1841.] THE NATIONAL INSTITUTION. SI 



them from presiding over your meetings when they sliall tliink proper; and I have 

 no doubt tliat on great occasions you will hardly ever fail seeing at least ono of them 

 at your head. The temporary accommodations afforded you by Mr. Webster do 

 great honor to his head and to his heart. They show that he loves science for ita 

 sake, and that he is animated by the spirit of the age we live in. You are under a 

 very great obligation to him, for, in the present state of your finances, I do not see 

 how you could have gone on without that most opportune aid, at tho time when 

 future success depends in a great ineasure upon economy. 



I feel the same pleasure in observing that you have placed the learned and ven- 

 erable J. Q. Adams at the head of your list of actual directors. Minerva herself 

 could not have inspired you better. 



You still want a capital to your Corinthian edifice. By the constitution of tho 

 American Philosophical Society, the Governor of the State, for the time being, is 

 ex officio the patron of that Institution, Why could you not adopt a similar rule ? 

 None deserve that honor more than our present Chief Magistrate. At the end of his 

 term each President would, of course, leave the patronage over your Institution to 

 his successor, but, in consequence of having filled that dignified station, he would 

 remain an honorary member, ipso facto, and without a special election. In our Phi- 

 losophical Society we have no honorary members, therefore our Governor, at the 

 end of his term, falls into the ranks of a private citizen, and ceases to be connected 

 with our Society, unless he was before a member of it. But you can do better in 

 the manner which I have taken the liberty to propose. 



In my last letter, I expressed to jou my strong hopes of the ultimate success of 

 your noble Institution. Permit me now to express to you the grounds on which 

 that hope is founded. You have called all the nation to your aid, and it will 

 answer your call. The example will be given by the numerous host of persons 

 employed in the service of the Federal Government. All the civil and militaiy 

 officers, by sea and land, the Army and Navy, the Civil and Military Engineers, the 

 Diplomatic and Consular agents, those amongst the Indians and elsewhere, those 

 employed in exploring expeditions at home and abroad, and not only those, but all 

 aspiring young men and others, through our vast extent of territory, who shall wish 

 to make their names conspicuous and attract the notice of the Government, will 

 vie with each other to send you their communications, by which they will hope 

 places and honors at home and fame abroad, and no doubt many of them will suc- 

 ceed. These are the grounds of my hopes, and you will agree with me, I believe, 

 that they are not altogether imaginary. 



There is another class of citizens to which I would draw your attention — I mean 

 that of Americans residing or travelling in Europe and other parts of the world. 

 That class is very numerous; it consists, for the greatest part, of young men who 

 go abroad to pursue different studies, and of travellers, many of whom go from 

 home for the sake of instruction. That class, I believe, may be very useful to your 

 rising Institution. What if your worthy President were to address them a kind of 

 pastoral letter, explaining to them our objects, and requesting their aid ? That pa- 

 per might bo printed in a small pamphlet and sent for distribution to all diplomatic 

 and consular agents in Europe. I find that you have named Mr. Poinsett to that 

 office ; he can now serve you only from a distance, and that is precisely a task that 

 ho will undertake with pleasure and execute with etTcct. 



No. 2. 4 



