THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 315 



tific. society slioiild liave given credence to them, to luvvc^ authorized an 

 action on tlie part of one of their connnittoes Vtcfore they had ascer- 

 tained that they Avere true. 



1 cannot but admire your course in refusing- to act, or to the wisdom 

 of bringing tliem forward for discussion or action before an appeal 

 was made to tlic best autliority. I therefore feel much ]>leasure in 

 answering the (piestions as coming from yours<'lf, and do it i)articu- 

 larly with a view that you may communicate it to any of the gentlemen, 

 your associates, who may have been instrumental in getting up and 

 giving currency to the reports which you inform me are in circulation. 



1st. Tlie law ]»laces the collection of the United States exploring 

 expedition in the upper hall ot the Patent Office building and under 

 the care of the Joint Library Committee of Congress for the purpose of 

 arranging the whole for description, publication, and exhibition. The 

 Library Com'ee have appointed me to superintend them to this end. In 

 pursuance of my duties the^vhole is undergoing arrangement. When 

 I took charge on the 1st of August a few specimens and articles were 

 pointed out to me as belonging to the Nat. Inst.; those have not been 

 disturbed further than became necessary in the arrangements, and an 

 equal care has b(>en bestowed upon them that -ithers have received. 



2d. All the persons employed and paid by the (lovernment are re- 

 quired to devote themselves entirely to the Government Avork ; when 

 there is no longer employment for them, or they do not give satisfac- 

 tion, they will be discharged. It is believed that their time is now fully 

 employed, and that their (hities require all their attention and talents 

 to be devoted to the collection of the expedition in order to ]>erforni 

 them to the satisfaction of the Library Committee and myself They 

 are under the same system as if employed elsewhere by the Govern- 

 ment. From this it follows that their time and services for which the 

 Gov't pays can not be devoted to or divided with any incorporated asso- 

 ciation. 



Although believing that the above embraces an answer to all the en- 

 quiries made of me 1 will go further and assure you that there is every 

 disposition on the part of the Library Com'ee of Congress and myself 

 to have things belonging to the Nat. Inst, that are now in the hall 

 taken care of, and due notice will be given to the Institute should the 

 little room they occupy be required for collection of the exp'g expd., 

 which it is now contidently believed will entirely fill the hall when 

 they are fully arranged. I will now close with a few words respecting 

 the last clause of your letter relative to my feeling any "unkindness" 

 towards the Nat. Inst. It is rather improbable that any Tinkindness or 

 hostility would exist on my jjart considering that the labour of the ex- 

 pedition, combined witli the exertion of your gifted president (Mr. 

 Poinsett), were the origin of it, and tliat in all probability it may one 

 day become the depository of the large and valuable collection of the 

 exp'g expedition, therefore I can not but feel deeply interested in 

 its welfare — everything compatible Avith the performance of my public 

 duties will always be done to accommodate and assist its rise and prog- 

 ress. 



Believe me, with great respect, your obt. svt., 



Chakles Wilkes. 



Col. J. J. Abert, 



A". 7. Corp. Top. Engrs., Washg. 



