Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1930, Page 38

1. 5. HAS ORIGINAL - OF DECLARATION Fi'equent Claims of “Genu- ine” Elsewhere Challenged by Library Experts. BY THOMAS R. HENEY. Do.you happen to own the “original copy ;}l the Declaration of Independ- ence"" ‘The original document has turned up 8o frequently of late, been featured in newspaper headlines, and allegedly pro- nounced genuine by scholars who should know better, that the staff of the Division . of Manuscripts -at :the Library of Congress is beginning fo get impati°nt. For in its own files is the one, origi- nal copy of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, authenticated -beyond 'the slightest possibility of doubt, and any other “one, original copy” that turns up. anywhere just naturally “isn’t,” no mat- ter who says it is. ‘In all the fleld of histary there are few facts more certain than this. But the letters offering for sale.“the one, original copy” continue to come. ‘The owners, it is stated at the Library, “ usually are sincere, and haven't the slightest doubt that they have some- thing which will bring them great wealth. Sometimes they have scholar- 1y support for their opinions. But A fact is a fact, ecable job for (o each timo high hopes d abused for th whose faith can’t be shaken. sidering the number of the letters, it has had printed a form letter which henceforth everyone will receive who claims. to have the “one original Declaration.” Only “Original” Known. ‘The letter follows: “The Declaration of Independence, the original engrossed documeifit with the original signatures, #s in the Li- brary of Congress, on exhibition in a shrine specially constructed to contain it and the Constitution of the United States, with such arrangements as will prevent any subsequent fading. No other original with the signatures is known. The engrossing was ordered by Congress July 19, 1776, and was com- pleted by August 2, 1776. Most of the signatures were affixed to the parch- ment on the latter day. The others were ddded at various times during the months of August, September, October and November of the same vear. “This document has often beeh re- produced in facsimile. The only fac- simile made from the parchment ftself was made in 1823 by order of Joha Quincy Adams, Secretary of State. Twd hundred coples of this were printed and were distributed by Congress. ‘The name of the engraver, Willlam J. Stone, was then removed from the plate, but he was latér permitted to replace it. How many were printed in the interval is not known. Every other facsimile hes been made from one of these 1823 facsimiles or its replica. “The Library does not undertake to furnish correspondents with estimates of the value of facsimiles. The super- intendent of documents at the Govern- ment Printing Office ,can supply a well executed facsimile on receipt of 15 cents “The Library also has, in the Division of Manuscripts, the draft of the Decla- ration prepared for the Continental Congress by the committee of five ap- pointe@ for that purpose on June 13 1776 It is in the ~handwriting ‘Thomas Jefferson, with a few amend- ments in the handwriting of John Adams and Benjamin. Frankiin.” A Priceless Document. Obviously, it was stated at the Di- vision of Manuscripts, the original Declaration of Independence, 4f it hap- pened to be footloose in the world, would be priceless. But it is the prop- erty of the United States Government and anyone can see it and convince himself of its authenticity. Well executed facsimiles of historical documents, sometimes difficult to de- tect, where the history is not known, are constantly appearing. In almost every mail the Library of Congress re- ceives some inquiry. Interest has in- créased of late because of the fabulous prices paid for some genuine manu- scripts, especially those containing ‘sig- natures ef some signers of the Declara- tion who wrote few letters. Wealthy collectors trying to get a complete col- lection of the signatures of “signers” sometimes are willing to pay almost any price. The value of a letter, it is pointed out, depends not.so much on its con- tents, unless this happens to be very significant, as on the rarity, of the sig- nature. Thus papers signed by such men as Washington and Jefferson, who carried on constant and voluminous correspondence, have nothing approaci- ing the value of any scrap of paper which bears the authentic signature of Abraham Lincoln. The Library cf Congress itself has only a few Lincoln signatures—outside the closed collec- tion of Lincoln papers deposited by the late Robert Todd Lincoln which can- not be opened—and it is practically im- possible to obtain one at any