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class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">John Silva Meehan</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. 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class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Silva_Meehan" title="John Silva Meehan – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="John Silva Meehan" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7_%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86" title="جان سیلوا میهان – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="جان سیلوا میهان" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Silva_Meehan" title="John Silva Meehan – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="John Silva Meehan" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-arz mw-list-item"><a href="https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%86_%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7_%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86" title="جون سيلفا ميهان – Egyptian Arabic" lang="arz" hreflang="arz" data-title="جون سيلفا ميهان" data-language-autonym="مصرى" data-language-local-name="Egyptian Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>مصرى</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%BD,_%D0%94%D0%B6%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%A1%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B2%D0%B0" title="Михан, Джон Сильва – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Михан, Джон Сильва" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%B6%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%A1%D1%96%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9C%D1%96%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%BD" title="Джон Сільва Міхан – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Джон Сільва Міхан" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q325243#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" 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Click here for more information."><img alt="Featured article" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/20px-Cscr-featured.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="19" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/30px-Cscr-featured.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/40px-Cscr-featured.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="466" data-file-height="443" /></a></span></div></div> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">American publisher (1790–1863)</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size: 100%;"><div class="fn" style="font-size:125%;">John Silva Meehan</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Silva_meehan.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A black and white portrait of an older John Silva Meehan" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Silva_meehan.jpg/220px-Silva_meehan.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="248" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Silva_meehan.jpg/330px-Silva_meehan.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Silva_meehan.jpg 2x" data-file-width="373" data-file-height="421" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption" style="line-height:normal;padding-top:0.2em;">Meehan, 1850s</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;"><a href="/wiki/Librarian_of_Congress" title="Librarian of Congress">Librarian of Congress</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br />May 28, 1829 – May 24, 1861</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">President</th><td class="infobox-data"><div class="collapsible-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: left;"> <div style="line-height: 1.6em; font-weight: bold;"><div>List</div></div> <ul class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin-left: 0;"><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Andrew_Jackson" title="Andrew Jackson">Andrew Jackson</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Martin_Van_Buren" title="Martin Van Buren">Martin Van Buren</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/William_Henry_Harrison" title="William Henry Harrison">William Henry Harrison</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/John_Tyler" title="John Tyler">John Tyler</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/James_K._Polk" title="James K. Polk">James K. Polk</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Zachary_Taylor" title="Zachary Taylor">Zachary Taylor</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Millard_Fillmore" title="Millard Fillmore">Millard Fillmore</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Franklin_Pierce" title="Franklin Pierce">Franklin Pierce</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/James_Buchanan" title="James Buchanan">James Buchanan</a></li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><a href="/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln" title="Abraham Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/George_Watterston" title="George Watterston">George Watterston</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/John_Gould_Stephenson" title="John Gould Stephenson">John Gould Stephenson</a></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2"> </td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender">Personal details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1790-02-06</span>)</span>February 6, 1790<br />New York City, U.S.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">April 24, 1863<span style="display:none">(1863-04-24)</span> (aged 73)<br /><a href="/wiki/Capitol_Hill" title="Capitol Hill">Capitol Hill</a>, Washington, D.C., U.S.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Political party</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Jacksonian_Democrats" class="mw-redirect" title="Jacksonian Democrats">Jacksonian</a> (1825–1828)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse</th><td class="infobox-data">Margaret Jones Monington</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data">7</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupation</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Publisher</li><li>printer</li><li>newspaper editor</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader" style="font-weight:bold;">Military career</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Allegiance</th><td class="infobox-data">United States</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Service <wbr />/ branch</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">Navy</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Years of service</th><td class="infobox-data">1815</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Rank</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Midshipman" title="Midshipman">Midshipman</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Conflict</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1116488514">.mw-parser-output .treeview ul{padding:0;margin:0}.mw-parser-output .treeview li{padding:0;margin:0;list-style-type:none;list-style-image:none}.mw-parser-output .treeview li li{background:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Treeview-grey-line.png")no-repeat 0 -2981px;padding-left:21px;text-indent:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .treeview li li:last-child{background-position:0 -5971px}.mw-parser-output .treeview li.emptyline>ul>.mw-empty-elt:first-child+.emptyline,.mw-parser-output .treeview li.emptyline>ul>li:first-child{background-position:0 9px}</style><div class="treeview"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/War_of_1812" title="War of 1812">War of 1812</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="border-top: 1px solid right;"><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>John Silva Meehan</b> (February 6, 1790 – April 24, 1863) was an American publisher, printer, and newspaper editor. He served as the <a href="/wiki/Librarian_of_Congress" title="Librarian of Congress">librarian of Congress</a> from 1829 to 1861. </p><p>Born in New York City, Meehan worked as a printer in his youth. He briefly served in the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Navy" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Navy">U.S. Navy</a> during the last few months of the <a href="/wiki/War_of_1812" title="War of 1812">War of 1812</a>. He returned without seeing combat and began work as a publisher in <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a> alongside fellow printer Robert Anderson, publishing a <a href="/wiki/Baptist" class="mw-redirect" title="Baptist">Baptist</a> religious journal. After the firm moved to <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a>, in early 1822, Meehan began editing and publishing the Baptist weekly newspaper <i>The Columbian Star</i>. Leaving the <i>Star</i> in late 1825, Meehan nominally purchased the <i><a href="/wiki/City_of_Washington_Gazette" class="mw-redirect" title="City of Washington Gazette">City of Washington Gazette</a></i> on direction from <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Jackson" title="Andrew Jackson">Andrew