51 



promise to deliver lectures or send papers to be read. It is with a 

 rational hope that the citizens of this District in particular, in view of 

 the interest of the proposed meeting-, will not turn a deaf ear to this 

 warm and well-worded appeal, that the National Institute presents 

 itself to public notice and support under its existing difficulties. 



You will remember that I urged the claims of the Institute upon 

 the favorable notice of Congress as at least equal, although in fact 

 they are superior, to those which called forth the appropriations 

 in 1831 and 1832 for the benefit of the District colleges, and that, 

 whilst insisting upon the right of that association to expect public 

 support, it recommends itself in a peculiar manner to the patronage 

 of Government. It is to be hoped that the committee of the Insti- 

 tute, appointed to memorialize Congress at the present session, will 

 soon make their appeal, and that the two Houses will be found dis- 

 posed to give them a fair and impartial hearing and a liberal con- 

 sideration of their case. I flatter myself that public attention here 

 and elsewhere has been attracted to the condition, means, services, 

 and future career of usefulness of the Institute, and that the present 

 is the fit time for bringing before Congress and the people such ap- 

 peals and statements as may give them correct information on the 

 subject and enlist their attention and sympathy. I feel that the 

 hour is not far distant when the community will be made alive to 

 the importance of this subject, and the current of popular approba- 

 tion turned towards a too long neglected institution. This hope and 

 belief have induced me to devote my pen to a brief account of the 

 operations, plans, and services of the National Institute, and to an 

 appeal to the citizens of this Republic in its behalf. 



I have before me an interesting letter from Mr. VATTEMARE, dated 

 Paris, the 10th December last, and addressed to the Corresponding 

 Secretary of the National Institute, extracts from which were pub- 

 lished in your paper of the 12th ultimo. That letter announced 

 the transmission of a variety of interesting articles for the Institute, 

 and that a still larger number remained in his hands awaiting fur- 

 ther instructions from Washington, and the means to defray the ex- 

 penses to be incurred on the occasion. It is well known in this 

 country that Mr. VATTEMARE has devoted his time, money, talents, 

 and perseverance to the subject of Exchanges, and that the atten- 

 tion of well-informed men in Europe and in America has been 

 gradually more and more attracted to the progress of this praise- 



