The state herald., 1921-05-13
WHERE AMERICAS VAL
UED DOCUMENTS ARE
KEPT

The most important chronicles of
some ancient nations have come down
to present generations engraved ON
porphyry and marble. The United
States, however, having existed wholly
In an ''age of paper" has all its most
precious historical records in the form
Of paper documents, which can easily
be destroyed by fire, and injured by
dampness, extreme dryness. or rough
handling.
A recent fire, which destroyed ir-
replaceable records in the census bu-
reau at Washington, and an almost
simultaneous fire in the State capitol
of West virginia, which practically
wiped out the archives OF that State,
have reinforced the argument of those
urging that II fircprOof hail of rec
ords he built in Washington so the
federal governments priceless papers
may he kept in safety.
While the Constitution is the mos;
important document possessed by the
United States. the Declaration of In
dependence comes first among cur
great state papers in point Of time and
probably IN the hearts of the American
people. The original Of this challenge
10 tyranny which. like the shot fired
at Lexington. has been heard round
the World. and has helped TO mould
nionarchies and colonies into repub-
lies, Is in the hands of the derart-
mcnt of state and Is kept In a steel
case IN III. State. War and Navy
building. which adJoins the White
House ON the west. The original OF
the Constitution is locked in the same
case. which may therefore he consi,,-
cred The steel Ark OF the Covenant
of the government Of the United
States.
Wnshngton's farewell address may
fairly he considered one Of the great
cst papers produced In the li5 years
nf the republics independence. This
document is not owned by the federal
government, but l. kept In the New
York public library. at Foriy-Second
street and Fifth avenue.
The next paper To stand out a> IA
niilcp0st In the shaping Of national
policy * tlI. message to congress hy
President Monroe proclnlining the Mon
roe Doctrine. The original message
II In the files of the scnnte IN the
capitol building at Washington.
The Gettysburg address Of Lincoln.
scrawlcd Ia longhnnd. j. In the library
OF congress Mt Washington.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama.
lion is In Ihe library of The state de-
pnrtmcnt In Washington. and there
loo are all the treaties entered into
by The United States. from that at
lIIS with the French and that of l7S:i
which closed the ii"voidilnn, down Ia
The present. Among these perhaps
the most interesting are those which
have contributed Ia the great terri.
t0rinl growth of tile country.
There is the treaty of 1sUs with
Franc. which arranged for what is
probably III. greatest real estate deal"
In hstory-the Louisiana Purchase.
There Is the treaty with Spain. which
added Florida To the new rrpublic:
and the uncompleied treaty with the
independent republic OF Texas which
led Ia the only instance In which n
separate nation hns merged itself with
the United States. Near them IN the
nles Of the state department are the
treaties with Mexico adding To the
United States. California aud the other
territory west Of Texas aud south of
Oregon: the treaty with Great Rrii.
ain adding Oregon; the treaty with
Russln arranging for the second great.
est purchase Of territory. the Alaska
Purchase; aud the treaties which hny.
resulted In bringing Hawaii. the rhil.
ippin-s. Port Rico, Guam, aud ia. vlr.
rin Islands under the American nag.