Jackson</a>'s presidential campaign, renaming the paper the <i>United States' Telegraph</i> and taking an immensely partisan stance. Jackson supporters considered Meehan unable to properly spearhead the press campaign. Control over the paper gradually shifted towards editor and publisher <a href="/wiki/Duff_Green" title="Duff Green">Duff Green</a>, with Meehan officially leaving the paper in October 1826; however, he continued to serve as Green's editorial assistant until 1829. </p><p>Following a purge of numerous incumbent officials in the aftermath of <a href="/wiki/1828_United_States_presidential_election" title="1828 United States presidential election">Jackson's 1828 election</a>, Meehan was appointed as librarian of Congress via the <a href="/wiki/Spoils_system" title="Spoils system">spoils system</a> and with Green's urging, replacing the staunch anti-Jacksonian <a href="/wiki/George_Watterston" title="George Watterston">George Watterston</a>. Meehan's tenure as librarian saw the steady growth of the <a href="/wiki/Library_of_Congress" title="Library of Congress">Library of Congress</a>, collaborating with longstanding <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congressional_Joint_Committee_on_the_Library" title="United States Congressional Joint Committee on the Library">Joint Committee on the Library</a> chair <a href="/wiki/James_Pearce" title="James Pearce">James Pearce</a> for most of his tenure. A large fire in December 1851 destroyed 35,000 of the library's 55,000 books. Meehan and Pearce oversaw the reconstruction of the library after the disaster, restocking it with substantial purchases of books and rebuilding the main hall. The <a href="/wiki/1860_United_States_presidential_election" title="1860 United States presidential election">election</a> of <a href="/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln" title="Abraham Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a> in 1860 prompted Meehan's removal in 1861 in favor of Indiana physician <a href="/wiki/John_Gould_Stephenson" title="John Gould Stephenson">John Gould Stephenson</a>. Largely unbothered by this, he retired gracefully and died suddenly in 1863. Both Stephenson and later historians were generally critical of Meehan's tenure, noting that he mainly deferred to the Joint Committee on library policy, leaving the library's archaic catalog system unchanged, and failing to make any progress in transforming the institution into a true <a href="/wiki/National_library" title="National library">national library</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_life">Early life</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early life"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>John Silva Meehan was born in New York City on February 6, 1790. Little is recorded of his early life. He attended school in New York and later entered work as a printer. In 1811 or 1812, he moved to <a href="/wiki/Burlington,_New_Jersey" title="Burlington, New Jersey">Burlington, New Jersey</a>, to work as a printer at Lexicon Press under publisher David Allinson. There, Meehan helped print Richard S. Coxe's <i>New Critical Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language</i>. He met Margaret Jones Monington, from Burlington, and married her in 1814.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMearns194736_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMearns194736-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:USS_Firefly_1815.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A drawing of a ship in choppy seas" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/USS_Firefly_1815.jpg/130px-USS_Firefly_1815.jpg" decoding="async" width="130" height="217" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/USS_Firefly_1815.jpg/195px-USS_Firefly_1815.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/USS_Firefly_1815.jpg/260px-USS_Firefly_1815.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1689" data-file-height="2824" /></a><figcaption>1857 depiction of the <i><a href="/wiki/USS_Firefly" title="USS Firefly">USS Firefly</a></i></figcaption></figure> <p>In January 1815, Meehan returned to New York to enlist in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">Navy</a>. He served as a <a href="/wiki/Midshipman" title="Midshipman">midshipman</a> on the <a href="/wiki/USS_Firefly" title="USS Firefly">USS <i>Firefly</i></a> during the <a href="/wiki/War_of_1812" title="War of 1812">War of 1812</a>. The <i>Firefly</i> was the flagship of a small group of commerce raiders in the <a href="/wiki/West_Indies" title="West Indies">West Indies</a>. Shortly afterwards, the ratification of the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Ghent" title="Treaty of Ghent">Treaty of Ghent</a> concluded the war. The <i>Firefly</i> did not see action, to the disappointment of Meehan and the rest of the crew. Leaving service in April 1815, he moved to <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a> and declined an offered <a href="/wiki/Commission_(document)" title="Commission (document)">commission</a> in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marine Corps</a> to focus on his printing career. His first daughter, Susan, was born the same month.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201629_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201629-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Publishing_career">Publishing career</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Publishing career"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A newspaper masthead" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="135" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg/330px-Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg/440px-Columbian_Star_October_22_1824_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1351" data-file-height="832" /></a><figcaption>Masthead of <i><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_Columbian_Star&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="The Columbian Star (page does not exist)">The Columbian Star</a></i>, October 23, 1824</figcaption></figure> <p>In Philadelphia, Meehan partnered with fellow printer Robert Anderson to create the Anderson & Meehan firm. They began publishing the <i>Latter Day Luminary</i> in 1818, a Baptist General Conference-sponsored religious journal published five times a year. The firm moved to <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a>, in early 1822, and the <i>Luminary</i> was shifted to a monthly publication. In February 1822, soon after moving to Washington, Anderson & Meehan also began publishing <i><a href="/w/index.php?title=The_Columbian_Star&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="The Columbian Star (page does not exist)">The Columbian Star</a></i>, self-described as an apolitical Baptist weekly newspaper.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillington192550_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillington192550-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The two served as the chief editors of the paper for about a year, before editorship was transferred to Reverend James D. Knowles.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillington192550_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillington192550-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Alongside the two regular publications, the firm would occasionally publish other items, such as pamphlets. Anderson left the <i>Star</i> in early 1823 and the <i>Luminary</i> by the end of that year, leaving Meehan as the sole publisher. Knowles left the <i>Star</i> in July 1825, making Meehan the editor of the paper. Six months later Meehan left the paper, seeking not to associate the largely apolitical <i>Star</i> with his entry into political writing. He transferred publication and editorship of the <i>Star</i> to <a href="/wiki/Baron_Stow" title="Baron Stow">Baron Stow</a> and discontinued the <i>Luminary</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19763–4-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="United_States'_Telegraph"><span id="United_States.27_Telegraph"></span><i>United States' Telegraph</i></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: United States' Telegraph"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/United_States%27_Telegraph" title="United States' Telegraph">United States' Telegraph</a></div> <p>Following his narrow loss in a House <a href="/wiki/Contingent_election" title="Contingent election">contingent election</a> after the <a href="/wiki/1824_United_States_presidential_election" title="1824 United States presidential election">1824 presidential election</a>, Tennessee senator <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Jackson" title="Andrew Jackson">Andrew Jackson</a> and his former running mate <a href="/wiki/John_C._Calhoun" title="John C. Calhoun">John C. Calhoun</a> sought a supportive newspaper in Washington, D.C.