Important gifts of the month were: From the Architectural Record Company, a copy of Sweets' indexed catalogue of building construction, 1906; from the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, "Catalogue des gravures contemporaines formant la collection Ardail, par Georges Riat," 1904; from William K. Bixby, a privately printed volume of "Letters from George Washington to Tobias Lear, with an appendix containing miscellaneous Washington letters and documents reprinted from the originals in the collection of Mr. William K. Bixby of St. Louis," Rochester, N. Y., 1905; from Charles W. Bump, "Down the historic Susquehanna, a summer's jaunt from Otsego to the Chesapeake, by C. W. Bump," Baltimore, 1899, and "London plays of 1901, an American critic's summary and review of the season," Baltimore, 1901, a volume of newspaper clippings made up into book form; from Mrs. William Allen Butler, 42 copies of the poems of William Allen Butler; from Joseph H. Choate, 282 volumes and 671 pamphlets, a miscellaneous collection of English and American publications, documents, etc.; from the Chief Engineer, Columbus, Ohio, 4 volumes and 9 pamphlets, relating to water supply and sewage disposal; from James S. Cushing, a copy of his Genealogy of the Cushing family, Montreal, 1905; from Charles Stewart Davison, "Daniel Boone, contribution toward a bibliography of writings concerning Daniel Boone, by William Harvey Miner," New York, published by the Dibdin Club, 1901; from Sir James Dewar, 10 pamphlets relating to his work in physics and physical chemistry; from the Friends' Book and Tract Committee, New York, 14 volumes of works by and relating to the Society of Friends; from B. Frank Green, his Gordon Genealogy, in manuscript; from Charles R. Knapp, his Knapp genealogy, 1905; from the Prince of Monaco, through the Musée Océanographique de Monaco, 30 volumes, 56 pamphlets, and 5 maps, the important oceanographic work entitled "Résultats des campagnes scientifiques, accomplies sur son yacht par le Prince Albert 1er Prince de Monaco, publié sous sa direction avec le concours du Baron Jules de Guerne," Monaco, 1889-1905; from Feliks Piotrowski, "Opis ciata ludzkiego czyli antropografia," Warsaw, 1906; from the Statistical office of Rosario de Santa Fé, Argentine Republic, the "Anuario estadistico de la ciudad," 1904; from the Royal Society of St. George, London, three of its publications; from the U. S. S. Pennsylvania its monthly paper "The Liberty Bell Magazine" and from the U. S. S. Kentucky its paper the "Kentucky Budget." At the LENOX Branch the exhibition of manuscripts, books and portraits relating to Benjamin Franklin was continued. At the ASTOR Branch plates from a collection of reproductions of the works of Quentin Matsijs and "Handzeichnungen, Stiche und Gemälde von Lucas van Leyden" and from "L'Estampe Moderne" were exhibited, and the permanent exhibition of photographs of branch libraries was enlarged. At the MUHLENBERG branch plates from a set of photographic reproductions of paintings in the Dresden Gallery were placed on exhibition. Other exhibitions from the print room shown in the circulation branches remain as before. Picture bulletins and temporary collections of books on special shelves at the circulation branches were as follows: CHATHAM SQUARE, Animals, Nathan Hale; EAST BROADWAY, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Victor Hugo; RIVINGTON STREET, Sociology; HUDSON PARK, Sea stories, Foreign children; BOND STREET, Composers and musicians of Germany, Composers and musicians of America; OTTENDORFER, Metallurgy, Radium and its application; TOMPKINS SQUARE, Books on art, Sea tales; JACKSON SQUARE, New York City; 67TH STREET, Benjamin Franklin; 69TH STREET, Dog tales; BLOOMINGDALE, Hudson River, Fairy tales; 125TH STREET, Africa, Greek and Roman art, Sculpture; TOTTENVILLE, Our presidents, The opera. In addition there were bulletins on Washington at twenty branches, on Lincoln at seventeen branches, on St. Valentine's Day at four branches, on new books at four branches, and on Japan at two branches. The seventeenth branch erected from the Carnegie fund was opened for circulation on February 19 at 209 West 23d Street; it provides a new home for the MUHLENBERG branch and for the administrative offices of the circulation department formerly located at the GEORGE BRUCE branch. The MUHLENBERG branch was first opened at 49 West 20th Street, February 25, 1893, as part of the New York Free Circulating Library system; after removal to 330 Sixth Avenue on January 2, 1897, it was finally located at 130 West 23d Street in April, 1898. It contains a stock of about 13,000 volumes and in its old quarters circulated about 109,000 per year. Sunday opening has been discontinued at the CHATHAM SQUARE, JACKSON SQUARE, 96TH STREET, BLOOMINGDALE, and MOTT HAVEN branches, and evening service after 9 p. m. at the OTTENDORFER, YORKVILLE, AMSTERDAM AVENUE, and TREMONT branches, because of insufficient attendance. Reading rooms open until 10 p. m. on week days are as follows: RIVINGTON STREET branch, 61 Rivington Street; BOND STREET branch, 49 Bond Street; TOMPKINS SQUARE branch, 331 East 10th Street; 135TH STREET branch, 103 West 135th Street. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS branch, 922 St. Nicholas Avenue. The following branches are open on Sundays from 2 to 6 p. m.: In the course of public documents cataloguing analytical work on the collected documents of the State of Maine is just completed; this work includes, for the reports of various state officers and institutions usually bound up with the collected documents as well as issued separately, a statement in tabular form showing for reports of each office or institution the series number, period covered, and location in the collected documents and as a separate issue. To put at the service of other libraries the results of this work the Library will permit transcription of these records by any library willing to pay for the necessary stock and clerical work. LETTERS OF SPENCER ROANE, 1788-1822. The following letters from Spencer Roane (1762-1822) the Virginia jurist, son-in-law of Patrick Henry, are printed from the original manuscripts in the New York Public Library. TO PHILIP AYLETT. RICHD JUNE 26, 88 DEAR SIR, Yesterday the convention voted to ratify the constitution by a majority of ten. The Decision has been distressing & awful to great Numbers; & it is generally believed will be so received by the people. The minority is a very respectable one indeed, & made a most noble stand in defence of the liberties of the people. Mr. Henry has given exemplary proofs of his greatness, & in the opinion of many, of his virtue. I have myself heard some touches of eloquence from him wch. wd. almost disgrace Cicero or Demosthenes. Matthews is chosen Speaker of the House of Delegates; and John Jones of the senate. There is no rejoicing on Acct of the vote of ratification-it would not be prudent to do so; & the federalists behave with moderation and do not exult in their Success. I have not time to say more-and am Dr Sir Yr affte hble St. SPENCER ROANE [Addressed:] PHILIP AYLETT Esq. King & Queen FRAGMENT. TO JAMES MONROE. [DECEMBER, 1815] judicious manner. It is said by some that a great national Seminary would tend to make us one people. As to general defence & external objects, let us be one people; but as to internal matters, it is unimportant how dissimilar we are; for we are a federal republic, a Confederation of distinct Sovereignties. It is better that we preserve the federal features of our government, than, even on the favorite subject of education, to pave the way to consolidation. Besides; how is this seminary to make our people national & homogeneous with one another, Is is not clear that only a few of the wealthy, can partake of the benefits of the institution. Excuse these few remarks. Believe me they are not peculiar to me; they are those of the best republicans. These measures appear to me to have passed the Rubicon. It is putting the ax to the root of the tree, & striking the first of a series of strokes, which is to demolish the edifice of the State Governments. But I hope I am mistaken. I will not further trespass on your valuable time, by saying anything of the events passing here, you will be informed of them from better sources. I believe the old Dominion will be true to herself, at this juncture, and be as forward in taking measures to consolidate & preserve the blessings of peace as she was prompt & efficient in encountering the perils & dangers, of our late just & necessary war. I congratulate you most sincerely, on the eminent part you acted, in bringing that war to a happy conclusion. Mrs. R. desires her best respects to Mrs. Munroe and Mrs. Hay; and I am, Dear Sir, with very great esteem & regard, I received your favour some short time since, and should have answered it sooner, but I heard you had left the City, &, besides, I had nothing to say. I even write you now, principally, to thank you for your communication & with a view to induce you to continue the correspondence. The legislature yesterday appointed General Mason your colleague in the senate. You will see from the papers that they bungled a good deal before they could effect it. Great hopes are entertained of him as a staunch & promising young man, and the steady services of his family in the cause of the people were not forgotten. I am not sure that I wd have preferred him to all others, but I flatter myself that he will distinguish himself & do honor to his Country. The legislature are beseiged with deputies from various unchartered banks in the upper country, praying for charters. They have taken the business of judging on this subject from the legislature, in defiance of a positive law, & now alledge the fact of their having done so, as a reason why their petition should be granted. It is thought that the H of Delegates will be in their favour, but that it will fail in the Senate. The state of the banks here is really dreadful, and the shavers are making great fortunes. We hear you are about to establish a national bank. That (if you have power to do it) or a national currency must be resorted to, or the Consequences cannot be foreseen or estimated: but this is out of my line & I am unacquainted with the subject. I am pleased at yr. efforts to put the Chesapeake in a better state to be defended than it is at present. I see also that a naval depot is in contemplation to be established, it is said, in York river. If you can form an opinion, at present, I should like to know it, as to what will be the result on these subjects-specially the last which will be highly beneficial to the part of the Country in which I live. What place will be selected, & to what extent will the project be carried? You will see in the Enquirer of to-day Mr. Hay's Speech on the mandate question lately decided in the Court of appeals. The question is of great importance & I expect Congress must act on it, for the 25 § of the judicial act can never be enforced in Virginia. I am aware of your former impressions, on this subject: but no doubt you are open to conviction. The Court was unanimous & several judges & others have given up their first opinions. The opinion here seems pretty general in favour of the decision. If we have erred, we have erred with Plato & Socrates-for Mr. Jefferson is with us. I sent to my son with a request that he would shew it to you the opinion I delivered, & Mr. Jefferson's letter to me on the subject-the last was in confidence. As much time will elapse before the case is published I was induced to do this, as Wm. informed me sevl. gentlemen had expressed a wish to be informed on the subject. Congress will do what they please on the subject. Having done our duty on the occasion we care not for the consequences. I shall be very glad to hear from you as often as you find convenient, & am with very great esteem & regard I was duly favoured with your letter, enclosing the remarks made by you, on the important question to which they relate. I am obliged by the communication. |