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fo; Miss McKinstry
2/2/54
Subject* The Hamlin Diaries
/
Fran: Miss Adams
This should probably go on the card of Mr* Charles Hamlin and there
will also have to be a bibliographic card set up for them* It might be wise to
take this note in the shape of a note and transfer pertinent material later*
The diaries of Mr* Charles Hamlin are said to have been deposited in
the Library of Congress with either a ten er--ar«4w^^^
{T^j^J^J^^^^A^^^f
seal on them*
There are twenty-eight volumes of diaries covering the
period from 1@87 to 1935* These diaries are digested and indexed in twenty-five
volumes* There are also a large number (precise number to be determined) of
scrap books compiled by Mr* Hamlin from newspaper clippings covering the period
1871 to 1938* These volmes are also indexed in twenty-three separate index
volumes* The total Hamlin deposit in the Library of Congress consists of
three hundred and forty-five voltames and two manuscript boxes of loose material#
These diaries undoubtedly constituted a mine of information* There is,
however *. a warning that they may not be entirely reliable* Mr* Chester Morrill*
who was for a time secretary of the Board, warns that Mr* Hamlin links his personal opinions with official reports9 and that his writings are not always accurate
as to what happened* They should be checked with the official minutes or with
some other pertinent source* Mr* Morrill also warns that Mr. Hamlin was a mild
man on the surface but that his personal comments were sometimes sharp* This
should add to the interest of the diary, but obviously the material must be used
with care both for accuracy and for the libel laws. It should have been stated
at the beginning of this memorandum that the Hamlin collection has been opened
for access within the last two years* This date also must be checked. The important thing for our purposesjxhowever, is that the material is now available*
It is>however* so voluminous as to be almost embarrassing in its richness.
@FedFRASER