278 Memorial of George Brown Goode. 



about a third of the space was given to the promotion of intellectual 

 objects — science, literature, and arts. The following expression may 

 perhaps be regarded as the practical origination of our patent system: 



I can not forbear intimating to you the expediency of giving effectual encourage- 

 ment, as well to the introduction of new and useful inventions from abroad, as to 

 the exertions of skill and genius in producing them at home. 



This, of course, was in direct pursuance of the constitutional enact-' 

 ment, bethought and inserted toward the closing days of the convention 

 in September, 1787, empowering Congress with such authority. Each 

 House, the Senate on the nth and the Representatives on the 12th, sent 

 a cordial response to the President's address, reciting the particulars of 

 his discourse, and promising, especially to his suggestions for encourage- 

 ment of science and arts, "such early attention as their respective 

 importance requires" and the lower House proceeded rapidly with the 

 work. January 15 it was resolved that the various measures indicated 

 by the President should be referred to select committees, respectively, 

 and on the 25th such a committee was formed to consider the encourage- 

 ment of the useful arts. It consisted of Edanus Burke, of South Carohna, 

 a justice of the supreme court of that State, and native of Ireland; Ben- 

 jamin Huntington, of Connecticut, and Eambert Cadawalader, of New 

 Jersey. On the i6th of February Mr. Burke reported his bill, which 

 passed to its second reading the following day. It was copiously discussed 

 and amended in Committee of the Whole, particularly March 4, when 

 ' ' the clause wdiicli gives a partj^ a right to appeal to a jury from a decision 

 of referees, it was moved should be struck put." After a good deal of 

 pointed and profitable remark as to the true sphere and function of juries 

 the motion for striking out was carried. 



The next da}^ March 5, the bill was ordered to be engrossed, and on 

 the loth, after third reading, it passed and was carried to the Senate. 

 Here, in a few days, it was referred to a committee of which Charles 

 Carroll, of Maryland, was chairman, and reported back the 29th of 

 March, where it passed, with twelve amendments, on the 30th. On 

 the 8th of April it went forward with the signatures of Speaker and Vice- 

 President to the President, who approved it April 10, 1790.' The first 

 patent was granted on the 31st of the following July to Samuel Hopkins, 

 of Vermont, for making pot and pearl ashes; and two more during that 

 year. ' 



Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State at this period, under which 

 Department especially the patent system grew up for more than half its 

 first century, took so keen an interest in its aim and workings, and gave 

 such searching personal attention to the issue of the several patents, that 

 he has been quite naturally reputed as the father of our Patent Office, and 



'Statutes at Large, I, pp. 1 09-1 12. 



= Among the treasures of the National Museum is a patent dated 1796, signed by 

 Washington as President and Pickering as Secretary of State. 