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEwing1978128_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEwing1978128-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Jackson campaign indirectly purchased <a href="/wiki/Jonathan_Elliot_(publisher)" title="Jonathan Elliot (publisher)">Jonathan Elliot</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/City_of_Washington_Gazette" class="mw-redirect" title="City of Washington Gazette">City of Washington Gazette</a></i> through allies <a href="/wiki/William_Berkeley_Lewis" title="William Berkeley Lewis">William B. Lewis</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Eaton_(politician)" title="John Eaton (politician)">John Eaton</a>. Although Meehan ostensibly purchased the paper, Eaton likely directed the purchase. Meehan served as the first publisher and chief editor of the paper, which was renamed the <i>United States' Telegraph</i>. The newspaper entered publication on February 6, 1826.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith19819_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith19819-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19764_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19764-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMearns194737_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMearns194737-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <i>Telegraph</i> was published in weekly, thrice-weekly, and daily editions, available by subscription. From the outset, the paper was immensely partisan, strongly opposed to the election of President <a href="/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams" title="John Quincy Adams">John Quincy Adams</a> and the appointment of Secretary of State <a href="/wiki/Henry_Clay" title="Henry Clay">Henry Clay</a>. It declared that these violated "the most sacred principles of <a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States" title="Constitution of the United States">the Constitution</a>" due to the contingent election and adopted the motto "Power is always stealing from the many to the few."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19764–5_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19764–5-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198181–82_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198181–82-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As editor, Meehan heavily criticized the system of executive patronage (also known as the <a href="/wiki/Spoils_system" title="Spoils system">spoils system</a>). He attacked the appointment of an anti-Jacksonian postmaster in Jackson's hometown of <a href="/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee" title="Nashville, Tennessee">Nashville</a>, claiming the appointment was solely made to "mortify" Jackson.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198182–83_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198182–83-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Meehan also emphasized defending Jackson's reputation, describing him as an "abused citizen" and claiming that Jackson was above the political games and corruption that he attributed to the Adams administration. <a href="/wiki/National_Republican_Party" title="National Republican Party">National Republican</a>-aligned newspapers began to oppose the <i>Telegraph</i>, with <i><a href="/wiki/The_National_Intelligencer" class="mw-redirect" title="The National Intelligencer">The National Intelligencer</a></i> and <a href="/w/index.php?title=National_Journal_(newspaper)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Journal (newspaper) (page does not exist)"><i>National Journal</i></a> claiming Meehan's editorials amounted to "indiscriminate opposition".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198183–84_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198183–84-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Soon after he acquired the paper, Jacksonians began to worry that Meehan lacked the ferocity and boldness needed to support the campaign. Although Meehan was recognized for his strong anti-Adams advocacy through the <i>Telegraph</i>, the ownership of the paper grew uncomfortable with his perceived inability to mount an effective response against the administration. The lack of transparency around the formation of the <i>Telegraph</i> invited allegations of conspiracy. The <i><a href="/wiki/Richmond_Whig" title="Richmond Whig">Richmond Whig</a></i> described the paper as "edited by nobody knows whom, supported, nobody knows how".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198181–82_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198181–82-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Missouri editor and politician <a href="/wiki/Duff_Green" title="Duff Green">Duff Green</a> was summoned to Washington by prominent Jacksonians to take over the <i>Telegraph</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197626_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197626-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He published several editorials in the paper and offered to purchase it after strong rebuttals from the <i>National Journal</i>. Green borrowed large amounts of money from Jacksonian politicians, including Eaton, to finance this purchase. An official deal between Meehan and Green was reached on June 5, 1826, purchasing the paper and its printing office.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198185–86_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198185–86-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Meehan was hired as Green's assistant for a three-year term. Green soon left to travel the country, and Meehan continued serving as the <i>de facto</i> chief editor of the paper for several months. During this period, Meehan clashed with the pro-administration press on several issues, including Adams' alleged purchase of a <a href="/wiki/Billiard_table" title="Billiard table">billiards table</a> and the military significance of Jackson's victory in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_New_Orleans" title="Battle of New Orleans">Battle of New Orleans</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith198185–89_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith198185–89-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The last issue of the <i>Telegraph</i> featuring Meehan's name was published on October 17, 1826. No official statement was made regarding the change of ownership. While working as Green's publisher, Meehan additionally served as the secretary of the board of trustees of the Baptist <a href="/wiki/George_Washington_University" title="George Washington University">Columbian College</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19765_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19765-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith1981134_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith1981134-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Librarian_of_Congress">Librarian of Congress</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Librarian of Congress"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Appointment">Appointment</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Appointment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Upon Jackson's election in 1828, the incoming administration began a mass shift of government positions in favor of supportive <a href="/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)">Democrats</a> via the <a href="/wiki/Spoils_system" title="Spoils system">spoils system</a>. <a href="/wiki/George_Watterston" title="George Watterston">George Watterston</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Librarian_of_Congress" title="Librarian of Congress">librarian of Congress</a> since 1815, had strong connections to many of Jackson's opponents, including Henry Clay. Watterston was later described by historian <a href="/wiki/David_C._Mearns" title="David C. Mearns">David C. Mearns</a> as having been a "librarian of one side of the aisle".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMearns194736_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMearns194736-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Jackson originally intended to replace Watterston with Charles P. Tutt, but Tutt declined in favor of a position as U.S. Navy Agent at <a href="/wiki/Pensacola,_Florida" title="Pensacola, Florida">Pensacola</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Green wrote to Andrew Jackson on April 23, 1829, recommending Meehan as Watterston's replacement for librarian of Congress. Green, in increasing amounts of debt, wished to hire an assistant editor at a lower rate than that agreed for Meehan.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith1981134_18-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESmith1981134-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Biographer Christian Nappo described the letter as significantly embellishing Meehan's scholarly capabilities and his appointment itself as "purely an act of political patronage".