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Declaration and
Constitution Find
a Home at Last
i.
By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN
F COURSE you know—be-
M ing n good American and
tKI •7’B therefore a student of tlie
history and of the institu
4(j|jp tions of your country—
that the British in the War
V '* W of 1812 entered Washing
ton August 24, 1814, and burned all the
public buildings.
But did you ever read the story of
Holly Madison Hoeing from the White
House, with die Declaration of Inde
pendence, the Constitution and the pic
ture of (leorge Washington in her
•inns? That’s a bit exaggerated, of
course, hut it gives a hint of the many
adventures of the wanderings of these
two bulwarks of our liberty in search
■f a permanent home during the last
century.
Now, at last, these adventurous wan
derings are over. The Declaration and
the Constitution rest together in a per
manent repository in the Library of
Congress nt Washington.
And the people of the United States
of America have anew national
shrine.
There are not many of these nation
al shrines. There are many places
"here tlte good American should stand
bareheaded In reverence—places like
I.exington and Concord, Bunker Hill
end the Alamo. There are many names
that suggest "holy ground”—names
tike Nathan liale, Francis Scott Key
and George Rogers Clark. Rut the
truly national shrines are few.
One is the Liberty Bell in Independ
ence Hall at Philadelphia. Mount Ver
non and the Washington Monument
ure two more. The Lincoln Memorial
at Washington is another. The tomb
of tlie Unknown Soldier in Arlington
still another.
This new national shrine is worthy
of its purpose. The permanent home of
the Declaration and tlie Constitution
Is titting and appropriate. The shrine
Itself is a work of architectural beauty.
Tlie hull of tlie Library of Congress is
one of tlie most satisfying interiors in
the world.
Grayish-black marble forms tlie
background of the shrine. In gold let
ters is the inscription, “The Declara
tion of Independence and the Constitu
tion of the United States.” There are
bronze doors which can be opened or
closed at will. Bronze eagles Hank the
shrine. Tlie whole is inclosed by a
white marble rail.
the Declaration is set in a marble
niche in the wall. It is Inclosed In a
racial case. Tlie parchment document
is covered with two sheets of heavy
plate glass, between which there is a
transparent film of gelatin wilted neu
tralizes the actinic rays of light. This
should prevent further fading. The
document of the Constitution Is con
tained in a large case just below the
Declaration.
Many wanderings, much exhibition
and 117 years of wear and tear have
left their marks on the Declaration.
At first the parchment was kept roiled.
Rolling and unrolling have made
many cracks. Long exposure to the
ight has badly faded the text. This
fading, however, has been uniform and
\ W/W/z **&,'' **' ■&***',
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damn?
the text is still legible. The signatures
have faded worse than the text. Tills
is due to tlie fact that tlie ink of the
text was of the best quality, while
that of the names was of varying
quality, the signatures being written at
different times. The ink of those days
was in tlie form of powder, which was
mixed with water as occasion demand
ed. Literally, the signatures have
peeled off rather than faded. It has
been definitely decided to attempt no
restoration. The Declaration will, there
fore, remain for all time in its original
form.
The dedication of this new national
shrine was unostentatious. Herbert
I’utnam, librarian of congress, had
charge of the ceremonies. President
Coolldge and a company of notables
were there. Now ypu may go and see
these two priceless documents —the
like of which is not in all the world.
And now for a glance nt their wan
derings of a century and a half!
The Declaration, in the form you
may see it, was not signed July 4, but
was completed In its present form dur
ing the summer of 177 G. It was in the
custody of Charles Thomson, secretary
of the Second Continental Congress,
who kept it in his office in the Pennsyl
vania state house, afterwards known
as Independence Hall.
In November of 177 G Washington
was forced back into Pennsylvania by
tlie British and congress moved to Bal
timore, taking tlie Declaration and
other state papers with it in a light
wagon. Tlius began tlie Declaration's
wanderings. Congress moved hack to
Philadelphia, then fled (in 1777} to
Lancaster and to York. Tlie Declara
tion went with congress. July 2, 1778,
congress, back again in Philadelphia,
ordered a celebration on July 4, just
two years from the day of signing.
There was a parade of tlie army, a
salute of thirteen guns and much
cheering for the “Perpetual and Undis
turbed Independence of the United
States of America.”
This independence was destined to
be perpetual, but not undisturbed. The
Declaration rested from its wanderings
only until June 23, 1783. Then a band
of soldiers marched into Philadelphia,
drew up before tlie state house and
demanded pay. Congress didn’t have
the money and fled to Princeton, N. J.
In November 'it reassembled at An
napolis, Md. Next it met at Trenton,
N. J., and in 1755 the seat of govern
ment was transferred to New York.
