24 [ Senate 



" Would it not be well," says he, " to suggest the propriety of 

 a meeting of the geologists and other scientific men of our country 

 at some central point next fall, say in New- York or Philadelphia. 

 There are many questions in our geology, that will receive new 

 light from fiiendly discussion and the combined observations of 

 various individuals who have noted them in various parts of our 

 country. Such a meeting has been suggested by Prof. Hitchcock, 

 and to me it seems desirable. It would undoubtedly be an advan- 

 tage not only to science, but to the several surveys tliat are now 

 in progress, and that may in future be authorised. It will tend to 

 make known our scientific men to each other personally ; give 

 them more confidence in each other, and cause them to concentrate 

 their observations on those questions that are of interest either in 

 a scientific or commercial point of view. More questions may be 

 satisfactorily settled in a day by oral discussion, than in a year by 

 writing and publication." 



from memory only, or from hearsay, on the spur of the occasion; but that which 

 belongs to the history of the Association of American Geologists ought, if stated 

 where it will be referred to, to be stated accurately. You know that he was not the 

 first to propose such an organization in 1838. 



•' In 1837, I received a letter from you on this subject; but it is lost, or I do not 

 find it on my file of letters. 



" On the 12th of Oct. 1838, you wrote me at Albany, and the letter was forwarded 

 and reached me at >'ewburgh, in which you say : ' And I had also hoped that ere 

 this a meeting of American Geologists would be brought about in New-York or 

 Philadelphia; but I feel that I am to be disappointed in this also.' 



" On the 26th of October 1838, the day I received your letter at Newburgh, I 

 answered it, and said : ' It gives me much pleasure to see you express a wish to 

 compare notes with others in relation to geological observations. I think it is much 

 to be regretted that there is not a greater harmony of feeling, unity of action, and 

 interchange of opinions and observations among our geologists.' As I had to go 

 west before the meeting of the Geological Board of N.Y., and which you had been 

 invited by me and perhaps others to attend, I v;rote to the Board some suggestions 

 that seemed to me important, as follows :" ( Then follows the letter containing 

 the extract in the text. Prof. M. closes his letter to me with the following : ) 



"You, so far as I know, first suggested the matter of such an association. I laid 

 the matter before the Board of Geologists of N.Y., specifying some of the advan- 

 tages that might be expected to result; and Prof. Ya.nuxem probably made the 

 motion before the Board in regard to it, which may have been all that Prof. Uall. 

 knew about it. 



'' We can each of ns well dispense \\-ith the honor that might be awarded for 

 originating the matter in one case, and putting in train for execution in the other : 

 still, where the origin of an important society and association of .scientific men for 

 the advancement of science is recorded in its memoirs as historical fact, it ought 

 to be stated correctly.^' 



