.
 When the most important of the Confederate archives were removed from Richmond. the diplomatic cor reSpondence, consisting of the "State Department" records, except the secret service papers, which had been de- stroyed by MT Benjamin, were hidden in barn in Virginia. Later, they were packed in four yellow trunks, and brought from Richmond to Washington by their custodian, Col. John T. Pickett After endeavoring for years to dispose of them, Colonel Pickett, having indexed them, took them to Canada. where in April 1872, the trunks and their contents were pur- chased for the use of the United States. On July 3, 1872. the trunks were delivered at the White House, and later were removed to the Treas ury. Colonel Pickett, in payment re- cniUad fha stimulated nf %TE mn large portion of which was distribu- ted to needy widows and orphans of Confederate soldiers.
 The money for the Pickett papers, had been appropriated by special act of Congress. Many persons asserted that no good could result from the res- urrection of these long-buried docu- ments, even if genuine, as some feared they were not, and that Secretary Boutwell, has wasted $75,000 on four trunks filled with worthless paper. However. time has demonstrated the wisdom of this purchase. The names in the indices of the Pickett papers, in addition to those of the core spondence of the Confederate treasury and other departments, have been of value in defeating fraudulent claims to the amount of many millions of dollars. These diplomatic papers re- nained in the original receptacles un- til about a year ago, when the quaint old trunks were sold at one of the already been placed in three new chests of polished pine
 Colonel Pickett was the latest known custodian of the great seal of the Confederate states. Of this seal, which never was used, many romantic stories are told. That it was destroyed at the close of the hostilities is untrue. Tn 1870. after having had it's genuineness attested by it's English manufacturers, Colonel Pickett ordered from Wash tngton jeweler many replicas of it, in gold, silver and bronze. which were sold for the benefit of destitute South erners. One of these replicas is now in the National Museum, and another in the State department of the capital of South Carolina. The original was made in London, at a cost of e122 10s It was finished July g. 1884. and did tion of that city. It is believed that Colonel Pfckett'S heirs are the only persons who know It's whereabouts.
 In a small dark room under the caves of tie south wing of the Treas ury stand seyeN large packing boxes with covers nailed down. Sightseers are never permitted to enter this dingy attic room, and very few persons, even among the oldest employees, could guess the contents of the boxes. They are HlleQ Wlln ConIederaIe money. a portion of which was captured from Southern banks and from dead or liv- ing Confederate soldiers and forwarded through the War Department to the Treasury. The larger share of this money was collected by the Treasury agents who conducted the cotton bus mess of the United States in 1864 and succeeding years.
 These boxes contain not only the bank notes of the Confederate gov- ernment. but thousands of the bills issued by the States in fnsurrection, to take the place of the ''chips" which tradesmen were compelled to offer, as change after the South suspended specie payment in July, 1861. Later the issue Of small bills by the various States rendered these @chips" unnec- essary.
 Preston City Pastor WgH Speak.