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32_21-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>I am much at a loss to find the terms to express to you the solicitude which I feel on behalf of Mr. Meehan ... My personal acquaintance with him commenced in the spring of 1826, when I found him the Editor of the <i>Telegraph</i>. He then relinquished the establishment to me, and accepted a salary of $1200 per annum. I have found him to be an able auxiliary, a faithful friend, and one of those men rarely to be found—a strictly conscientious and pious Christian. His ardent attachment to you, and his devotion to the great principles upon which you have been elected, is surpassed by those of no other individual. He is the father of an amiable family, who are entirely dependent upon his earnings for support. He is a good scholar, a printer and publisher by profession, and of the most amiable and conciliatory manners. He has not, that I know of a single enemy—yet no man has more firmness. So much for the man.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite><a href="/wiki/Duff_Green" title="Duff Green">Duff Green</a>, letter to <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Jackson" title="Andrew Jackson">Andrew Jackson</a>, April 23, 1829<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201631_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201631-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <p>Meehan was officially appointed as librarian on May 28, 1829. Clay, angered by the appointment, compared Watterston's removal to the burning of the <a href="/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria" title="Library of Alexandria">Library of Alexandria</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766_19-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <i><a href="/w/index.php?title=New-England_Palladium&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="New-England Palladium (page does not exist)">New-England Palladium</a></i> condemned Watterston's removal but conceded that Meehan was ultimately "an amiable and respectable man" and preferable to other possible Jacksonian candidates.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766_19-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32_21-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201631–32-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The strongly anti-Jacksonian <i>National Journal</i> and Meehan's former <i>United States' Telegraph</i> extensively covered Meehan's appointment, debating the legality of the move. Jacksonian press attacked Watterston's character, describing him as pompous and impractical.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Debates over the appointment also reflected broader attitudes towards the future of the library. Rather than simply providing for Congress, Watterston sought to transform the <a href="/wiki/Library_of_Congress" title="Library of Congress">Library of Congress</a> into a comprehensive <a href="/wiki/National_library" title="National library">national library</a> aimed at the education of the general public, which Jacksonians feared would represent increased federal power. However, Jackson may have been unaware of Watterston's plans when initially appointing Meehan.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004103,_107–109_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004103,_107–109-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000255_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000255-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Watterston himself was indignant at his replacement, describing Meehan as "very ordinary" and unfitting for the Library of Congress.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109_20-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004107–109-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempted to reclaim the position for the rest of his life, through what biographer John McDonough described as a mix of "cajolery, threats, and flattery".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766_19-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Despite his past as a partisan editor, Meehan remained a relatively apolitical librarian, and he retained his position through multiple <a href="/wiki/Whig_Party_(United_States)" title="Whig Party (United States)">Whig</a> presidencies.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Tenure">Tenure</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Tenure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_(cropped).tif" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A painting of the U.S. Capitol in 1825" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif/lossy-page1-220px-Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif/lossy-page1-330px-Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif/lossy-page1-440px-Capitol_of_the_U.S._at_Washington_1825_%28cropped%29.tif.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4599" data-file-height="3058" /></a><figcaption>1825 depiction of the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Capitol" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Capitol">U.S. Capitol</a>. The Library of Congress would occupy a portion of the building until 1897.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECole1972270_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECole1972270-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <p>When Meehan took office, the library was situated within the western portion of the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Capitol" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Capitol">U.S. Capitol</a>, and contained about 16,000 books.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He wrote in irritation at the conditions within the library, describing the various maintenance tasks needed to restore damaged books, clean shelves, and remove <a href="/wiki/Bookworm_(insect)" title="Bookworm (insect)">bookworms</a>. In July 1832, Congress approved expansions to the <a href="/wiki/Law_Library_of_Congress" title="Law Library of Congress">Law Library of Congress</a>, designating a nearby room to hold the slightly over 2,000 <a href="/wiki/Law_book" title="Law book">law books</a> held in the collections. Around this time, Meehan appointed his son C. H. Wharton Meehan, previously employed as his assistant, to head the Law Library.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8_27-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From the outset, Meehan collaborated with the Congressional <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congressional_Joint_Committee_on_the_Library" title="United States Congressional Joint Committee on the Library">Joint Committee on the Library</a>, often deferring to its advice regardless of partisan lines. He worked closely with the <a href="/wiki/Democratic-Republican_Party" title="Democratic-Republican Party">Democratic-Republican</a> <a href="/wiki/Edward_Everett" title="Edward Everett">Edward Everett</a> during the early 1830s. Maryland Senator <a href="/wiki/James_Pearce" title="James Pearce">James Pearce</a> was appointed chairman of the Joint Committee in 1845, beginning a long-running period of close collaboration between him and Meehan. Historian Carl Ostrowski described Meehan as having "never made a move without first consulting Pearce".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19769–11_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19769–11-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000257_30-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000257-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Ostrowski characterized the Joint Committee during this period as negligent to the library, often not meeting or failing to achieve a quorum.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004113_31-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004113-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Joint Committee was generally on the forefront of management during the 1830s and 1840s. <i><a href="/wiki/National_Intelligencer" title="National Intelligencer">National Intelligencer</a></i> coverage in the mid-1830s attributed the Library's holdings to various members of the committee, briefly praising Meehan for his "civility and attention" to visitors.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004109–110_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004109–110-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In contrast to Watterston's prominent role in discussion of American libraries, he is not mentioned within 1830s periodicals on American libraries.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004109–110_32-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004109–110-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Cataloguing_and_acquisitions">Cataloguing and acquisitions</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Cataloguing and acquisitions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A steady appropriation of <span style="white-space: nowrap">US$5,000</span> a year for the purchase of books, plus an additional <span style="white-space: nowrap">US$1,000</span>–<span style="white-space: nowrap">US$2,000</span> for law books, was allocated to Meehan throughout his career with occasional exceptions. Meehan steadily acquired books, although he was criticized for prioritizing the acquisition of popular books over scholarly concerns.