374 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



H. 



At a meeting of the National lustituto, held December 9, 1844, the corresponding 

 secretary (Mr. Markoe) offered tliefoHowiTig r<^solntion, which was. on motion, nnani- 

 moiisly adopted: 



" Resolved, That a t;onunittce of six persons be appointed by the chair to prepare a 

 memorial to Congress in behalf of the National Institute, to be accompanied by a 

 cojjy of the memorials which were i)resented at the last session ; and that the com- 

 mittee request the Hon. Levi Woodbury to present it to the Senate, and the Hon. 

 John Quincy Adams to present it to the House of Representatives, .at the present ses- 

 sion." 



Whereupon, the chair appointed the following gentlemen to constitute the com- 

 mittee : Col. J. J. Abert, John T. Sullivan, Dr. Sewall, Dr. Thomas, Messrs. Seaton, and 

 J. C. Brent. 



[Proc. Nat. Inst., i, 374.] 



III. 



MEMORIAr. OF THE FRIENDS OF SCIENCE WHO ATTENDED THE APRIL MEETING OF THE 



NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



To the Congress of the United States — The respectful memorial of the friends of science, 

 assembled at the City of Washington, from various parts of the Union. 

 The undersigned have come together at the capital of the United States, at the call 

 of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, with the purpose of commu- 

 nicating to each other the facts and reasonings in science which each one's research 

 might have suggested, and of interchanging views and opinions in regard to the prog- 

 ress of science in our country. 



While engrossed in this delightful and most profitable communion, we iiave had 

 an opi)ortunity to ol>servc the results of the efforts made by the members of the 

 National Institute for the advancement of scieuce. Founded (mly four years since, 

 they have already Ijronght together valuable collections in natural history and in 

 the arts. Connecting themselves with the Government, through the heads of de- 

 partments, who, by virtue of their offices, are directors of the Institute, they have 

 voluntarily imposed restraints upon the operations of the Institute, which will x)re- 

 serve its national character, and prevent its being tributary to any local or sectional 

 purpose. By making the Institute merely a trustee for the United States of the 

 property which it possesses, and may hereafter acquire, they hnxe proved that no 

 sordid or interested views guided them in framing their constitution. The zeal and 

 industry shown in making collections, the disinterestedness in the disposition of 

 them, would seem to deserve from the Government of the Republic approval and en- 

 couragement. The value of the propertv already collected, although the existence 

 of the Institute has been so short, is very great. And yet it has no building for the 

 convenient exhibition of its treasures, or even for their safe keeping. And if articles 

 of so much interest and value have already been collected, what may not be expected 

 from the Army, the Navy, and friends of science generally, in the long reach of years 

 to come, if a suitable place can be provided for their preservation and exhibition. 

 But how are the means of providing such a building to be obtained? If attained at 

 all for such a purpose by voluntary contributions, it could only be in the midst of 

 large and flourishing communities. Local feelings of interest or pride can not be 

 transferred, and it is not to be expected that the means to arrange, display, preserve, 

 and augment these collections can be jjrocured by voluntary contributions of indi- 

 viduals in the District of Columbia, or that they can be procured out of the Disti'ict. 

 There is no civilized nation, however narrow its policy in oth<>r respects, which does 

 not exhibit some measure of interest in promoting the advancement of human knowl- 

 edge. In most countries science receives direct encouragement, and many govern- 

 ments have vied with each other iu their efforts to advance this cause. The govern- 

 ment of a country emulous to consider itself among the first of enlightened nations, 

 we trust, will not refuse to aid in securing to its capital the benefits of the labors of 