And of course congress took tlie Dec
laration along.
Federal Hull, Wall and Nassau
streets. New York, was tlie abiding
piace of the Declaration for the next
THE DANIELSVILLE MONITOR, DANIELSVILLE, GEORGIA.
®Jy
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■l//iferr>'ooq
Tlie documents were housed first ir
the Treasury, then in the “Sever
Buildings” and finally in the War Of
fire building, on the site of the presem
State, War and Navy departments.
Then came the War of 1812, wit!
James Madison President and James
Monroe secretary of state. Monrot
waited till the British were withir
sight from Washington and then sent
off tlie Declaration and Constitutior
with several sacks of state papers by
wagon. These papers were housed
over night in a barn beyond George
town and the next day were taken
SO miles more to Leesburg. Here 8
minister named Littlejohn hid (hers
until tlie British left Washington.
John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay.
Martin Van Buren and John Forsyth,
successive secretaries of state, had
charge of the documents until IS4O,
various buildings being occupied. In
the meantime, several buildings had
been erected under the L’Enfant plan,
drafted under George Washington’s
supervision. Among these was the
patent office, still standing at Seventh
and F streets. This white marble
building was supposed to be fireproof.
In 1841, Secretary of State Daniel
Webster, perhaps the Constitution’s
most eloquent expounder, transferred
the documents to this building, There
the Declaration, with other historical
documents was put on exhibition for
the American people to see. It hung
there, exposed to the light, for tlie
next 35 years.
The opening of the Centennial ex
position in 187 G at Philadelphia took
the Declaration back to Independence
hall. There it was placed on exhibi
tion in a fireproof safe with a plate
glass door. The damaged condition of
the document called forth much com
ment. In 1880 a committee of the Na
tional Academy of Sciences considered
its restoration. Its report accomplished
nothing. Philadelphia made a strenu
ous effort to retain the Declaration,
but in 1877 it was returned to Wash
ington and was put upon exhibition
in the library of the State, War and
departments. While there the
supposedly fireproof patent office was
gutted by fire.
In 1894 tlie condition of the Dec
laration aroused somebody to action.
This was in Cleveland's second term
and Walter Q. Gresham was secretary
of state. It was removed from exhibi
tion and locked up in a safe in care
of Secretary Gresham. There it re
mained for 27 years.
President Harding became interest
ed in tlie question of a proper perma
nent repository for the Declaration
and in 1921 he ordered it taken to the
Library of Congress and locked up
until a shrine could be prepared for
it. This time the Declaration went
under guard and in an automobile.
F*te did not spare him to see tlie
! completed shrine.
There ure many good Americans who
: have no patience with those who can
not see tlie Hand of Providence in
American history. They give thanks
to Providence for the upraising of
groat Americans for great emergencies,
: for unexpected aid in great crises.
| These good Americans regard ns noth
| ing less than Providential the sur-
I vivul of the Declaration and tlie Con
! stitution, knocked about from pillar
! to post for so many years and ex
posed to vicissitudes far beyond the
' ordinary.
few years. Durlnj
those years the Kev
elution was won, th<
Const itu 11 o n was
adopted and Georgf
Washington was
elected the first Pres
Went:' Presiden'
Washingtorf was in
augurated in AderaJ
hall April 30, 1759
The Declaration am 1
Constitution, now to
gether for the firs:
time, were turnet
over to him. De
ceniber 6, 1700, bt
removed the seat oi
government to Phil
adelphia. There tht
two documents wen
put in the custody o’
T h o m a s Jefferson
secretary of state
who had drawn tht
original draft of thf
Declaration but hue
had no hand in tin
Const itut ion. Ir
Philadelphia tlx
documents weri
kept, first on Mar
ket street and late:
at Fifth and Chest
nut.
In ISOO the seat o:
government wai
transferred to the
new-built city o:
Washington. March
4, 1801, Jefferson be
came President anc
James Madison, sec
rotary of state, be
came custodian os
the documents. H
had had a- hand it
the making of the
Constitution, but not
of the Declaration
Implement Shed, Garage and 1
Farm Workshop Under One pJI
- - * I
By WILLIAM A. RADFORD
Mr. William A. Radford will answer
questions and give advice FREE OF
COST on all subjects pertaining to the
subject of building work on the farm,
for the readers of this paper. On ac
count of his wide experience as Editor,
Author and Manufacturer, he is. with
out doubt, the highest authority on all
these subjects. Address all Inquiries
to William A. Radford, No. 1827
Prairie avenue, Chicago, 111., and only
inclose t.vo-eent stamp for reply.
