The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-07-31
RELICS WILL
Be DISPLAYED
TO G.A.R.
Special Exhibition Of Msmen.
toes Of Various Struggles OF
United States to be Held in
Capital.

i
Washington, y. c.. July sf.-To
add another interesting feature to the
events Of the forthcoming forty ninth
annual encampment Of tho Grand
Army OF the Republic IN Washington.
he citizens committee which has tho
matter In charge IL endeavoring TO
arrange for exhibition during the
week Of Scptembar 27-octooer 3. n
wohdcrful collection II historic war
relics. WaahIngton L filled with re-
miaders OF the great struggle: many
OF these reiica are owned and held Nv
the government but the average Wis
itor sees few of them. Il ls planned
10 extend a special courtesy 70 the old
veterans n allow them an nppor-
tunity TO view some Of these highly
priced treasures.
In q nre-proof vault. opening from
q small room on the third floor OF the
treasury building. are the manuscript
archives which set 10th the diplomatic
efforts Of the c~onfedcracy 10 secure
recognition as a member OF the fam
ily Of nations and 10 obtssa means
to establish a navy and maintain an
army.
When the most important OF the
Confederate archives we're removed
from Richmond. the diplomatic cor
lrcspondonce. consisting OF the Estate
Department records. except the sec
rot service papers. which a been
destroyed by air, Benjamin. were hld-
den In a barn in Virginia. Later. they
were packed In -four yellow trunks.
and brought from Richmond to wash
ington 0y their custodian. Colonel
John T. Pickett. After ondcavorinE
for years to dispose OF them. Colonel
Pickett. having indexed them. took
them 10 Canada. where In April, 1874.
the trunks and their contents we're
purchased for the use Of the United
States. on July 2. 1879. the trunks
ere delivered at the White HOUSE,
and later were emove te the treas
ury. Colonel Pickett. in payment, re-
ceivoa the stipulated sum Of $4,000.
n large portion of which was distrfb-
uted 60 needy widows and orphans %
Confederate soldiers.
The money for n "Pickait pa.
pers' had been appropriated by
special act of congress. Many per-
sons asserted that no good could re-
suit 6om the resurrection OF those
long Buried documents, even " gen
uine. as some feared they were not.
that Secretary Boutwell, had
wasted $4,000 on -four trunk filled
with worthless paper. However. time
has demonstrated the wisdom OF this
purchase. The namea In the indscea
or the Pickett papers. in addition TO
those Of the correspondence OF the
Confederate treasury and other de-
partments. have been OF great con-
vonience and inostImabie value In de-
fcating fraudulent claims 60 the
'amount Of many millions OF dollars
These diplomatic pei remained in
the original ~receptacles until about a
year ago. when the quaint old trunks
we're sold al one % tho treasury auc-
tlons. The papers had already been
placed in three new chests OF polished
pine.
Colonel Pickett was the latest
known custodian Of tho great y 81 81
the Confederate states OF mis- zeal.
which never was used. many romantic
stories are told. That u was destroy
ed at the close OF the hostilities 10
untrue. In 1870, after having had ita
s-enuineness attested by its English
manufacturers. Colonel Pickett order
ed from a Washington jeweier many
replicss Of a.. In gold. silver and
bronze. which we're sold for the hen
n OF destitute sortherncTs. One Of
these repiicas Is nov in the National
| museum. and another In tho state de-
| partment OF the capital OF South Car
oliua. The original was made IN
! london. at a cost OF fi22. los. n
was finished July .. 1854. and did not
! reach Richmond until the evacuation
\ Of that city. II Ia believed that Col
onel Pickett's heirs are the only Ber-
sons who know its whereabouts.
In a sinai dark room under the
oaves % the south wing OF the treas
nry stand seven large packing boxes
with covers nailed down. sightseers
are never permitted to enter this
dizzy attic room. and very few per-
ons eve among the Oldest empoyen.
could guess the contents OF the boxes.
They are filled with Confederate
money a portion OF which was cap
tu,ed from southern banks and from
dead or living Confederate soldiers
and forwarded through the war de-
partment 10 the treasury. The larger
share ~ this money was collected by
the treasury AGENT who conducted
the cotton buslaess Of the United
States in iS6f M succeeding years.
These boxes contain not only the
hank notes OF the Confederate gov
eminent. but thousands OF the bills
issued by the states In insurrection. To
.take the place OF the 'ehipsr which
'tradesmen we're compelled To offer
.as change after the south suspended
specie payment In July. 1851. Later
'the issue Of small bills By the various
states rendered these chips unnec-
cssary.