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34_28-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19768_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19768-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004124_34-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004124-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Journalist <a href="/wiki/Anne_Royall" title="Anne Royall">Anne Royall</a> rebuked him for his purchasing habits, claiming he had failed to "anticipate the research needs of legislators or scholars" and criticizing the acquisition of numerous books intended for <a href="/wiki/Sunday_school" title="Sunday school">Sunday school</a> students.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34_28-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Two major opportunities were presented to purchase expansive collections but were both denied by Congress, with Meehan doing little to advocate for the prospect. An 1836 offer to purchase Russian nobleman <a href="/wiki/Dmitry_Buturlin" title="Dmitry Buturlin">Dmitry Buturlin</a>'s multilingual collection of 25,000 books was denied by a 17–16 vote. An offer in 1844 to acquire the <a href="/wiki/Durazzo_family" title="Durazzo family">Durazzo family</a> library, containing over 10,000 volumes, was rejected for largely containing non-English literature.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34_28-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201633–34-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19769_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19769-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p> Classification systems in the library were archaic, with shelves placed in accordance with a modified version of <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson" title="Thomas Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a>'s original classification schema, itself based on the <a href="/wiki/Francis_Bacon" title="Francis Bacon">Baconian</a> conceptualization of knowledge. Books were generally categorized by subject and within subjects by size.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8_27-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004121_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004121-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Library catalogs divided books by subject, with books within each subject listed alphabetically. Many years passed between different general catalogs of the library, requiring the consultation of additional supplementary listings.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8_27-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19766–8-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A new catalog was produced in 1839, the first since 1830. The total number of volumes in the library had increased to around 30,000, encompassing 10,746 titles.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004121_36-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004121-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Over time, the time-intensive task of cataloging new entries was delegated to Meehan's assistant, E. B. Stelle. The limited space and resources available to the library strongly limited the number of books which could be received. In 1849, Meehan wrote to the library's book agent <a href="/wiki/Obadiah_Rich" title="Obadiah Rich">Obadiah Rich</a>, noting that the "rooms for the accommodation of our Library are now so thoroughly filled, that we find it very difficult to take in any more books."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000267_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000267-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Due to his reputation as a skilled businessman, Meehan was tasked by Congress to manage and book-keep what biographer John McDonough labeled a "bewildering variety of special funds" in addition to his duties within the library. Many of these were publishing or printing funds, with specific funds for the republication of the works of <a href="/wiki/John_Adams" title="John Adams">John Adams</a>, Thomas Jefferson, <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton" title="Alexander Hamilton">Alexander Hamilton</a>, and <a href="/wiki/James_Madison" title="James Madison">James Madison</a>, as well as publications on the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Exploring_Expedition" title="United States Exploring Expedition">United States Exploring Expedition</a> and the Library of Congress catalog. Additional funds placed on Meehan's caseload included the funding for <a href="/wiki/George_Peter_Alexander_Healy" title="George Peter Alexander Healy">G. P. A. Healy</a>'s portraits of presidents, a fund to acquire art for display at the Capitol, and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Botanic_Garden" title="United States Botanic Garden">United States Botanic Garden</a> Fund, which at times forced Meehan to supervise the garden's workers and handle correspondence with Congressmen seeking plant specimens for their home gardens.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p><figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A black and white photograph of an aged Alexandre Vattemare near the end of his life" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png/220px-Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="269" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png/330px-Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png/440px-Alexandre_Vattemare_Boston.png 2x" data-file-width="3129" data-file-height="3821" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Alexandre_Vattemare" title="Alexandre Vattemare">Alexandre Vattemare</a>'s ineffective attempts at a transatlantic document exchange system frustrated Meehan.</figcaption></figure><p>In 1840, French <a href="/wiki/Ventriloquist" class="mw-redirect" title="Ventriloquist">ventriloquist</a> and actor <a href="/wiki/Alexandre_Vattemare" title="Alexandre Vattemare">Alexandre Vattemare</a> received federal support for his proposed government document exchange system between the United States and France. Meehan provided Vattemare with 700 volumes of congressional documents, an amount "said to be twice as large as any in <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington</a>".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010109_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010109-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Widespread American enthusiasm for the program led to a massive quantity of documents, which Vattemare was unable to manage effectively. Meehan grew increasingly upset with the poor condition of shipments received through the program, describing the documents as poor quality and incomplete.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620–21_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620–21-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At least two French diplomatic officials contacted Meehan and asked him not to pursue exchanges through Vattemare.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004113_31-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2004113-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Congress terminated the program in June 1853. Despite this, Vattemare continued sporadic and unwanted shipments of books to the Library of Congress. The final shipment was sent in 1858, leading to a frustrated response from Meehan and the return of Vattemare's shipment, unopened.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112_40-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Fire_of_1851_and_aftermath">Fire of 1851 and aftermath</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Fire of 1851 and aftermath"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Slightly before 8:00<span class="nowrap"> </span>am on December 24, 1851, <a href="/w/index.php?title=1851_Library_of_Congress_fire&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1851 Library of Congress fire (page does not exist)">a large fire</a> broke out in the main room of the Library of Congress. Meehan was quickly summoned to the scene. Freezing temperatures impaired fire hoses, slowing efforts to put out the fire. While the main room was essentially unsalvageable, books in adjacent rooms were quickly moved to safety. A number of <a href="/wiki/Fire_engine" title="Fire engine">fire engine</a> crews, alongside a group of nearby <a href="/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marines</a>, were able to extinguish the blaze by around 11:00<span class="nowrap"> </span>am. About 35,000 of the library's 55,000 books were destroyed, alongside various paintings and statues. An inquiry was launched over the coming days to investigate the cause of the fire: after testimony from Meehan, <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Ustick_Walter" title="Thomas Ustick Walter">Thomas U. Walter</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Architect_of_the_Capitol" title="Architect of the Capitol">Architect of the Capitol</a>, determined that the fire was sparked by the timbers of library alcoves extending into a <a href="/wiki/Chimney-flue" class="mw-redirect" title="Chimney-flue">chimney-flue</a>. Any potential censures or charges were dismissed.