89G PROPOSED APl^LICATIONS OF SMITUSON'S BEQUEST. 



Government shows a sincere disposition to promote science 

 and general knowledge, without which no free nation can 

 long exist, it will produce many excellent elFects ; it will 

 promote confidence in the National Administration ; and, 

 above all, it will soften the rage of party spirit, which 

 threatens to involve us in the fate of the Roman Republic. 



The details of your organization are of little consequence, 

 as they may be altered by the institution at pleasure. Yet 

 there are some principles by which I think they ought to 

 be regulated, and which I shall take the liberty to explain 

 to 3^ou. Every institution of this kind ought, in my opinion, 

 to be constituted with a view to its efficiency and its perpe- 

 tuity. These should not be lost sight of in any, even the 

 most trifling, of its regulations. Efficiency is the firsts 

 because from its continued action perpetuity will arise 

 and follow as a natural consequence. Experience will 

 show you whether your constitution is or is not deficient in 

 regard to this most important principle. The choice that 

 you have made of your directors is a most excellent one^ 

 and I have no doubt will be attended with the happiest 

 consequences. You have chosen two men high in office^ 

 whose means of assistance are considerable, and whose 

 patronage will be important to you. I do not speak of 

 their personal qualifications ; they are well known to the 

 world. One of them is already highly distinguished as a 

 patron of science ; of this I can speak of my own knowl- 

 edge, as the American Philosophical Society, amongst 

 others, is greatly indebted to him, and has placed him in 

 the list of its benefactors. You have therefore done wisel}' 

 in obtaining from the heads of the Government, that they 

 should appear as the head of your institution. It is to be 

 regretted that the Chief Magistrate of this great nation 

 does not occupy that position in regard to this institution 

 which the world will naturally expect from him, and which 

 might enable him to be so eminently beneficial to his 

 country. 



I, however, cannot but highly approve of your choice of 

 directors ; but you must be sensilDle that men who, like 

 them, have on their shoulders, in a great measure, the des- 

 tinies of their country, cannot give much attention to the 

 official duties which you have imposed upon them. It is 

 from a higher sphere that they must govern your institution. 

 I would, therefore, recommend that you should select two 

 or three vice directors, to save them the labor which a reg- 

 ular attendance on your meetings would require of them. 

 Their attendance should be free and voluntary, and I have 



