204 PROCEEDINGS OF 



• 



incur no furtlier arrears in meeting a palpable and high national duty. In conclu- 

 sion, I may be pardoned for adding that, in obedience to a call from the Government, 

 I offered a plan, in fulfilment of his will, immediately after retvirning from England 

 with the fund. In some respects it was like yours, though not so good, because 

 not so simple ; besides that yours has now the advantage of actual and successful 

 organization. 



With ardent wishes for its further and full success, whether adopted by Congress 

 or not, but witli wishes as ardent that that high body may not suffer this great trust 

 fund to remain any longer as a talent buried in the earth, I am, dear sir, with great 

 respect and regard, your faithful and obedient servant, 



RICHARD RUSH. 



FROM PETER S. DU PONCEAU : ON THE SMITHSON BEQUEST. 



Philadelphia, April, 1842. 

 Francis Markoe, jr., Esq., 



Cor. Secretary of the National Institution for the Promotion of Science. 



My dear Sir : I have received your several letters, with the documents, respect 

 ing the Smithsonian legacy, which you have had the goodness to transmit to me 

 at my request. I liavo studied them with great attention, and, I shall add, with 

 pleasure ; as you well know that the subject is very near my heart, you will judge 

 of tlie satisfaction that I have had in their perusal, and in reflecting upon their 

 contents. 



When the subject of this legacy was brought, for the first time, before Congress, 

 by a message from the President, I find, from the report of the select committee to 

 whom it was referred, (at the head of which was the illustrious John Quincy 

 Adams,) that numerous plans and schemes were presented to that committee for the 

 application of that fund. No one of them, says the report, appeared to that com- 

 mittee adapted to accomplish the purpose of the testator. " Tliey generally con- 

 templated tho establishment of a school, college, or university. They proposed 

 expenditures absorbing, in the erection of buildings, the capital of the fund itself, 

 or a very largo portion of it, leaving little or nothing to be invested as a perpetual 

 annuity for future and continual appropriations, contributing to the improvement of 

 future ages, as well as of the present generation ; and in most of the projects there 

 might be perceived purposes of personal accommodation and emolument to the 

 projector, more adapted to the promotion of his own interest than to the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



I have used tho words of tho committee, without adding any thing of my own. 

 It appears to have been the opinion of that respectable body, that neither the esta- 

 blishment of a school, college, or university, was adapted to tho accomplishment of 

 the purpose of tho testator. It appears, also, that the great expense which the plans 

 proposed would occasion, and which will absorb not only tho interest but the prin- 

 cipal of that legacy, was a strong objection in tlie minds of the committee. There 

 foro, two things resulted from this opinion ; the first, that something more was con 



