HISTORICAL NOTES. The Columbus Contract. As we are passing through this 400 th anniversary year in which we are to commemorate the great event of October 12, 1492, other dates made memorable by the great transaction which culminated on that day, will also be noticed with interest as the year progresses. Attention has already been called in some of the public prints to April 17th. This year it fell on a Sunday-and Easter Sunday at that. On April 17, 1492, was signed a treaty or contract between Ferdinand and Isabella, King of Arragon and Queen of Castile, the sovereigns of united Spain, as the parties of the first part, and a party of the second part, who would seem to present in his person or position but a sorry contrast, an extremely disproportionate importance to the others. He was as yet only an adventurer, nothing in his hand of money or power; a wouldbe discoverer, but not even a discoverer, as some of the mariners in Portugal's service might boast of being. He had vast promises to make, and not only boundless but confident expectations to urge. Yet withal, glaringly disproportionate as were these parties, there must have been something in the arguments, the persistence, the lofty bearing born of an overwhelming confidence in his theory and of an unshaken assurance of his success, which must have deeply affected these sovereigns. It must have made them feel that in these visions there was something which was "not all a dream," and the substance of which placed the engagement to which Columbus bound himself, quite on a level with their obligations. As to dignity and glory of personal position, who would not be Columbus rather than the King and Queen, who doubtless deemed their part in the transaction to be a gracious condescension? the brick surrounding a comparatively modern fireplace, a large oldfashioned Dutch tiled fireplace was found. Upon each tile is the figure of a yellow or orange breasted bird, emblematic of the national colors of the New Netherlands. Another fireplace of a similar character and of still greater historic interest was discovered in the west room of the old house. This had also been re-lined with brick many years ago, and the existence of the original fireplace was wholly unsuspected. In the centre there is an ancient iron fireback. Upon this in relief are four human figures, two of these are evidently grenadiers, tall and slim. They face each other and each is armed with a sword and a long gun, the butts of which rest upon the ground. The other two figures are supposed to represent Dutchmen, short and fat, and seem to be shaking hands. Beneath the group is the following inscription in Dutch. "Den Crane Tir Gasselt Er Hebt Woe Ausdem Satel Gar Manchen Brafen Helt." The literal translation of the inscription is as follows: "The grenadier Gasselt. He raises indeed out of the saddle many brave heroes," or "This represents grenadier Gasselt. He has defeated indeed a good many heroes." This old fireplace is elaborately tiled like the other, the ornamentation being flowers and birds. Both fireplaces are provided with the customary iron swinging cranes in use in that period. There are other back pieces in Ulster county similar to the one found at the old Senate House. One was taken from an old stone house which formerly stood in the town of Wawarsing, the walls of which were loopholed for rifles and muskets. In the time of Indian raids during the Revolutionary period the people assembled in this house for safety. It was strongly built, and when no longer occupied as a residence was. spoken of as the "old fort." It was visited by many people previous to 1854, when it was torn down. An Echo of Dorr's Rebellion. Among bi- and quadro-centennials commemorating great events, we should not overlook the lesser ones, emphazing lesser events which go to make up the unity of our history. It is not difficult to understand why Rhode Island finds in Dorr's Rebellion, something worthy to commemorate with a semi-centennial celebration. There may be some, wise people who look back wishfully but wistfully to a time when suffrage was not quite "universal." There may be some bold spirits, who would even dare to think and to say that some decided advantages might be realized from a restriction upon the suffrage, so that decency and intelligence might more generally guide and control votes. Be that as it may. But when all the STANFORD LIRRADICS other voters of the union were without qualifications (practically), it was a little hard on Rhode Islanders to be subjected to a property qualification of $134. And so Dorr had no difficulty in creating a following, and while he may not have done the very best thing in the world in leading his followers into armed rebellion, still at a distance of fifty years, when passions have had time to cool, even his adversaries may see some reason for commemorating his exploit, especially since within the last ten (and less) years, the point contended for was finally secured for the citizens of Rhode Island. Meantime we outsiders can not but stand off and wonder a little at the history of this curious state. People jokingly slander New Jersey as being outside of the United States. But in reality it was in the Union before New York was. Rhode Island could with more justice be made the point of this kind of humor. It was more than a year after Washington's Inauguration, before this minute and obstinate commonwealth would adopt the federal constitution. And in 1842, Thomas W. Dorr was in rebellion against the state government trying to upset the King Charles charter. And what was worse, he could not make headway against the prejudice in favor of it, and its most galling provision deprived men of the rights and privileges of United States citizenship until 1888! How could these things be! Neglect of a National What can be to us, as