99 r 108 ] 



coioj-rthensive scheme for effiecting this great object could l)o assigned «o 

 appropriately as to your own. 



The source to which we must mainly look for contributions to our stores 

 of American philology are the. members of the various missions (o the In- 

 dians. These are the only large class of men, qualified by education and 

 sustained by motives of benevolence, whom we can expect to sjjcnd long' 

 years in studying the mental idiosyncrasies ot our rude red brethren, and in 

 mastering the formidable ditticulties of their complicated unwritten languages. 

 There is also another class of men whose position would enable them to do 

 much in aid of the cause, if they could l)e induced to interest themselves 

 in it, I mean the superintendents and agents of Indian affairs. I v.oukl 

 respectfully suggest, then, that, in the first place, the Institution adaress the 

 Board of Missions and the Indian Otnce, recjuesting that means be taken to 

 ascertain from the gentlemen under their control what granmiers and diction- 

 aries already exist in manuscript, the extent and nature of the same, by 

 whom compiled, what steps it any have been taken towards their publica- 

 tion, &c. When this preliminary information shall haje been obtained, it 

 will be time to set about filling up the lacunse. If the bureaus above men- 

 tioned enter heartily into the project, which they may be well expected to 

 do, much can soon be effected in this behalf by )»ressing the subject 

 upon the attention of those most competent to undertake the work i:i i-r.c\i 

 particular instance, assuring them that their labors will be duly appreciated 

 and that measures will be taken for laying them in a proper mannei' before 

 the world. There are many persons, missionaries and others, who have 

 the requisite knowledge and ability to produce works of this kind, hut who 

 do not undertake the labor, for the simple reason that they have nevei- lir.d 

 any inducement to do so. 



The means by which these works are to be published, and the mode h\ 

 which it shovdd be effected, are n^atters worthy of consideration. 



First, as to the means. Although this subject of Indian ])hilology is one 

 of exceeding interest, the funds of the Smithsonian Institution have their 

 limit, and there are many other important departments of knowledge which 

 claim attention at its fostering hands. The publication of anything like a 

 complete series of works for the; elucidation of the languages of the whole 

 continent of North America will demand a very great outlay of labor and 

 money — far more indeed than the Smithsonian can be justly expected to 

 furnish alone. Its exertions therefore should be chiefly directed to collect- 

 ing, suggesting to be written, and supeiintending the uniform and accurate 

 publication of such works; and it should furnish only such part of the pe- 

 cuniary means as cannot be obtained from other sources. The quarters to 

 which the Institution, as it would seem, may confidently look for aid, hi 

 addition to that furnished by liberal and public spirited individuals, are the 

 Board of Missions and the "Office of Indian Affairs, both of which are di- 

 rectly interested in the matter, as the pioper discharge of the duties of the 

 individuals under their supervision would be greately facilitated by a com- 

 petent knowledge of the Indian languages. The government of the State 

 or Territory in which a tribe is situated may likewise be confidently ap- 

 pealed to for aid. Lastly, assistance, pecuniary or literary, will no doubt 

 be gladly furnished by our ethnological, historical, and antiquarian soeities, 

 according to the nature of each case and to their res])ective abilities. 



As to the proper mode of compiling and printing these works, a little 

 practice will i)e necessary for settling all the details. Of course both the 



