2 Doc. ISo. 11. 



Department of State, 



Washington, July 19, 1838. 

 Hon. John Quincy Adams : 



Sir : By the will of James Sinithson, late of London, deceased, proper- 

 ty to a considerable amount was bequeathed to the United States, for the 

 puipose, as expressed in the language of the will, of " founding at 

 Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establish- 

 ment ibr the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



The United States having, under the authority of an act of Congress, 

 approved the 1st of July, 1836, accepted the legacy, pledged their faith 

 for the performance of the trust, in such manner as Congress may here- 

 after direct, and recovered the proceeds of the bequest, to the amount of 

 about one hundred thousand pounds sterling, the President is anxious, 

 in presenting the subject to Congress for their consideration and action 

 upon it, to aid his judgment by consulting the views of persons versed 

 in science and in matters relating to public education, as to the mode of 

 applying the proceeds of the bequest, which shall be likely at once to 

 meet the wishes of the testator, and prove most advantageous to man- 

 kind. 



The President will be pleased to have, if agreeable to you to give it, 

 the result of your reflections on the subject, communicated through this 

 Department, at as early a day as convenient. 



1 am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



JOHN FORSYTH. 

 Same letter addressed to — 



Thomas Cooper, South Carolina. 



KicHARD Rush, Philadelphia. 



Professor Francis Wayland, Providence, Rhode Island. 



Albert Gallatin, New York. 



Rev. Stephen Olin, Boydton, Virginia. 



Philip Lindsley, Nashville, 'i'ennessee. 



Professor Davis, Charlottesville, N'irginia. 



QciNCY, October 8, 1838. 



Sir : I duly received yout letter, dated in July last, expressing the de- 

 sire of the President of the United States to consult the views of per- 

 sons versed in science and in matters relating to public education, as to 

 the modes of applying the proceeds of the Smithsonian bequest, to meet 

 the wishes of the testator, and which may prove most advantageous to 

 mankind, with a view to present to Congress the subject, for their con- 

 sideration, and action upon it. 



Having been the chairman of the committee of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives, and reporter of the bill which became the act of July 1, 1836, 

 relating to this bequest, in which act the faith of the United States is 

 pledged for the application of the funds, placed by the founder of this 

 institution at their disposal, to the promotion of the great object of his 

 munificence, Ike increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. I 

 have waited with anxious expectation the consummation of the first re- 

 quisite for the accomplishment of the purpose, the recovery of the fund 

 itself, aware that, until that should be effected, all speculation upon the 



