18 
threatening the overturn of existing institutions, and ultimately 
culminating in the establishment of modified institutions and a 
gradual approach more and more to democratic organizations. Our 
own country, emerging from its colonial state, had made a declara- 
tion of independence; had, by great courage, trials and sufferings, 
accomplished finally the result of the proposition for free govern- 
ment; and, before the close of the eighteenth century, that Consti- 
tution of the United States under which, with a few amendments, 
we now so happily live and are making such mighty progress as a 
great nation, was adopted. 
Some of the men who participated in those early struggles in our 
country were enrolled as members of this Society, and, among them, 
without an attempt to enumerate all, we find of the signers of the 
Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, 
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush and several others who were early 
_ members of our organization. 
In 1769, there was a union of the two Societies for the promotion 
of useful knowledge in Philadelphia, and Benjamin Franklin became 
the first President, David Rittenhouse the second and Thomas Jef- 
ferson the third. Those who followed after have fairly illustrated 
what were the objects which were had in view by the founders of 
the Society, and how they were prosecuted by the early members ; 
and with what success the great objects for the promotion of useful 
knowledge were aided, and toa great degree accomplished, through 
the instrumentality of the members of our Society. 
While the wars which I have referred to disturbed the last half of 
the eighteenth century, science, invention, intellectual thought, with 
everything that contributes to the elevation and prosperity of man- 
kind, were not neglected. The volumes written and printed during 
those fifty years, the activity in the development of the constitution 
of nature, in the empire of thought, the application of science to 
the useful arts and the wonderful achievements of those days, even 
when we contrast them with what is now going on around us, are 
wonderful in the extreme. Zhe Century of lnventions, published 
by the Marquis of Worcester, illustrative of his investigations in 
the mechanical sciences, has formed to a certain extent the basis of 
the operations and thoughts of our mechanical minds. The simple 
steam engine which was in existence at the beginning of the eigh- 
teenth century, was gradually developed by new additions to its 
structure, promoting its safety and giving it more and more effi- 