Combining the Implement shed, gar
age and farm workshop all under one
roof is a means by which much labor
is saved during the time when farm
machinery and implements are re
paired. This work usually is done in
winter or on rainy days, and by com
bining the three buildings under one
roof, much unpleasantness is avoided.
The combination building shown Is
a practical and inexpensive design.
The shed portion for the housing of
the implements, wagons and machinery
has an open front, but would be much
better were the openings closed by
sliding doors. The gurage section has
a concrete floor and is closed by slid
ing doors at both ends, allowing the
car to be driven in one side and out
the other. The repair shop also has a
concrete floor and is of weather-tight
construction, so that repair work can
be done comfortably in winter.
The building is G 2 feet long and 22
feet wide. The machinery shed and
garage are separated by a full parti
tion. The repair shop is really a sep
arate building, although under the
same roof. The building is of frame
construction, on a concrete foundation.
The shop equipment indicated on the
floor plan consists of a large work
bench and a forge. However there
is plenty of floor space for any other
equipment the owner desires to Install.
Protecting machinery against the
weather is one of the most economical
things n farmer can do, as housing it
gives it a much longer life and keeps
it In good condition for use. When
a farm shop also is maintained it is
comparatively simple to make neces
sary repairs and replace worn parts.
Proper Draperies Are
Aid to Home Beauty
With a great many housecleaning
time is again a thing of the past. Usu
ally spring housecleaning means new
draperies of a more springlike color
anil weight.
Like all other interior arrangements
of the home, window draping to be
effective means using the right thing
in the right place. There is probably
no other phase of home decoration that
offers such a wide scope for the exer
cise of good taste as do the draperies.
In the selection of the materials the
style of the windows and the interior
decorations of the room must be con
sidered.
If the rooms are dark you will want
to make them lighter. If they are
flooded with sunshine you will want
curtains that will soften the glare. If
perchance your house Is close against
a neighbor’s, you will need curtains
that will give you the desired privacy
without shutting out the light.
There are so many attractive ways
of hanging curtains that it would be
Impossible to attempt a description.
The best method is to choose
draperies at a store where there Is an
expert who will be glad to make sug
gestions and who will suggest the best
methods of draping to suit your own
type of home.
Two Rules for Better
Heating in Small Homes
There ore two things to watch when
you buy your furnace. The first is the
correctness of the installation, tlie sec
ond is the quality and the fuel effi
ciency of the furnace. Upon this de
pends ultimate cost.
Do not heat your honfle altogether on
the say so of your neighbor, or based
solely on his experience, for the
chances are your house is not abso
lutely the same as his and probably
v-car requirements will be different
from his.
The greatest mistake made in heat
is putting the wrong type of fur
_ ce in the house. There is a type c!
f * GZ'-O"
/ORdE Joi
I Machinery g>hed Garage RepaircwM
l . J f—i,
Floor Plan. I
Tight walls and a tight roof are all I
that are necessary in a machinery I
storage building, hut It should be I
made certain that they are tight, and,
consequently, good construction meth
ods should be used.
The cost of such a building as this
is earned several times over (luring
its life by the savings it makes in ma
chinery bills.
furnace exactly suited to your require
ments. If you put in a type which
does not fill your needs you burn more
fuel. Your heating costs will inevita
bly be higher than with the correct
system. More important still is the
fact that, In spite of additional fuei
cost, you cannot get the perfect com
fort that you have a right to expect.
Maple, Birch and Beech
Recommended for Floors
Maple, beech and birch are excel
lent flooring lumbers and permit o a
wide choice in color possibilities,
wearing quality of maple is knownto
everyone, having established
an American standard for o ' e j,
years. Closest akin to maple are tore
and beech, and in service and sur.
finish these three woods meet
need and show a delightful versatility.
In recent years there has b
distinct change in taste so far ns
are concerned. The preference todaj
whether it is in woodwork or
ture, is distinctly away from the g
ness of grain.
Pictures in Home
A room with pictures and a r-m
without pictures differ nearly •
as a room with windows '
without windows; for P ict , , din .
loopholes of escape to the sou . ■
it to other scenes and spheres,
the fancy for a moment ui...
freshed and delighted. alines*
Pictures are consolers of urn ,
and a relief to tlie Ja'leo m, ■ _ M .
windows to the imprisoned - -
they are books, histories anp -
—which we can read vvithou.
hie of turning over the leaves-
Watch the Contract
11 hn rlraw'll
Contract forms should &e /-
with strict attention to pig
ments, and must be fair . c n .
ties. Easily obtainable sja n '-‘“\
tract documents, satisfy . o!>
quirements set out hero, - ■■ 0 j
mined from the American l •-
Architects, New York city.