Evening star., 1946-03-03
Capital Sidelights
BIZ Will p. Kennedy,

Thomas Jefferson, known as the Pen
of the Revolution" gave the Declaration
OF independence by his proper hand
writing to the Continental Congress"
but just as truly John Adams, most
ardent on the cause OF independence,
on the Committee Of Five charged to
draft the Declaration. was the "shep-
herd of the fiock" and gave the Decla-
ration to the Nation" The place OF
writing the Declaration has been vari-
ously recorded, at Jefferson's chamber
in the Indian Queen, but Mrs. Clymer,
with whom Jefferson boarded. at the
southwest corner of Seventh and High
streets, stated 1t was at that place. To
settle the question indisputably, Dr.
Mease wrote to Jefferson, land had it
confirmed as at her house"
Freedom of the press"-there was
an obsessive fear among the original
colonies OF too free use Of the press
for refractory purposes. In 1883, the
time Of the settlement Of Philadelphia,
the Governor Of Virginia was instructed
not to allow any person to use q print
ing press upon any occasion. In 1886
Gov Randolph OF Massachusetts, for
bade any one to print without his con-
sent. Four years previously the Gen
eraa Court Of Massachusetts, determined
there should be no press used save at
Cambridge and then only under the
inspection OF two licensers. Ito prevent
any abuse OF the authorities Of the
country" Pennsylvania never had any
such restriction. and therefore VIII
liam Bradford set up his press in
Philadelphia as soon as the city was
founded. The New York Governor
stopped the press in 1888. in the case
Of German born John Peter zenser.
who was arrested and imprisoned. The
Governor Of Virginia in IT'S, when
advertising reward for pirates, had
to send to Philadelphia to get the
printing done. On another occasion he
thanked God that they had no press"
In preparing themselves to wrestle
with pending problems in this Distress
ing period, a group Of House members
are reading several books written more
than half a century ago by Represent
ative Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota.
one Of the most intellectually brilliant
men ever to appear in Congress. Don
nelly is best remembered for his Great
Cryptosram," published in 1855, in which
by means OF an ingenius Vo-d-cypher
he endeavored to prove that the plays
attributed to Shakespeare are the works
Of Francis Bacon. But the books now
being read by House members are his
earlier books, Atlantis, the Antediluvian
World "Ragnaroek, the Age Of Fire
and Gravel" and especially Caesars
Column" visionary and prophetic Of
events of the past few years, which was
published in 1890. He dedicated that
book: ITO the Public" praying: MAY
it, under the Providence Of God, do good
to this generation and posterity." He
warned: 1T must not be thought, be-
cause I am constrained to describe the
overthrow of civilization, that desire
it, The prophet is not responsible for
the event he foretells. He may conten-
plate it with profoundest sorrow Christ
wept over the doom Of Jerusalem"
Caesars Column: A Story of the
Twentieth Century" was published
under the pseudonym of Edmund Bois-
gilbert, M. d." and it was quietly gos-
siped that Chicago millionaire was the
author The climax of the story, told in
an exchange Of letters, was the estab-
lishment of utopia called Uganda" 1t
is digested in an appendix to the au-
thoritative four-volume History OF
Minnesota" by William Watt Folwell.
late president of the Minnesota Histor-
ical Society and president emeritus Of
the University of Minnesota.