TJie Genesis of the United Stales Nalicvinl MiiseitDi. 185 



iiiittee request the Hon. Levi Woodbury to present it to the vSenate, and the lion. 

 John Ouincy Adams to present it to the House of Representatives, at the present 

 session. 



Whereupon, the Chair appointed the following j^entlenien to constitute the com- 

 mittee: Colonel J. J. Abert, John T. Sullivan, Doctor Sewall, Doctor Thomas. Messrs. 

 Seaton, and J. C. Brent.' 



111. 



MEMORIAL OF THE FRIENDS OF SCI ENCE WHO ATTENDED THE APRIL 

 MEETING OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



To the Concrrcss of the United States. — Tlie respectful ine)iioiiat of ttie friends of 

 Seienee, assci}ibled at tlie City of Wastiingtou , from various parts of tlie Union: 

 The undersigned have come together at the capital of the United States, at the call 

 of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, with the purpose of commu- 

 nicating to each other the facts and reasonings in science which each one's research 

 might have suggested, and of interchanging views and opinions in regard to the 

 jirogress of science in our country. 



Wliile engrossed in this delightful and most profitable connnnnion, we have had 

 an opportunity to observe the results of the efforts made by the mem1)ers of the 

 National Institute for the advancement of science. Founded only four years since, 

 the}^ have already brought together valua1)le collections in natural history and in 

 the arts. Connecting themselves with the Government, through the heads of Depart- 

 ments, who, by virtue of their ofhces, are directors of the In.stitute, they have vol- 

 untarily imposed restraints upon the operations of the Institute, which will preserve 

 its national character and prevent its being tributary to any local or sectional i)ur- 

 pose. By making the Institute merely a trustee for the United States of the i)rop- 

 erty which it po.sse.sses, and may hereafter acquire, they have proved that no sordid 

 or interested views guided them in framing their constitution. The zeal and indu.s- 

 try .shown in making collections, the disinterestedness in the disposition of them, 

 would seem to deserve from the Government of the Republic approval and encour- 

 agement. The value of the property already collected, although the exi.stence of 

 the Institute has been so short, is very great. And yet it has no building for the 

 convenient exhibition of its trea.sures, or even for their .safe keeping. And if articles 

 of so much interest and value have already been collected, what may not l)e expected 

 from the army, the navy, and friends of .science generally, in the long reach of years 

 to come, if a suitable place can be provided for their ])re.ser\^tion and exhibition, 

 r.ut how arc the means of providing such a building to be obtained? If attained at 

 all for such a purpo.se by voluntary contributions, it could only be in the midst of 

 large an<l flourishing communities. T/)cal feelings of interest or pride can not be 

 transferred, and it is not to be expected that the means to arrange, display, preserve, 

 and augment these collections can be procured by voluntary contributions of indi- 

 viduals in the District of Columbia, or that they can be procured out of the District. 

 There is no civilized nation, however narrow its policy in other respects, which does 

 not exhibit .some mea.sure of interest in promoting the advancement of human knowl- 

 edge. In most countries .science receives direct encouragement, and many Govern- 

 ments have vied with each other in their efforts to advance this cau.se. The Govern- 

 ment of a country emulous to consider itself among the first of enlightened nations, 

 we trust, will not refuse to aid in .securing to its capital the benefits of the labors of 

 the National Institute. We cordially unite with the resident members of the Insti- 

 tute in asking an appropriation in its behalf from Congress. Our only fear is that 

 in thus requesting aid for the keeping of what in fact is the property of the Govern- 

 ment, we may be considered as asking a boon far below that which the country calls 

 for, and that we ought to urge upon the National Legislature a liberal and plenteous 



'Proceedings of the National Institute, 3d Bull., p. 375. 



