THE YOUNG PROFESSOR 199 
From Joseph Henry to Spencer F. Baird. 
SMITHSONIAN InstiTuTIoNn, Dec. 11, 1849. 
My bear Sir,— 
I have no doubt that you are very anxious to learn the state of 
the Smithsonian affairs, particularly in reference to the probability 
of your appointment at the next meeting of the Board, and I regret 
with my present engagements I am unable to go into a full exposition 
of all the facts bearing on the question. From present appearances 
I do not think there is any prospect of your being appointed at the 
approaching meeting, though if the state of the funds are no worse 
than I think they are, something more may perhaps be allowed for 
collections. 
You know that in order to increase the principal of the Smith- 
sonian fund the Regents resolved to defer the full operation of the 
Institution until after March, 1852. They wished and still wish to 
be able to state to the public that after completing the building and 
getting the Institution under way, they have added 150,000 dols. 
to the original fund. Every proposition which interferes with this 
plan is received with coolness. The plan was originally suggested 
by the probability that I was about to resign the office of Secretary 
and it was afterwards modified so as not to bring in Professor Jewett 
until the completion of the building. This part of the plan was 
warmly opposed by Mr. Jewett and his friends, and I think, justly, 
because he had been appointed to commence his duties three years 
before the above-mentioned time. The plan was adopted and Profes- 
sor Jewett was brought in three months before the time mentioned 
and in consequence of this I asked at the last session of the Board 
that an additional appropriation might be made for the active opera- 
tion of the Institution. This, however, was reluctantly granted 
and was finally considered favorably only on account of the advance 
in the value of the stock which formed the principal part of the build- 
ing fund. All the appropriations of the present year have been ex- 
pended and, besides this, a portion of the library of Mr. Marsh, to 
the value of 3,000 dolls. has been purchased. The purchase was made 
in the first place with the idea that the money was not to be advanced 
on it until the end of three years. Mr. Marsh, however, found it 
impossible to make his arrangements for leaving the country without 
