58 SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 



the fund to me, as representing the United States, the mas- 

 ter of the rolls said that he would pause upon his final 

 decision until that petition was presented. 



It is thus that the case now stands. It will come on 

 again one day next week, and I have every ground for be- 

 lieving that my next communication will inform you of a 

 decree having passed declaring the United States entitled 

 to the fund. 



Should the forms of chancery require any authentication 

 of my power to receive the fund that Mr. Stevenson can 

 give, he will be ready, at any moment, to give it, as he has 

 assured me; and should his important aid be otherwise 

 needed in anyway before the suit is closed, I shall not scru- 

 ple to call upon him, knowing how /A-alously he would 

 afford it. 



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

 dient servant, 



RICHARD RUSH. 



The Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, Secretary of State. 



Richard Rush to John Forsyth. 



LONDON, May 12, 1838. 



SIR: I have great satisfaction in announcing to you, for 

 the President's information, that the case came on to be 

 heard again on the 9th instant, when a decree was solemnly 

 pronounced, adjudging the Smithsonian bequest to the 

 United States. 



Both my powers had been previously lodged with the 

 court not one only, as stated in newspaper reports of the 

 case ; and no question was raised as to my full authority to 

 receive the money on behalf of the United States, without 

 calling for any further authentication of my powers. 



The suit is therefore ended without fear of more delays ; 

 nothing but a few forms remaining to put me in actual pos- 

 session of the fund. These, I have the hope, may be com- 

 pleted within the present month, 



The fund is invested in the stocks of this country, of 

 which I shall, in due time, have an exact account. The 

 largest portion is in the three per cent, annuities. The 

 entire aggregate amounts to fully one hundred thousand 

 pounds; and this, according to my present information, 

 exclusive of about five thousand pounds to be reserved by 



