THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 317 



too much to oxi)e('t, and our right to eiiquiio, if we shall have to move, 

 should be viewed as a duty on our part as the curator of so uuicli prop- 

 erty. I assure you the enquiry was made with these impressions only, 

 your assurance that notice will be given, if we should have to move, 

 leaves us satisiied in this respect. 



All that belongs to the exploring squadron is under the care of the 

 Library Committee or its agent. But the Institute is a legal body, 

 regularly chartered with defined right over its property, gifts, and 

 deposits, (See Law of 27 July, 1842.) inTow, what is this property'? 

 Gilts and deposits from members from foreign governments, from dis- 

 tinguished foreigners, from our diplomatic agents, from foreign socie- 

 ties, from domestic societies, from departments of our own Government, 

 from our own citizens. In a word, all the property in the room, except 

 that of the cx])loring squadron and that of the Patent Office, which 

 (Institute) property, unless I am very mucli mistaken, far exceeds the 

 impression you have of it, and judging from some remark about the few 

 things of the Institute. 



Now, this property requires care, watching, and cleaning. 



1 have at this time in my officje twenty-four cases of the most valuable 

 specimens sent from Asia and Mexico to the Institute which we have 

 not sent up, because we were informed they would j^robably not be 

 received, and would certniuly not be allowed to be opened and exhibited, 

 as some 00 boxes or more of Institute specimens are now in the room 

 unopened and unattended to. Surely it was proper that such matters 

 should be enquired into if only for the future government of the course 

 of the Institute. We can not be without anxiety for our valuable col- 

 lection nor unmindful of our obligations to j)reserve it. 



I feel satisfied you will see with me only matter of lamentation in 

 such a state of things. Science and national pride must bitterly regret 

 any seeming necessity for it. 



All the labor, all the contributions, from whatever branch of service, 

 civil, diplomatic, navy, military, are for tbe scientific reputation of 

 our common country, and a hearty union of all is necessary to form a 

 good collection. Deprive it of tbe charm of being national, deprive it 

 of that halo of interest with which the name national has already 

 covered it, and it will soon cease to increase, will be no longer worthy 

 of a thought, and will rapidly degenerate to the insignificance of a 

 local collection. 



Such are at least my views, and such were also the views which 

 brought the National Institute into existence, when about eight of us 

 had our first meetings at Mr. Poinsett's. We then digested a scheme 

 in which we thought all persons could unite, because it was national; 

 which all parties could befriend, because it was national; to which all 

 conditions and branches of service could contribute, because it was 

 luitional; to which the Government might extend its patronizing hand, 

 because it was national, because it aided and elevated the national 

 character, and because it would furnish a broad platform of national 

 feeling upon which all parties, all sects, all conditions of life could, on 

 principles cherished by all, meet and unite in erecting a temple to 

 national f^ime. And how charmingly have we gone on ; look at our great 

 accumulations hn- so short a time, and yet it is all but a good begin- 

 ning; look at the feeling which exists throughout our country and 

 throughout the world in our favor evidenced by contributions and let- 

 ters from all cpiarters, and then ask the question whether to aid or to 

 embarrass a design so glorious and so free from objections will give the 

 most individual fame? 



