PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 895 



€veiy quarter well deserves our attention. The more ho- 

 mogeneous our citizens can be made in these particulars, 

 the greater will be our prospect of permanent union ; and 

 a primary object of such a National Institution should be 

 the education of our youth in the science of government. 

 In a Republic, what species of knowledge can be equally 

 important, and whal duty more 'pressing on its Legislature than 

 to patronize a plan for communicating it to those who are 

 to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country." 

 Again? in his forewell address, he says: " Promote, then, 

 as an object of primary importance, institutions for the gen- 

 eral diflusion of knowledge." It would be needless to 

 multiply instances in which the most distinguished men of 

 our country have expressed themselves equally favorable to 

 this cause ; and I have only brought the sentiments of Wash- 

 ington to the public notice, because they must have weight 

 with all who properly estimate the character of this great 

 and good man. 



But I have allowed myself to transgress the limits I had 

 at first designed for this communication. I hope it may be 

 the means of directing the attention of others to a subject 

 which is of great importance to the welfare and happi- 

 ness of the country. S. 



Letter from Mr. Luponceau, President of the American Philo- 

 sophical Society. 



Philadelphia, November, 1840. 



To Francis Markoe, Jr., 



Corresponding Secretary of the National Institution, 

 My Dear Sir : I have read with great attention and 

 pleasure the constitution and by-laws of the National Insti- 

 tution, which you have had the goodness to communicate 

 to me. I assure you that I feel the liveliest interest in the 

 success of this noble institution. I am happy to sec it 

 established in the city of Washington, the capital of our 

 Union, and many reasons induce me to feel this satisfaction. 

 The District of Columbia is deprived of the most impor- 

 tant rights enjoyed by the States. Its inhabitants are in 

 fact disfranchised, and do not enjoy the right of self-gov- 

 ernment; a compensation is due to them for this great 

 sacrifice, and there cannot be a nobler one than the laurel 

 crown of science, which I think our National Government is 

 bound to give to them, for their and its own glory. When our 