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201635–36_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201635–36-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612–13_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612–13-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:James_Alfred_Pearce,_standing.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A black and white photo of James Pearce" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg/180px-James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg" decoding="async" width="180" height="196" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg/270px-James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg/360px-James_Alfred_Pearce%2C_standing.jpg 2x" data-file-width="648" data-file-height="707" /></a><figcaption>Senator <a href="/wiki/James_Pearce" title="James Pearce">James Pearce</a> served as Meehan's partner and ally for much of his tenure as librarian.</figcaption></figure><p> Pearce comforted Meehan in the aftermath of the 1851 fire, leading him to describe Pearce as "so eminent a gentleman, and so discriminating a friend".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Together with Walter, they worked steadily on rebuilding efforts over the course of 1852. Congress authorized various appropriations to finance the reconstruction of the library and the repurchase of lost books. By March 1852, temporary facilities for the library had been finished. The construction process of the main library faced numerous delays, irritating Meehan. While Walter had promised in March that the work would be completed in three months, the reconstruction of the main room was not finished until early 1853. Despite these delays, Meehan was extremely pleased with the library room, calling it "truly beautiful".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615_44-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p><figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Library_of_Congress_1853_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A drawing showing the interior of a multistory library" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="170" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg/330px-Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg/440px-Library_of_Congress_1853_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="899" data-file-height="694" /></a><figcaption>View of the library <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr><span style="white-space:nowrap;"> 1853</span>, following rebuilding</figcaption></figure><p>Meehan commissioned <a href="/w/index.php?title=Rich_Brothers&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Rich Brothers (page does not exist)">Rich Brothers</a>, a London-based book dealing firm, to restock the library. His purchasing efforts were criticized by an anonymous two-part <i><a href="/wiki/National_Intelligencer" title="National Intelligencer">National Intelligencer</a></i> article (sometimes attributed to <a href="/wiki/Smithsonian_Institution" title="Smithsonian Institution">Smithsonian</a> librarian <a href="/wiki/Charles_Coffin_Jewett" title="Charles Coffin Jewett">Charles Coffin Jewett</a>) stating that an agent should have been sent overseas to purchase books and that the Library of Congress should have attempted to become "a systematic collection of books chosen with competent bibliographic learning for a specific and well-defined purpose".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201636_46-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201636-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Meehan rebuked the anonymous author, writing that such efforts would place "Congress in a position which admits that they cannot select the books they need."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616_45-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Meehan diligently produced various "want lists" based on earlier catalogs.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17_47-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Although control over what books the library was to purchase had been shifted from the Joint Committee to the librarian of Congress, Meehan reassured Pearce that the prior system was still in effect and that he did not intend to expand his control over book acquisition.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17_47-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260_48-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Congressman and educational reformer <a href="/wiki/Horace_Mann" title="Horace Mann">Horace Mann</a> submitted a resolution to the committee shortly before his congressional retirement in March 1853, calling for the library to accept any of the lost books if offered at a cheaper price than other sellers. This was strongly opposed by Pearce and Meehan, who preferred the ease of purchases through the Rich Brothers. In response, they waited out Mann's retirement and the beginning of the <a href="/wiki/33rd_United_States_Congress" title="33rd United States Congress">33rd United States Congress</a> and continued the previous path.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260_48-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The library's collections were restored by early 1856, following the purchase of 36,000 books at a "cost very far below the prices given for the lost books" through Rich Brothers.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620_49-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Increased annual funding for the library, on top of various special appropriations, enabled the rapid growth of the library over the following years.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197618_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197618-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> An attempt by Jewett and the Smithsonian Institution to re-catalog the library ended after criticism from Meehan. Rumors that President <a href="/wiki/Franklin_Pierce" title="Franklin Pierce">Franklin Pierce</a> had appointed a new librarian of Congress troubled Meehan. After consultation with Pearce, he met with Secretary of War <a href="/wiki/Jefferson_Davis" title="Jefferson Davis">Jefferson Davis</a>, who reassured him that the rumors were unfounded. Secretary of State <a href="/wiki/Lewis_Cass" title="Lewis Cass">Lewis Cass</a> of the succeeding Buchanan administration also reaffirmed Meehan's position as librarian.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197621–22_51-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197621–22-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Removal">Removal</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Removal"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Following <a href="/wiki/1860_United_States_presidential_election" title="1860 United States presidential election">the election</a> of <a href="/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln" title="Abraham Lincoln">Abraham Lincoln</a> and the ensuing <a href="/wiki/Ordinance_of_Secession" title="Ordinance of Secession">secession of the southern states</a> in late 1860 and early 1861, Meehan's position became increasingly unstable. <a href="/wiki/Ainsworth_Rand_Spofford" title="Ainsworth Rand Spofford">Ainsworth Spofford</a> described him as a "very ancient fossil", and rumors began to circulate of pro-Southern sympathies.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23_52-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pearce wrote to Lincoln in March 1861, asking that Meehan be allowed to continue his role as librarian. Following extensive lobbying and support from various Midwestern Republicans, Indiana physician and Lincoln campaign delegate <a href="/wiki/John_Gould_Stephenson" title="John Gould Stephenson">John Gould Stephenson</a> was able to convince Lincoln to choose him for the position. Stephenson officially accepted his appointment on May 24, 1861, and Meehan left his duties at the end of the month.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23_52-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECarter197678–81_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECarter197678–81-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legacy">Legacy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Legacy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Stephenson, Meehan's successor, complained that the library had fallen into disrepair and neglect. A December 1861 report commissioned by Stephenson (possibly written by Spofford) noted large numbers of uncleaned, miscataloged, and misplaced books. The cataloguing and purchasing systems were also noted to be deficient. Stephenson considered much of Meehan's library staff incompetent and initiated a mass change of staff; Meehan's son, Law Library head C. H. Wharton Meehan, became the sole retained assistant.