HOLOGRAPHIC LETTER BY THE SEVENTH LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS by Young, John Russell (1840-99) - 1898

1898. Very good. An autograph letter signed (ALS) by John Russell Young, the seventh Librarian of Congress. Young was a journalist, author, and diplomat who served in the post for just two years before his death in 1899. The letter is handwritten written on Library of Congress letterhead to an unknown recipient. Young writes, "Sir, I have your work and am glad to comply with your request - I have many pleasant memories of Spain. I do not (word) the hope that the wisdom and (word) of the two countries will continue and maintain unbroken ties of friendship which have ever joined the United States and Spain." This correspondence seems to be associated with Young's international outreach. According to the Library of Congress, his business and political skills served him well during his brief tenure as Librarian of Congress. He used his diplomatic ties to enlarge the Library's collections. In February 1898, he sent a letter to U.S. diplomatic and consular representatives throughout the world asking them to send to "the national library" newspapers, journals, pamphlets, manuscripts, broadsides, "documents illustrative of the history of those various nationalities now coming to our shores to blend into our national life," and other categories of research materials, broadly summarized as "whatever, in a word, would add to the sum of human knowledge." By the end of 1898, books and other materials had been obtained from eleven legations and seven consulates. The quarter sheet letter has creasing from prior folds and is otherwise very good.