66 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



As he himself summed it up, the plan was based on the conviction 

 "that the intention of the donor was to advance science by original 

 research and publication ; that the establishment was for the benefit 

 of mankind generally, and that all unnecessary expenditures on 

 local objects would be violations of the trust." The plan proposed 

 was, in the leading feature, "to assist men of science in making 

 original researches, to publish them in a series of volumes, and to 

 give a copy of these to every first-class library on the face of the 

 earth." 



His "Programme of Organization," filled out in its details and 

 adjusted to the conditions prescribed by the law and by the action 

 of the Regents, was submitted to the Board in the following year, 

 was adopted as its "governing policy," and it has been reprinted, in 

 full or in part, in almost every annual report. All would understand, 

 therefore, that Professor HENRY'S views were approved, and that 

 they would be carried into effect as far and as fast as they com- 

 mended themselves to the judgment of the Regents, and as oppor- 

 tunity made them practicable. 



If the Institution is now known and praised throughout the 

 world of science and letters, if it is fulfilling the will of its founder 

 and the reasonable expectations of the nation which accepted and 

 established the trust, the credit is mainly due to the practical wis- 

 dom, the catholic spirit, and the indomitable perseverance of its 

 first Secretary, to whom the establishing act gave much power of 

 shaping ends which, as rough-hewn by Congress, were susceptible 

 of various diversion. For Congress, in launching, did not shape 

 the course of the Institution, except in a general way. And 

 in intrusting its guidance to the Regents, the law created only 

 one salaried and permanent officer, the Secretary, on whom, by its 

 terms and by the conditions of the case, it devolved great responsi- 

 bility and commensurate influence. Some of us are old enough to 

 remember the extreme diversity of opinion hi Congress over the 