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECarter197681_55-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECarter197681-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Later historians called into question Meehan's abilities as librarian, criticizing his inability to transform the Library of Congress into a <a href="/wiki/National_library" title="National library">national library</a>. In his 1904 <i>History of the Library of Congress</i>, historian William Dawson Johnston described Meehan as unable to foresee future needs of the library but able to maintain his position due to possessing "the second qualification of a successful administrator, that is, business ability".<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201632–33_56-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201632–33-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJohnston1904215_57-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJohnston1904215-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Historian Carl Ostrowski was also critical of Meehan's contributions to the library, noting in 2000 that he chose to exercise little influence over any area of library policy.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000257_30-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000257-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Personal_life_and_death">Personal life and death</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Personal life and death"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Meehan and his wife Margaret had seven children. Margaret died during childbirth in July 1826, followed by her infant later the same day. Meehan remarried in October 1827 to Rachel T. Monington, his wife's sister, and the two would go on to have two more children together. Only three of Meehan's children outlived him.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19765_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19765-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A year after leaving office, Meehan sought a position as a <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury" title="United States Department of the Treasury">Treasury</a> clerk due to financial concerns. Pearce and <a href="/wiki/William_P._Fessenden" title="William P. Fessenden">William P. Fessenden</a> wrote to Treasury Secretary <a href="/wiki/Salmon_P._Chase" title="Salmon P. Chase">Salmon P. Chase</a> on Meehan's behalf to advocate for his employment.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624–28_58-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624–28-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the afternoon of April 24, 1863, Meehan suddenly died from <a href="/wiki/Apoplexy" title="Apoplexy">apoplexy</a> in his home in <a href="/wiki/Capitol_Hill" title="Capitol Hill">Capitol Hill</a>, Washington. An obituary described him as "[leaving] to his family that best inheritance, an unsullied name."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197625_59-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197625-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> C. H. Wharton Meehan continued in his role as custodian of the Law Library until his own death in July 1872.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19768_33-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough19768-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Bibliography">Bibliography</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Bibliography"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239549316">.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}</style><div class="refbegin" style=""> <ul><li><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFCarter1976" class="citation journal cs1">Carter, Constance (April 1976). "John Gould Stephenson: Largely Known and Much Liked". <i>The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress</i>. <b>33</b> (2): <span class="nowrap">76–</span>91. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0041-7939">0041-7939</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/29781670">29781670</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Quarterly+Journal+of+the+Library+of+Congress&rft.atitle=John+Gould+Stephenson%3A+Largely+Known+and+Much+Liked&rft.volume=33&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E76-%3C%2Fspan%3E91&rft.date=1976-04&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F29781670%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.issn=0041-7939&rft.aulast=Carter&rft.aufirst=Constance&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCole1972" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/John_Y._Cole" title="John Y. 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"The Main Building of the Library of Congress: A Chronology, 1871–1965". <i>The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress</i>. <b>29</b> (4): <span class="nowrap">267–</span>270. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0041-7939">0041-7939</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/29781519">29781519</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Quarterly+Journal+of+the+Library+of+Congress&rft.atitle=The+Main+Building+of+the+Library+of+Congress%3A+A+Chronology%2C+1871%E2%80%931965&rft.volume=29&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E267-%3C%2Fspan%3E270&rft.date=1972-10&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F29781519%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.issn=0041-7939&rft.aulast=Cole&rft.aufirst=John+Y.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEwing1978" class="citation journal cs1">Ewing, Gretchen Garst (1978). 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"The Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Global Exchange of Government Documents, 1834–1889". <i>Libraries & the Cultural Record</i>. <b>45</b> (1): <span class="nowrap">107–</span>122. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1353%2Flac.0.0116">10.1353/lac.0.0116</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1932-4855">1932-4855</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/20720643">20720643</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Libraries+%26+the+Cultural+Record&rft.atitle=The+Library+of+Congress%2C+the+Smithsonian+Institution%2C+and+the+Global+Exchange+of+Government+Documents%2C+1834%E2%80%931889&rft.volume=45&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E107-%3C%2Fspan%3E122&rft.date=2010&rft.issn=1932-4855&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F20720643%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1353%2Flac.0.0116&rft.aulast=Gwinn&rft.aufirst=Nancy+E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJohnston1904" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-long-vol">Johnston, William Dawson (1904). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/historyoflibrary01john"><i>History of the Library of Congress</i></a>. Vol. I: <i>1800–1864</i>. Washington, D.C.: <a href="/wiki/U.S._Government_Printing_Office" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Government Printing Office">U.S. Government Printing Office</a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/4297664">4297664</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=History+of+the+Library+of+Congress&rft.place=Washington%2C+D.C.&rft.pub=U.S.+Government+Printing+Office&rft.date=1904&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F4297664&rft.aulast=Johnston&rft.aufirst=William+Dawson&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fhistoryoflibrary01john&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMcDonough1976" class="citation journal cs1">McDonough, John (January 1976). 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"James Alfred Pearce and the Question of a National Library in Antebellum America". <i>Libraries & Culture</i>. <b>35</b> (2): <span class="nowrap">255–</span>277. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0894-8631">0894-8631</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25548814">25548814</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Libraries+%26+Culture&rft.atitle=James+Alfred+Pearce+and+the+Question+of+a+National+Library+in+Antebellum+America&rft.volume=35&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E255-%3C%2Fspan%3E277&rft.date=2000&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F25548814%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.issn=0894-8631&rft.aulast=Ostrowski&rft.aufirst=Carl&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSmith1981" class="citation thesis cs1">Smith, Kenneth Laurence (1981). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3580&context=etd"><i>Duff Green and the United States' Telegraph, 1826–1837</i></a> (PhD thesis). Williamsburg, Va.: College of William & Mary. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.21220%2Fs2-s4xa-9r59">10.21220/s2-s4xa-9r59</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=Duff+Green+and+the+United+States%27+Telegraph%2C+1826%E2%80%931837&rft.degree=PhD&rft.inst=College+of+William+%26+Mary&rft.date=1981&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.21220%2Fs2-s4xa-9r59&rft.aulast=Smith&rft.aufirst=Kenneth+Laurence&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fscholarworks.wm.