42 SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 



If I have not written to you since the sittings of the court were 

 resumed it is because I have had heretofore no special matter to com- 

 municate, although doing all in m}^ power to accelerate the progress 

 of the suit committed to my superintendence, and endeavoring espe- 

 cially to hasten the report of the master on all the matters referred to 

 him by the court's decree of the 1st of February. I mentioned in one 

 of my letters that there were upward of 800 suits in arrear in this 

 court, some of which it might have been added involve in their issue 

 sums exceeding in amount the sum claimed by the United States. 

 From this cause, which naturally overburdens with business the 

 offices of the masters, it has in part arisen that the master's report in 

 the suit of the United States has not hitherto been made. 



But at length, this week, it was in readiness to go in, and would 

 have embraced, among other things, a favorable report on the claim 

 of Madame la Batut to the amount of about £150 a year, to be paid to 

 her out of the Smithsonian fund during her life. It will be seen how 

 large a reduction has thus been effected of the demands put forth on 

 hei' behalf, as my past letters have made them all known to you. Our 

 solicitors have rather a confident opinion that there is a prospect of 

 disproving this demand by further evidence yet attainable in France, 

 and I have consequently directed them to take the proper steps for 

 procuring it with all dispatch. It is not believed that more than a 

 month will be required for procuring it, and the master's report will 

 be withheld in the meantime. When it arrives, it will be my province 

 to look well to its nature and probable effect, that on the one hand 

 nothing may be lost to which the United States may seem justly enti- 

 tled, and on the other that the great result of the suit be not put in 

 jeopardy or injurious delays risked by doubtful contests for fractional 

 sums. 



I have the honor to remain, with great respect, your obedient 

 servant, 



Richard Rush. 



Hon. John Forsyth, 



Secretary of State. 



Richard RusJi to John FovKytli. 



London, December 21, 1837. 

 Sir: I had the honor to receive on the 18th instant your instruc- 

 tions of the 13th of November, authorizing and requesting me to pay 

 an account amounting to 272.25 francs, forwarded to the Department 

 by Mr. Brent, our consul at Paris, the subject-matter of which was 

 formerly made known to me in your letter of the 17th of November, 

 1836, to which I replied in my No. 6, on the 9th of January follow- 

 ing; and I beg leave to say that on the 19th instant I accordingly 



