Evening star., 1937-09-12
By the Associated Press.

Books so rare that no price has
ever been set on them have been
brought out to public view this week
in honor of the signing of the Con-
stitution.
BY the hundreds the Library of
Congress has drawn from its files the
books, pamphlets and papers that
trace the origin of the Constitution
and show the material which went
into the making of Americas charter
$50 years ago.
The display arranged by rare book
room experts, has been set up along
the path which hundreds tread daily
through the big library display rooms
to the marble niche in which the orig
inal copies Of the Declaration OF In
dependence and the Constitution
stand. The books chosen illustrate
vividly the vast amount Of material
the institution holds for the scholar
who would learn about the Constitu-
ton.
Many Rare Publications.
The Magma Carta which the blunt
spoken barons of England wrung from
King John on the meadow at Runny-
meade in June of 1915 was selected as
the starting point. An extremely rare
manuscript copy, done in the four
teenth century on vellum and paper,
is surrounded by several other copies
of that English charter that date back
to the fourteenth century.
First editions and rare pamphlets
dot the, trail Of the Constitution up
through that September of $50 years
ago and beyond, until 1t had been
ratified and the First Congress had
met
The part that English laws played
is illustrated by first editions OF Sir
Thomas Littleton's "tenures,," printed
in 1882; Nicholas Statham's "Abridge-
ment of Cases" printed in 149O, and
Blackstone's Collection Of the Laws
of England"
Typifying the French influence is
''The Spirit of Laws" by Montesquieu
The book shown was Thomas Jeffer-
sons copy. And many of the other
books are from the library of Jeffer-
son. For Jefferson might rightfully
be called the Father of the Library
of Congress He gave his books to
start the Library.
Albany Plan There.
In line come the charters OF the
Tn11,,iar he VII
and the Articles of Confederation. 1t
was the Albany plan that was the
forerunner Of the Constitution, worked
out in 1755 by Benjamin Franklin
adopted by a convention of delegates
from the Colonies, and of which
Franklin said it smacked too much of
monarchy to be accepted by the Col
onies and too much of democracy to
be liked by England.
1t never became effective, though
1t bore stipulations which If observed
probably would have prevented the
severance of the Colonies from Eng
land. 1t was much stronger docu-
ment than the puny Articles of Con-
federation adopted by the States dur
ing the war.
Early printings of the State consti-
tutions which were worked out after
| the Declaration Of Independence oc-
cupy their own place, along with copies
OF State laws and books on govern
ment and politics that were studied
! by the writer's of the Constitution.
One Of them was enry Cares Com
! pilation of English Liberties" so pop
ular that it ran through several
editions.
Handbills Included.
Handbills notifying the citizens of
the progress toward State constitu-
tions, journals of the conventions,
Franklin's collection of State consti-
tutions and other political literature
OF that day pave the way to what
probably was the first public printing
OF the Constitution as supplement to
the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily
| Advertiser.
That was on September 10, 1897
Other papers printed it in Philadel-
pnla on the same day, but they print
/
paper and apparently the Packet made
an especial effort. Even these other
newspapers, however, had no other
news that they cared to put alongside
the Constitution.
Illustrative OF the debate which
swept the land after the public learned
the provisions of this document that
had been worked out behind tightly
closed doors are numerous pamphlets
broadsides and wide variety of print.
ed material. including early collection!
OF the Federalist. That represented
the joint endeavor of several of tn,
outstanding advocates for the Consti
tuition. One of the books is a pamph
let James Monroe wrote and late
suppressed, fact which adds great,
TO the rarity of the book.
Original Manuscript.
: Finally, come the debates OF tn
State constitutional conventions, tn
notices Of ratification. descriptions o