52 



worthy enterprise. If he succeeds in carrying his plans into opera- 

 tion, a new era will dawn for the march of intelligence and mind. 

 The multiplication and the increasing cheapness of the communica- 

 tions between the Old and New Worlds, will aid very materially in 

 deed in the full realization of his hopes. The two hemispheres will 

 thus be brought close together by the bonds of mutual benefits ; and, 

 as nothing serves more to the preservation and perpetuity of good 

 will between nations than the interchange of their intellectual pro- 

 ductions, upon a well regulated system of national reciprocity, Mr. 

 VATTEMARE, and all those who co-operate with him on the subject 

 of Exchanges, will have discovered the very best and most practical 

 means of preserving the influence of peace in the civilized world, 

 and of aiding in the diffusion of knowledge among men. I am thus 

 emphatic in my allusion to the writer of the letter in question be- 

 cause I consider this move of his as the first in that great impulse 

 which I wish the National Institute to initiate in this continent. I 

 feel perfectly authorized in asserting, from the value of the books, 

 engravings, charts, &c., a part whereof have been received in this 

 city and are waiting for public assistance, so that they and the other 

 collections of the Institute may be exhibited for public instruction 

 and amusement, that the announcement of the fact that there is so 

 philanthropic an individual as VATTEMARE in the great metropolis 

 of France, who has collected, and is still collecting valuable ma- 

 terials for the benefit of this country, ought to interest every citizen 

 who has the least pretension to information or education. It will 

 be seen by the recent publications on the part of the National In- 

 stitute, that it cannot afford to pay the required expenses on a fur- 

 ther transmission from Paris ; and I trust that the discredit of that 

 want of ability to take the necessary steps in this matter will not 

 be allowed to rest at the door of the American people, who are thus 

 called upon to assist in carrying out an enterprise which concerns, 

 and is sure to benefit them most materially. The way whereby that 

 pecuniary assistance may be made to reach the destination where 

 good may be effected, has been, over and over again, plainly indi- 

 cated. The will is all that is requisite, and that will I hope exists 

 among the people. Whilst thus endeavoring to aid in the realiza- 

 tion of the plan of International Exchanges, by our co-operation 

 and pecuniary assistance, through which our colleges, academies, 

 Federal and State Governments, municipal corporations, scientific 



