Evening star., 1928-03-25

Robert c. Kent. r. NJ. Corn. Samuel
Woods. Benjamin wilson, Rufus Hall
Peyton Gravely and w. W. woodruff -
This unpublished document. priceless
to students of Civil War origins. ana
particularly to genealogistS who seek to
establish relationships Of persons now
living with the signers OF the notice OF
secession. came into the hands Of the
State Department under curious
circumstances.
Shortly after il was signed, the
parchment was s:nuggled over the lines
10 a German photographer II Philadel-
phia. who was 10 make an engraving
OF it to be used for propaganda pur-
poses. The German. however, was Sus-
pected of trafic with the enemy. and
his house was raided by the United
States marshal for eastern Pennsyl-
vania
This document. together with other
papers. was forwarded TO the Attorney
General. who turned it over 10 the
State Department after the war. Here
IL remained in the general files. un-
noticed until the recent activity in re-
pairing and cataloguing the old papers.
State Department ofacials believe
that the fathers or grandfathers Of
many persons now living in Washington
were among these who signed the
parchment The writing in some
places Is faded badly. and some OF the
names copied in the list probably are
miSspelled because of difiiculty in dis
tingutsh!ng the writing. A person ia
miliar with the reading OF old manu-
scripts. however. would be able 10 de-
cipher nearly everything.
EARLY in 1928. q manuscript inclosed
H. IN a case OF ivory was discovered
among the old papers. Il was written
In some Oriental script. with which
nobody in the department was familiar.
but an examination OF the list OF old
treaties led 10 the conclusion that II
was an agreement entered into with the
Kingdom OF Siam. 1t was forwarded 20
the American legation in Siam for
translation.
Siamese scholars. however. disclaimed
the paper for their government. They
found that Il was written in che Pail
dialect, which has an official standing
among some Eastern peoples somewhat
similar to the status Of Latin in the
OccIdent Translated by these schol-
arg, ii proved to be a letter written in
1880 by the King OF Burma to the
President Of the United States. request
ing a treaty with this country. Al
that time Burma was beginning 70 fear
the growing power Of Great Britain
and the magistrates believed that a
/ treaty with the United States which
| fully recognized Burma as an independ.
ent state would be an ace in theii
| hands.
Aside from the curiosity OF the
/ document itself. II recalls forgotten
I chapter in the history OF American
I diplomacy which since has been pieced
! together from various sources. II was
/ brought To the United States by Eu-
+ Renio Kincaid. Baptist missionary
+ who evidently deserves a place In his
f tory as one OF the foremost spreaders
I OF American influence in the Orient
/ The translation, made by the Siamese
I scholars. reads:
We, who are the ministers and gen.
erals Of the King Of Burma. the over
+ lord Of all the kings Of the Orient. the
most powerful sun-rising king, the lord
/ Of the Eaodsn elephant king, the lord
Of many white elephants and the
great. righteous ruler: and we who are
doing homage 70 the King by bowling
/ our heads 70 his golden feet which are
/ like the Paduma lotus flowers. write
. this letter 70 the President and min
! iste.s who are the rulers OF both
i Washington and the countries o! the
/ West.
/ The powerful and righteous rulei
{ who occupies the throne and rules al
/ the countries Of the ancestors, and who
! tries 70 administer justice Ike the
} former Praisung ana the good kings ol
/ the past, wishes 10 negotiate royal
treaty between Burma and America
! like the royal treaty of the ancestors
When the American teacher. Mr.
Kincaid came under the golden feet
he waS allowed ~ come In and 90 out
NJ the palace and 70 behold the golden
face Of the King and 70 send In the
( petition without any obstruction II
tae treaty is made between Burma and
] America. and II II be lasting from sons
~ arands0ns and from grandgons n
| great~Rran6sons, there VIII be adyan.
/ tgge for both traders and common
! people Thus We are sending this let.
Ter 70 you through Teacher Kincaid
The generals and ministers. also seems
J the advantage for traders and common
people IN making the treaty between
the two countries hereby send this
letter 10 the rulers of America for the
purpose of making the treaty"
The term Saddan the Siamese trans.
lstors pointed out referred 10 ths
legendary cave where the embryo
i Eaodha was made king of the eie.
pi1ante The "Psdums. lotus flower,
Is 3 bright red. velvet flower. the raresi
ot the lotug family. Coming bensatt
the golden feet ~ the King" mean
coming into his presence.
A MOTHER old treaty manuscript hae
- state Department experts pnzzlef
up 10 few days ago II was found II
tie gld, disofgsnised flies. torn in sew
efsl pieces Rob0dy could read IL and
consequently, they ecfldnt patch i
together. II also waK written IN SOM
Oriental script on q very heavy ei9ti
psper The sheet Was about three fee
high by two feet vide. snd the Yritlnl
sssTted considerably bgiow the center
The mystery continued until Mgr
TttfeFana. director ~ the VatIea.
iibfery and ms accomplished 0Fifnts
1 kFbfsiaf faFaR ia washington FeEeI1tiy