citizens of these United States a more priceless heirloom, than the very paper upon which was written the Declaration of Independence, with the actual signatures of the men who subscribed their names to it, not knowing but they were signing their death warrant. Yet for many years it was carelessly kept among a lot of insignificant papers in the interior department, with less precaution against injury, as some one strongly but justly writes, than if it were "a caveat to protect an invention of a flour-sifter." This disgraceful neg lect continued to as late a date as 1877. In 1876, as a proper mode of celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its promulgation, the officials in charge of it let it go forth from their hands to be subjected to the tender mercies of facsimile hunters. A letter press copy was made of it, which (strange to say!) ruined it most effectually for later preservation, so that now not more than ten of the sixty names are legible to any degree, and these are faded to the last stage of visibility. As to the others, we are told, there are faint traces of writing, but nothing in the form of a signature can be distinguished sufficiently to enable any one to read them. It is a comfort that, now that it is almost too late, some precautionary measures have been taken. By an executive order it is to remain in the State Department, and will not be loaned for any purpose, no matter how worthy. The custodian believes that there will be no further fading of the document as long as it remains undisturbed; but to him and to every visitor it is a matter of regret that the attempt to make a letter-press copy should have been permitted. It looks worse than some of the manuscripts in the British Museum which are three times as old It is now between two large plates of French glass, enclosed in a hardwood case, which is hermetically sealed so as to keep out air and dust. No atmosphere or other influence can now reach the precious document. The handsome wooden case in which the Declaration is kept is in an upright position, fastened to a latticed partition, with two doors in front, opening outward. The doors open only far enough to view the document and exclude the light, except such as is admitted by reflection. This is all now as it should be, but as it should be, but one irresistibly and regretfully wonders why it was not thought of before. present time is a proof of this. The Colonists of New Amsterdam afford another case in point. In 1664 Colonel Nicolls induced them to abandon their allegiance to the Dutch Republic. In 1764- a hundred years later the first English-speaking pastor was called to one of the Dutch churches in New York. Miss Booth in her charming history gives the following vivid picture of some of the chief customs and traditions of the Dutch in New York about 1680, the time to which the article in the present number on the administration of Sir Edmund Andros refers. "At this time and long after, the inhabitants of the city continued to be distinguished for their frank goodnature, their love of home, and their cordial hospitality... Despite the staid decorum of the city, it was overflowing with sociality and genial humor. Fast young men, fashionable amusements, late hours, and dissipation were wholly unknown, but there was no lack of hearty and homely sports. Of holidays there were abundance; each family had some of its own; birthdays and marriage anniversaries were religiously observed in the family circle, and home ties were thus drawn more Each season too closely together. brought its own peculiar festivals, and many new ones were invented to meet the social exigencies... The Dutch had five national festivals which were observed throughout the city; namely, Kerstydt [Kersmis] (Christmas); Nieuw jar [jaar] (New Year); Paas [Paasschen] (the Passover) [Easter]; Pinxter (Whitsuntide); and Santa Claus (St. Nicholas or Christ-Kinkle day). Most of these have come down to our own time, in a form but slightly varied from the ancient observance... New Year's day was devoted to the interchange of visits. Every house in the city was open, no stranger was unwelcome, cake, wine, and punch were provided in profusion, and the opening year was greeted with general conviviality. It was considered a breach of etiquette for any one to omit a single acquaintance in his round of calls, and acquaintanceships were renewed, and half-dissevered intimacies knotted again in the cordial warmth of the New Year's greeting. This custom, which has come down to our own times, has extended to other cities, but its origin belongs exclusively to New York. "But Santa Claus day was the best day of all in the estimation of the little folks, who of all others enjoy holidays the most intensely. It is notable, too, for having been the day sacred to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of New York, who presided at the figurehead [so says the accurate Diedrich Knickerbocker.] of the first emigrant ship that touched. her shores, who gave his name to the first church erected within her walls, and who has ever since been re garded as having especial charge of the destinies of his favorite city. To the children he was a jolly, rosycheeked little old man, with a lowcrowned hat, a pair of Flemish trunkhose, and a pipe of immense length, who drove his reindeer sleigh loaded with gifts from the frozen regions of the North over the roofs of New Amsterdam for the benefit of good children. Models of propriety were they for a week preceding the eventful eve. When it came, they hung their stockings carefully labeled that the Saint might make no mistake, in the chimney-corner, and went early to bed, chanting the Santa Claus hymn, in addition to their usual devotions: "Sint Nicolaas, goed heilig man, Sint Nicolaas, myn goeden Vriendt, "Saint Nicholas, good holy man, |