HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 705 



made in my first i)etitiou, have enriched other libraries, and are lost 

 to us." 



Upon this the Chambers seemed desirous" of taking more effective 

 measures, but the administration remaining inactive, matters remained 

 at the same point as in 183G. 



At the suggestion of one of the deputies that it would be desirable 

 also to make an arrangement for exchanges with the United States, 

 Mr. Vattemare resolved to visit America. He left Havre October 20, 

 1839, and arrived at Kew York November 29, 1839. After taking some 

 preliminary steps in New York he left for Louisiana. On the vray he 

 aroused the interest of the Societe Royale Patriotique de la Havane in 

 the project of establishing exchanges. 



On the 2Gth of March, 1840, the legislature of Louisiana voted $3,000 

 for the collection of material for exchanges. 



Mr. Vattemare then went to Albany, N. Y., where he arrived two 

 days before the adjourning of the State legislature. He had a memoir 

 presented to the senate, which body approved the plan and voted an 

 annual appropriation for the purpose of exchanges. 



Wherever Mr. Vattemare went his views were indorsed. On reaching 

 Washington the session of Congress was nearing its end, and impor- 

 tant measures were being considered. Many influential men assured 

 Mr. Vattemare that the moment was not a propitious one for his cause, 

 but he persevered in his efforts, which were finally crowned by success. 



On June 5, 1840, in the Senate of the United States, Mr. Preston, 

 chairman of the Committee on the Library, presented a favorable re- 

 port on Mr. Vattemare's memorial, setting forth: "There are now in 

 the possession of Congress many hundred volumes of public documents, 

 some of which might well be distributed among friendly governments; 

 and, for a like return, and at a very small expense, permanent provis- 

 ion might be made to supply them in future. As in this department of 

 publication we probably exceed most foreign nations, the exchange 

 would be equalized by receiving in return national works of science or 

 art, which the more ample powers of other governments enable them to 

 execute. Besides this not inconsiderable means of profitable exchange. 

 Congress also has, occasionally, the disposition of duplicate books in 

 the Library." 



The committee's report concluded by recommending the passage of a 

 joint resolution, authorizing such exchanges of dui^licate volumes in the 

 Congressional Library, and also of a limited number of public documents. 

 The report also published several of the testimonials from distinguished 

 persons presented by Mr. Vattemare, abstracts of which are here given. 



[From his excellency Alexandre do Mordwinoff, St. Petersburg.] 



" I have the honor to inform you that His Majesty the Emperor, hav- 

 ing been made acquainted with your proposition respecting the estab- 

 lishment of a system of general exchange of dui^licates, has perfectly 

 S. Mis. 109 45 



