Page 357 - Demo

BrooklynRequestsOriginalCharterFrom CalFollowing up a plan originally discussed with City Council President Paul O%u2019Dwyer, Borough President Sebastian Leone has appealed to Governor Ronald Regan to have the original charter of the Town of Bruecklen returned from a San Marino, California library to Brooklyn on a permanent or at least on a loan basis-for exhibition during the forthcoming Bicentennial Celebration of 1976.In a letter to Governor Regan released last week, Leone wrote: %u201c As you are probably aware, what we believe to be the original copy of the so-called Nichols Charter, constituting the Town of Bruecklen - now Brooklyn, New York - has been in the possession of the Huntington Library at San Marino, California.%u201cThis Charter, granted in the year 1667 by Governor General Richard Nichols, acting for his Royal Highness Duke of York and Albany and territories in America, was signed on the 18th day of October in the nineteenth year of the reign of King Charles II of England.%u201c According to the text, the Charter was given under the hand and seal of Governor Nichols in New York on the island of Manhattan. It very particularly mentions the fact that the land was located on Long Island and contained property in Gowanus, Bedford and Wallebocht which still survive as active Brooklyn communities.%u201c From time to time, appeals have been made to various authorities in the State of California by the Clerk of the County of Kings to ascertain if there were some means or method by which this document could be given to the Borough of Brooklyn to be part of its historic archives. To the best of my knowledge, these appeals have gone unanswered.%u201c Interest in this matter has been heightened by the fact that we are now approaching the observance of the American Bicentennial. Much of the Colonial and Revolutionary history of the nation is centered in and around Brooklyn and I would very much appreciate it if this document could be exhibited in Brooklyn permanently or at the very least during the duration of the Bicentennial. If you will be kind enough to respond to us with a view to effectuating the transfer of this document which means so much to the history of this community, I assure you it will be appreciated by our citizens.%u201dResponding to curator Dr. Richard Thorpe of the Huntington Museum at San Marino who said that it was legally impossible for him to release any of its exhibits, Dr. Joseph Palisi, Brooklyn historian said: %u201c I think it would be much in the spirit of the Bicentennial for the Huntington Library to meet the people of Brooklyn halfway by returning the charter on a loan basis only, if necessary, for an indefinite period.%u201c Certainly Governor Regan can appreciate and understand the great interest in this historic document evidenced in the appeal of Borough President Leone, Council President O'Dwyer and ourn tt ip r n ito a ff! oin lo '~**J *-%u00bbA* IV U 4IJ , t i l > > liV /il|Brooklyn wants its birth certificate back.%u201da.