44 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



there were uone whose service was longer or more gratefully to be re- 

 inerabeied, nor perhaps any to whom the Institution owes more than 

 to Mr. Cox. 



The regard in which his brother Eegents held Mr. Cox's accuracy of 

 characterization and his instinctive recognition of all that is worthiest 

 of honor in other men may be inferred from the eulogies which he was 

 requested by them to deliver ^imong which may be particularly men- 

 tioned the one at tlie commemoration m honor of Professor Henry in 

 the House of Kepresentatives. But though these only illustrate a very 

 small part of his services as a Regent, your committee are led by their 

 consideration to recall that his first act upon your Board was the prep- 

 aration and delivery of an address at the request of the Kegents on their 

 late colleague, Stephen A. Douglas, and that on this occasion he used 

 words which your committee permit themselves to adopt, as being in 

 their view singularly characteristic of Mr. Cox himself: 



'• It was not merely as one of its Regents that he showed himself the 

 true and enlightened friend of objects kindred to those of this estab- 

 lishment; he ev^er advocated measures which served to advance knowl- 

 edge and promote the progress of humanity. The encouragement of 

 the fine arts, the rewarding of discoverers and inventors, the organiza- 

 tion of exploring expeditions, as well as the general diflusiou of educa- 

 tion, were all objects of his special regard." 



In view of these facts it is — 



Kesolved, That in the death of Hon. Samuel Sullivan Cox the Smith- 

 sonian Institution has suffered the irreparable loss of along-tried friend, 

 the Board of Regents of a most valued associate and active member dur- 

 ing fifteen years of service, and the country of one of its most distin- 

 guished citizens. 



Resolved, That the Board of Regents desire to express their deep 

 sympathy with the bereaved family of the deceased, and that a copy 

 of these resolutions be transmitted to the widow of their late associate. 



Mr. Cox was descended from a long line of distinguished ancestors. 

 His father, Hon. Ezekicl Taylor Cox, who moved from Kew Jersey 

 to Zanesville early in the century, held the position of State senator 

 and clerk of the supreme court of Ohio; his grandfather. General 

 James Cox, was an officer in the Revolution, speaker of the New Jersey 

 assembly, and member of Congress at the time of his deafh; his great- 

 grandfather. Judge Joseph Cox, was a distinguished man of his time, 

 as were his great-great-grandfather, James Cox, and his great great- 

 great-grandfather, 'Thomas Cox, one of the original proprietors of the 

 province of East New Jersey. 



\jpon the completion of a classical course Mr. Cox studied law, and at 

 the age of twenty-five, turning his attention to journalism, was the editor 

 of the Columbia Statesman; at twenty-nine he was the chairman of 

 the committee of the Democratic party of Ohio. When scarcely more 

 than thirty he was offered an appointment as secretary of legation to 

 Great Britain, but declined the honor, though he afterwards accepted 

 a similar position and represented the United States at Peru. At 

 thirty-two he was elected to Congress and continued as a member of 

 that body, almost without interruption, for a period of over thirty years. 

 He was elected Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives 



