SKETCH 



OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



BY THOMAS McELRATH. 



On the nineteenth day of February, in the year one thousand 

 eight hundred and twenty-eight, at Tammany Hall, in the city of 

 New York, was held the first meeting of the American Institute 

 of which there is any official record. 



A number of public spirited gentlemen of New York had met 

 occasionally for some months previously, and discussed the sub- 

 ject of the formation of a National Association, with a view of 

 giving aid and support to the advocates of protection to Ameri- 

 can labor. 



On the adoption of a constitution and the perfecting of an 

 organization, the politico-economic character of the association 

 was not prominently set forth. The name of the society was to 

 be " The American Institute of the City of New York," and by 

 the first article of the constitution its objects were declared to 

 be, " to promote improvements in the mechanic arts, to encour- 

 age American industry in agriculture, manufactures and com- 

 merce, and to sustain such a system of policy as will protect the 

 great national interests of our country." 



The means by which the objects contemplated in this article 

 of the constitution were proposed to be accomplished, were sub- 

 mitted, on the 11th of March following, by a committee appointed 

 for that purpose, in the form of " An Address to the Public," 

 which was signed by the president, vice-presidents and secreta- 

 ries, and ordered to be published. In this address it is asserted 

 that the members of the association " all entertain the same views 

 in relation to the policy of encouraging and protecting our na- 

 tional industry," and that they believe " the most effectual ser- 

 vice which can be rendered to that cause is the diffusion of a 



