xii PROCEEDINGS OF THE CENTENARY MEETING. 



After announcements by the Secretary the President delivered an historical 



address as follows : 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Fellow Members and Guests: This is one of the occasions which stimulate 

 reflection. To-day we must all feel a regret that we cannot inherit the learning 

 of those who have gone before us. So keen an appreciation do I possess of the 

 unselfish devotion of my predecessors to science and to this institution, and so im- 

 pressed am I at the monthly meetings in our Reading Room by their faces looking 

 down upon us from their respective canvases hanging on the walls, that my feel- 

 ings impel me to call upon them in spirit to join me in extending to our guests the 

 heartiest of welcomes and to say that we, the present workers, fully appreciate 

 how much credit is due them for our present success. 



To-day this City of Brotherly Love, with the mother Commonwealth, 

 Pennsylvania, in common with the great union of states, is at peace with all the 

 nations of the globe. This blessed condition did not prevail on the day when 

 our fore-fathers assembled one hundred years ago, to organize an institution for 

 the study and advancement of the Natural Sciences. During the last days of 

 the year 1811, the dispute between the United States and Great Britain and the 

 doubt as to the attitude of France seemed to indicate that the national honor 

 was hurt and that another contest with a European power was at hand. The 

 commerce of the country had suffered. The Committee on Foreign Relations 

 recited the wrongs that the United States had sustained from Great Britain, and 

 declared it to be the sacred duty of Congress to call forth the patriotism and 

 resources of the country. Extensive military measures were recommended. 

 The Pennsylvania Legislature passed acts for enlarging the regiment of artillery 

 and for the organization of the cavalry of the city of Philadelphia. Although 

 war was not declared until June, 1812, in anticipation of the necessities of the 

 situation Congress approved a loan of eleven million dollars, of which one million 

 six hundred and forty-five thousand dollars were raised in Philadelphia. 



Large meetings of people were held all over the city to consider the needs of 

 commercial interests and to pass resolutions for the equipment of privateers and 

 for building up the defences of the city. 



The legislature relieved the tension of its patriotic resolutions by requesting 

 a special committee to examine a machine made by Charles Redhefer, who 

 claimed that it possessed the power of self motion, and naively stated that "if 

 the machine be found to be imperfect the public interest will be promoted by 

 exposing its fallacy." 



In the midst of excitements due to impending war the youth of the city 

 naturally sought the taverns and oyster cellars as meeting places, as indeed there 

 was little in the way of diversion provided for the people of that period. The 

 theater was seldom opened, and the feeling against it was so strong that a peti- 

 tion was presented to the legislature requesting it to abolish forever the exhibition 

 of "Theatricles." Peale's Museum enjoyed great popularity, and here the lusus 



