SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 27 



confine them within limits as moderate as possible, they 

 are proverbially heavy in English chancery proceedings. It 

 seems that something is to^be paid for every step taken, 

 every line written, and almost every word spoken by coun- 

 sel, senior and junior, solicitors, clerks, and everybody 

 connected with the courts, and officers attached to them, 

 under the extremely artificial and complicated judiciary sys- 

 tems that exist here. 



Perhaps I ought also to have mentioned in my last that 

 there is no doubt whatever of the fact of John FitalPs 

 death. It only remains for the court to know it through 

 regular evidence, easily attainable, as before remarked, in 

 London, where he died. 



I have the honor to remain, with great respect, your 

 obedient servant, 



RICHARD RUSH. 



The Hon. JOHN FORSYTE, Secretary of State. 



Daniel Brent to Richard Rush. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



PARIS, May 3, 1837. 



SIR : On the 7th of August last I made known to the 

 Secretary of the State the amount of expenses that had 

 been incurred by me in this city in taking precautionary 

 steps to secure to the United States, as legatee of James 

 Smithson, of London, the possession of property then sup- 

 posed to constitute a portion of his estate, and now have 

 the honor of transmitting to you, in consequence of a letter 

 recently received from the Department, receipts for the 

 amount of these expenses, as follows, viz : 



Receipts of the M. Castaignet for his services .fr. 226 25 



Do. avocat, M. Delagrange do 4000 



My own receipt for postages 6 GO 



Total .fr. 372 25 



I would feel obliged to you if you would have the good- 

 ness to provide, at as early a day as may suit your con- 

 venience, for my reimbursement, by furnishing me with a 



