Evening star., 1930-05-11
Whv WASHINGTON Needs a Hall of Records

President of the country, that fiery individual
served notice on England that in defense OF
his countrys rights he would sail MS entire
navy-probably consisting of couple OF nat
bottomed boats!-right up the Thames TO the
court of St James!"
MoNG the documents reprinted in
American State Papers to which Miss
Hasse referred me is one which is particularly
interesting in this year 10 A.V. This Is brief
but straight-from the shoulder denunciation OF
distilled spirits which is contained in me-
mortal to the very first Congress from the
College of Physicians of Philadelphia. No
present day "dry" could hope to surpass the
vigor of the statement that distilled spirits
neither fortify the body against the morbid
effects of heat or cold nor render labor more
easy nor more productive"
Even MIR Ford, with his disregard for history,
might be willing to cite this 140-year-old med
ical opinion to bolster his stand against drink
ing as source of unproductive labor.
1.-The pernicious effects of these liquors upon
morals and manners" is referred to IN no un-
certain terms. However these colonial phy-
sicians "only" remarked that great proper
ton of the most obstinate painful and mortal
disorders which affect the human body are pro-
duced by distilled spirits; they are not only de-
structive to health, but they impair the facul-
dishonor our character as nation and to de-
grade our species as intelligent beings"
AS some of our modern, flask-toting youth
might remark: THE old boys could SWING q
mean wallop!'
Religion and reason were alike referred to as
feeble influences in restraining the evils OF
hard drinking 1t is noteworthy, however. that
these early prohibitionists contented themselves
with suggesting heavy duties as an efficient
remedy against the evils they cited
re ic
proved than by a case in 1900 which parallels
that of Washington newspaper man who was
called before the Senate last year to tell the
source of his information about executive Ses-
sions. These documents concern Philadel-
pha newspaper man named Duane, editor OF the
Aurora who was called by the Senate to answer
for printing pretended information" about a
closed session. The Senate, it would seem, has
always been partial to closed doorsI
Duane was hedged about with such restric-
tions that he demanded the right to have a
lawyer represent him, but could not find one
willing to appear with Senate gag" in his
mouth. One lawyer, in stating that he could
be of no help under such humiliating condi-
tions as the Senate imposed, declared that
'where the freedom of the press is thus actually
attacked, the melancholy period cannot be
far distant when the citizen will be converted
into subject"
Duane was finally taken into custody on a
warrant signed by no less person than Thomas
Jefferson, but documents of the hearing, If any,
are missing.
Pennsylvanias recent troubles In trying 10
seat a Senator are not the first along that line
which that State has encountered There was
contested election during one Of the early
sessions which nearly cost Pennsylvania a seat
in the Senate. The cases are not exactly sim
ilar for the contest regarding Albert Gallatin
was based not on attempt to buy his seat,
but on the grounds that he was foreigner.
Later the Senate accepted his proof Of citizen
ship.
Many such parallels could be drawn from
our early documental history, interesting and
amusing by turns. One of the latter-or it
appears now-is contained in a presidential
message and refers to Rhode Islands desire to
maintain friendly relations with the United
States!
Still another was concerned with the QUes-
tion of whether or not TO address the President
as Your Hghness.
Many of the early Congress papers deal with
the relations of the Nation with the In
dian tribes which it displaced, as this country
gradually grew westward Broken treaties and
unfair seizures of land by the early Americans
are there for any seeker after truth in our
early history to discover.
The rise and decline of our merchant marine,
the growth of our banking and credit system,
the economic and industrial development of our
country, our foreign relations and many others
too numerous to mention are all to be found
in document or manuscript form scattered IN
various Government buildings in various parts
of Washington. Collected in the new Archives
Building, these and everything else relating to
Our national history will be readily available
for the information of present and future
Americans.
Tor,.oc;op, Df O;J Tn0Bc'