price any- where, The value of the great mass of his- torical papers in the files of the manu- script division, it is pointed out, would be incalculable if judged by the prices sometimes paid for single similar manu- scripts. Here they are preserved mnot as curiosities but as source material for students of American history. This material, says Dr. J. Pranklin Jameson, chief of the Divison of Manu~ scripts, now is being augmented by the correspondence of men still living who are sending their preserved letters to the library with the understanding that they will be closed to the public until all persons named in them are dead. Among the collections thus received are those from Elihu Root, and Robert Lansing. The library also has received, with appropriate restrictions, the papers of the late William Jennings Bryan and Philander C. Knox. When these are finally opened to scholars they are expected to shed much light on the history of the recent past. In London in a recent week there 354 births and 904 deat COLDS Leok out for them in bad weather Exposure to cold and dampness gives colds their start. Fortify your system at the first sign of a cold with Grove'’s Laxative BROMO UININE Tablets. hey contain both S Sl Grove’s Luxative *BROMO - QUININE Tableta . THE EVENING IMAN BORN BLIND SEES FOR FIRST TIME THROUGH EFFORTS OF WIFE Christmas Brings Early Gift of Happiness to Home of Husband in Darkness 25 Years. BY JANE DIXON. LANSING, Mich., December 19 (N.A. N.A.).—All the pretty Christmas plun- der done up in holly ribbons seems fu- tile alongside of the one that has come to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Jones. of For the first time Mr. Jones ‘has looked upon the world into whiehs he was born 25 years ago. He entered this life in darkness and expected to remain in darkness to the end of the trail. ‘Three years ago he married. The mar- riage was a love match, guaranteed ‘pure love on the part of the groom sinee it was entirely an inner emotion. Pure love on the bride's part, too, be- cause from the moment she became Marvin's wife, Carol "Jones began to nian ways and means to lift the cur- | tain that shut her husband off from the world of sight. Now, following a delicate operation which removed a cataract from one of Marvin Jones' eyes, he has his first look at light, color, and form. He knows for the first time what human beings really are like. * Realization comes to him in the face | and form of his wife, bending over him when the curtain was lifted. Love and |'joy are the premier emotions he sees portrayed. Others he will learn, though they are relatively unimportant. Grace of a tree swaying in the wind, purple veil flung over a mountain side, butter- fly flirting with a flower—all these are revelations to follow that vivid picture of a face already etched on his soul. Christmas came early to thé Marvin Jones’ home this year—and oh, how # came! (Copyright, 1930, by North American News- aper Alliance.) Ice Shipped to Iceland. Ice is being shipped regularly this | Winter from Glasgow and Leith, Scot- |land, to Iceland. Although there is an abundance of ice in the interior of the island, its transport to the docks at Rejkavik, where it is needed for the fish trade, would be more expensive than to import the artificial product. STAR, WASHING IO b G BREWRY. - Dide WRITINGS REVEAL BITTER WARFARE Bolivar, San Martin and Sucre Manuscripts Exhibited at Congress Library. The desperate fighting by which the various South American republics won their freedom from Spain is pictured in a remarkable collection of contem- porary manuscripts, some of them bear- ing the signatures of-such men as Bolivar, San Martin and Sucre, which has been placed on exhibition at the Library of Congress in connection with the 100th anniversary of the death of Bolivar, Tre collection is the property of Dr. Jerge M. Corbacho, Peruvian historian, who has searched over Latin America for documentary material light on the struggle with Spain. The wars for independence, he points out, really started contemporaneously with the "American Revolution and were actuated by much the same ideals. The collection contains much ma- | long fight to free the northern countries shedding terial concerning the revolution against Spain which broke out in Peru in 1730, led by Gen. Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui, “the last of the Incas.” This man, who styled himself Tupac-Amaru the Sec- ond, was descended through his mother from the last of the Inca kings. His proposal was to restore the Inca empire, but the appeal to revolution was based largely on the growing dissatisfaction of the native whites over government by officials sent from Spain. Besides much other material the col- lection contains a report from one of the Spanish officials that ceria. . #) dians had declared they would not be subject to any king unless he happened to be a descendant of the Incas. The revolt of Tupac-Amaru was short-lived and he was killed. But from that time on there were continual uprisings, which finally came to their climax in the revolts led by Bolivar, San Martin and Sucre. Among the manuscripts is the treaty of capitulation of Ayacucho, signed by Sucre December 9,” 1924. There are letters from the royalist leaders exulting over the early defeats of the patriots. Another notable document is one granting Peruvian citizenship to San Martin, The collection is especially rich in material dealing with Bolivar and his of South America. All the manuscripts are in Spanish and are personal letters, military orders and reports. The rest are in excellent state of preservation. A special case is devoted to each of the revolutionary leaders. pa kR 19, 1930, SKUNK IN ATTIC OF HOME DEFIES ALL MANEUVERS TO PUT HIM OUT Man Who Knows About Such Animals Predicts Dire Effect Any Way Its Ousted. By the Assoclated Press. DODGE CITY, Kans., December 19. ZThe pretentious home of Lee Lipp- man, Dodge City merchant, houses a problem. It is a skunk living in the attic, de- {ying all diplomatic efforts tow: ejec- tion and calmly pilfering chickens from the neighboring roosts. hired Arthur Fawver, & car- P Lippman penter, to investigate the weird creak- ings and heard from the attic. The skunk the carpenter over a pile of chicken feathers. “If you catch him,” said Fawver, who knows about skunks, “you'll be a her- mit for @ month. If you shoot him you 666 is a doctor’s Prescription for Colds snd Headaches 1t is the Most Speedy Remedy Known 666 also in Tablets. can't live in the house for a vear. 1If | you leave him alone there is no telling What may happen.” | They tried to smoke out the intruder with sulphur candles. Poison bacon rind proved no lure. Lippman i du- bious about how the animal would be- have in the throes of death anyhow. o e e roduced to our Pilgrim Indians, avallable to delicious form—Ocean Spray cranberry sauce—in one-pound cans, feady to serve _Advertisement ______ Regular Delivery Over 100,000 families read The Star every day. The great ma- FUANITURE PENTING FURNITURE or constipa- and even ect 1t it is Always use a purely vege- TURE'S REMEDY—NR. rings & bowelfaction by morning, as free and ture jtself. No pain or griping. 25¢ at all drug jority have the paper delivered jarly every evening and Sun- day morning at,a cost of 1% cents daily and 4 cents Sunday If you are not taking advan- of this lar service at low cost, National 5000 now and service will start tomorrow. S reduction on the jole Insulated Range This is the 960 model Oriole Insulated Range which has been reduced $45 during the final drive to boost sales. pastel shad the Oriole Delicately colored in is insulated, fully enameled, with hecat control and all other features which make the n!odern gas range the ultimate in cooking equipment. Model 960) URE! We have been selling a lot of modern gas ranges! But not as many as we would like to sell. We know from a survey of this market that there are thousands of homes which are still struggling along with obsolete cooking equipment. As a matter of fact, the beautiful new gas ranges, fully enameled, with Heat Control, Oven Insulation and all the latest improvements, have made many ranges obsolete before their time. Over a thousand wise Washington home owners have already taken advantage of the slashing reductions offered during the past month by the Gas Company to modernize their kitchens. And now we are offering as a final incentive to Buy Now, the new Oriole Insulated Range (model 960), fully enameled, with Heat Control, at a saving of $45 over the regu- lar price at which it has been selling for years. This includes an allow- ance for your old range. ‘ A small down payment and the balance in 18 months are terms so liberal that at this price almost anyone can afford to buy this modern Oriole gas range. There is no extra charge for financing. Drop in at any of our show rooms to choose your model for Christmas. The main offices of the Georgetown and Washington Gas Light Co. are open until 5:30 Saturday afternoon. The branch offices are open Saturday evening until 9:30, Washington Gas Light Ce. 411 Tenth Street N. W. 3310 14th Street N. W. Sale Now Going on At Rosslyn Gas Company 16 Wilson Boulevard Georgetown Gas Light Co. 1339 Wiscunsin Avenue 5632 Connecticut Avenue Washington Gas Light Co. Tune in on Rudolf Schramm over WRC Saturday Evening at 6:15 o,