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D3580%26context%3Detd&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AJohn+Silva+Meehan" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output 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class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 12.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010109-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010109_39-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFGwinn2010">Gwinn 2010</a>, p. 109.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112_40-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGwinn2010111–112_40-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFGwinn2010">Gwinn 2010</a>, pp. 111–112.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620–21-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620–21_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 20–21.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201635–36-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201635–36_42-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFNappo2016">Nappo 2016</a>, pp. 35–36.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612–13-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197612–13_43-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 12–13.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615_44-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197615_44-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616_45-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616_45-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 16.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201636-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201636_46-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFNappo2016">Nappo 2016</a>, p. 36.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17_47-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197616–17_47-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 16–17.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260_48-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstrowski2000260_48-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFOstrowski2000">Ostrowski 2000</a>, p. 260.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197620_49-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 20.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197618-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197618_50-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 18.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197621–22-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197621–22_51-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 21–22.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23_52-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197622–23_52-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 22–23.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECarter197678–81-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECarter197678–81_53-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCarter1976">Carter 1976</a>, pp. 78–81.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624_54-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 24.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECarter197681-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECarter197681_55-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCarter1976">Carter 1976</a>, p. 81.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTENappo201632–33-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENappo201632–33_56-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFNappo2016">Nappo 2016</a>, pp. 32–33.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJohnston1904215-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJohnston1904215_57-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJohnston1904">Johnston 1904</a>, p. 215.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624–28-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197624–28_58-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, pp. 24–28.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197625-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcDonough197625_59-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcDonough1976">McDonough 1976</a>, p. 25.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=John_Silva_Meehan&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output 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td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Librarians_of_Congress65" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="3"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar 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href="/wiki/Template:Librarians_of_Congress" title="Template:Librarians of Congress"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Librarians_of_Congress" title="Template talk:Librarians of Congress"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Librarians_of_Congress" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Librarians of Congress"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Librarians_of_Congress65" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Librarian_of_Congress" title="Librarian of Congress">Librarians of Congress</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/John_J._Beckley" title="John J. Beckley">John J. Beckley</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1802–1807)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Patrick_Magruder" title="Patrick Magruder">Patrick Magruder</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1807–1815)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Watterston" title="George Watterston">George Watterston</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1815–1829)</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">John Silva Meehan</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1829–1861)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Gould_Stephenson" title="John Gould Stephenson">John Gould Stephenson</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1861–1864)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ainsworth_Rand_Spofford" title="Ainsworth Rand Spofford">Ainsworth Rand Spofford</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1864–1897)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Russell_Young" title="John Russell Young">John Russell Young</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1897–1899)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Herbert_Putnam" title="Herbert Putnam">Herbert Putnam</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1899–1939)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Archibald_MacLeish" title="Archibald MacLeish">Archibald MacLeish</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1939–1944)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Luther_H._Evans" title="Luther H. Evans">Luther H. Evans</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1945–1953)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lawrence_Quincy_Mumford" title="Lawrence Quincy Mumford">Lawrence Quincy Mumford</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1954–1974)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Daniel_J._Boorstin" title="Daniel J. Boorstin">Daniel J. Boorstin</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1975–1987)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/James_H._Billington" title="James H. Billington">James H. Billington</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(1987–2015)</li> <li><span style="background-color: #EEF;color:black;"><a href="/wiki/David_S._Mao" title="David S. Mao">David S. Mao</a></span>*<span class="nowrap"> </span>(2015)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carla_Hayden" title="Carla Hayden">Carla Hayden</a><span class="nowrap"> </span>(2016–present)</li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="1" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg/75px-Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg.png" decoding="async" width="75" height="75" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg/113px-Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg/150px-Seal_of_the_United_States_Library_of_Congress.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="720" data-file-height="720" /></a></span></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3"><div>Acting librarian*</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q325243#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata782" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q325243#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata782" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a> <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q325243#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://viaf.org/viaf/40857565">VIAF</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1473897/">FAST</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/E39PBJx4rBWrvDhwpBhdmFPRKd">WorldCat</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n86070561">United States</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6x37m27">SNAC</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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