LETTERS ON PROGRAMME OF ORGANIZATION. 979 



spirit, and formed with a comprehensiveness of scope well 

 "befitting the design of this great Institution ; and we look 

 with much confidence for valuable results from it under its 

 present direction in accomplishing that design. 



I take the liberty of suggesting wiiat I suppose is iu- 

 -cluded, though not specifically mentioned, under your first 

 title of subjects, the subject of Ethico- Political Science; 

 especially the origin, constitution, objects, and ends of the 

 State, and its relations to other institutions, as the church, 

 the family, the various societies, purel}' voluntary, existing 

 among men, &c., &c., as one worthy of being commended 

 to the notice of some able and well-qualified men among 

 your collaborators. We claim that our political system 

 pre-eminently rests upon an ethical foundation, and is 

 essentially grounded upon the natural rights of man ; and 

 that our country occupies, in this respect, a peculiar position 

 in relation to the other nations in their great progress to- 

 M'ard the new political order to which they are making 

 their way. It would seem to be peculiarly fitting that an 

 Institution, founded by a foreigner and committed to the 

 Government of this nation as a trustee, for the increase and 

 difltusioQ of knowledge among men, should promote expo- 

 sition and elucidation of the tlieory of the State, in its own 

 nature and its relations — a subject not yet well understood 

 by the nations, perhaps even by ourselves. And though I 

 am aware of the causes which make it more difiicult for 

 such an Institution as yours to undertake the discussion of 

 moral and political subjects than those of physical science, 

 or of literature and art, yet I would hope, on the one hand, 

 that writers on such a subject would go deep enough toward 

 the foundation of things to get beyond the troubled waters 

 at least of party-politics; and that, on the other hand, there 

 would be, on the part of their readers, such a manly spirit 

 of confidence in the power of truth as not to be afraid of 

 such admixture of error, real or supposed, as might be un- 

 avoidable. But I submit the matter to your consideration, 

 merely making the suggestion. 



From Charles Martin. 



Hampden Sidney College, Ya., December 27, 1848. 

 Some two or three months ago, while temporarily ofliciat- 

 ing as president of our college, I received one number of 

 the " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge — The 

 Ephemeris of Neptune for the Opposition of 1848." Con- 

 stant occupation, and the pressure of care at that time pre- 



