Museum. The Committee reported under date of April 24, 1903, that it had examined the document and was pleased to find no evidence of mould or other disintegrating agents could be discovered upon the parchment by careful microscopic examination; nor any evidence that disintegration was then in progress. The investigation was facilitated by a photograph that was taken in 1883, two years after a previous examination by a committee of the Academy, and the committee of 1903 suggested the desirability of taking photographs of about the same size from time to time as an aid to future investigations. The Committee did not consider it wise to apply any chemicals with a view to restoring the original color of the ink, because such application could be but partially successful, as a considerable percentage of the original ink was removed in making the copy about 1820, and also because such application might result in serious discoloration of the parchment; nor did the Committee consider it necessary or advisable to apply any solution, such as collodion, paraffin, etc., with a view to strengthening the parchment of making it moisture proof. The committee was of opinion that the present method of protecting the instrument should be continued; that it should be kept in the dark and as dry as possible, and never placed on exhibition. Secretary Hay approved of the report and directed that its recommendations be observed. The second opening of the safe since 1902, according to information given by the Chief of the Bureau to the present writer during a personal call at the Bureau on August 22, 1912, occurred about a year before his call, when the document was exhibited to a group of newspaper men. The Bureau had no record of the date of that exhibition. Applications to see the original Declaration are now uniformly refused. One of the Stone facsimiles is framed and hanging in the room containing the safe in which the original is deposited. Under the fac-simile, in a frame, is Jefferson's original manuscript draft of the instrument, showing the author's corrections and interlineations. The Department of State has no copies of the Declaration in any form for distribution. An excellent fac simile, however, can be procured from the Elson Art Publishing Co., Inc., of Belmont, Mass., at a nominal charge. Books About the Declaration. The following books may be profitably consulted in regard to the Declaration of Independence, in addition to the standard United States Histories: Anonymous. American History and Biography. The biographies of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. And the Biographies of each of the Presidents. Published by C. Lohman, New York, 1838. Anonymous. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Published at Philadelphia, 1856. Brotherhood, W. The Book of the Signers. An Essay on the Autographic Collections of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution. Dwight, Nathaniel. The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Force, Peter. American archives. Goodrich, Rev. C. A. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Lossing, Benson J. Biographical Sketches of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. L. S. The Declaration of Independence. Michael, Wm. H. "The Story of the Declaration of Independence." National Cyclopedia of American Biography. List of the Signers, with biographies. Richards, G. ("A Citizen of Boston.") The Declaration of Independence: A poem, accompanied by odes, songs, etc., adapted to the day. Sanderson, John. Biography of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Michael's book, above referred to, is an illustrated story of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with the biographies and portraits of the Signers and of the Secretary of the Congress. This volume was prepared primarily as an aid to those in charge of the exhibit of the Department of State at expositions in explaining that part of the exhibit relating to the Declaration of Inde pendence. The panel of the exhibit devoted to this document contained pictures of Jefferson who wrote it; the house in which he wrote it; the desk upon which he wrote it; Independence Hall in which it was debated and adopted; the committee charged with drafting it; and all the signers. This book, however, is not purchasable. Under date of Sept. 3, 1912, August Donatt, Superintendent of Documents of the Government Printing Office, wrote to the Secretary of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society: "Michael's Story of the Declaration of Independence is out of print. Congress reproved Mr. Michael very sharply for publishing the book without proper authority and took all the copies away from him to be distributed by Members of Congress." |