THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 413 



P. Blake a-nd Mr. Thomas Donaldson, he thoroughly 

 canvassed the Exhibition to see what would be desirable 

 among the foreign exhibits for addition to the National 

 Museum. With his usual power of interesting others in 

 the objects which he had at heart, and with the advantage 

 given by the fact that no duty would have to be paid 

 on things presented to the National Museum since they 

 became the property of the United States Government, 

 he succeeded in getting an enormous number of donations 

 of great and permanent value. I do not know whether it 

 was then or previous to this that, at my father's request, 

 and with his collaboration, Mr. Goode had drawn up 

 the first of his remarkable and philosophical schemes for 

 a Museum. These, perfect as they were simply from a 

 theoretical point of view, had from Mr. Goode's practical 

 knowledge of the matter, nothing which was not perfectly 

 practicable and have most justly given Mr. Goode the rep- 

 utation of having carried the Museum idea to the highest 

 point of efficiency. At any rate, the material then collected 

 was of great importance in supplying many deficiencies 

 which would otherwise have been very difficult to fill." 



With universal popular approval behind him Baird 

 had little difficulty, when the unexpected happened and 

 the government loan to the Exposition was repaid, in 

 persuading the Appropriations Committee to redeem its 

 pledge. This did not happen, however, until some two 

 years after the Exposition closed. 



With the practical experience of General M. C. Meigs 2 



2 Montgomery Cunningham Meigs, Major Gen'l. U. S. A. Born 

 at Augusta, Georgia, May 3, 1816; died at Washington, Jan. 2, 1892. 

 Quartermaster General U. S. A. during the Civil War. A distinguished 

 engineer officer, associated in the designs for the National Museum 

 building of 1880 and a valued friend of Baird. 



