ORATION OF PRESIDENT NOAH PORTER. 3 
ing the chair of Natural Philosophy in Princeton college. Experience has shown 
that the world possessed no better man for such a place. He was all the resolu- 
tion required and more; and from the day of his election until now, the wish has 
never been expressed that another had been chosen in his stead. 
He accepted the appointment on the seventh of December, and on the next 
day, the eighth, finished and sent to the regents an elaborate paper, giving his 
views of the will of Smithson, and presenting a plan for the organization of the 
institution. He entered on the discharge of his duties on the twenty-first of De- 
cember, and from that day until his death, lamented by all, on the thirteenth of 
May, 1878 — almost one third of a century — he was engaged in making the Smith- 
sonian Institution what its munificent founder desired — an active and efficient 
instrument for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. 
He was faithful to every duty, active in every work, and during his long 
official service lost no opportunity of making his trust what it was intended to be. 
The statue which will now be unveiled has been erected by the United States 
as a token of gratitude for the labors of his useful hfe and for his faithful adminis- 
tration of the important public trust so long in his keeping." 
Just as the Chief Justice finished speaking the lanyards were pulled, the cov- 
ering fell away, and the statue of Joseph Henry was exposed to the view of the 
vast multitude, who greeted it with loud applause. The shapely head looked to 
the south and the far reaching eye bent its gaze, as on some distant object, beyond 
mortal reach. The sun, so long obscured, had at last pierced the cloud mantle 
that enveloped it, and as the veil of the statue dropped the sunshine fell on the 
well known head, gilding its bronze features with a golden glory. In the bright 
sunlight of accumulating truths had the great philosopher lived, and the first view 
of his statue in the open air was wrapped in the sunshine still. 
Hardly had the applause subsided when the grand chorus, accompanied by 
the full marine band, sung "The Heavens are Telling," from Hayden's* 'Creation," 
under the leadership of Prof. R. C. Bernays, with a volume of harmony rarely 
heard, and never before listened to in the open air in this city. 
When the last chord had died away the Chief Justice introduced Rev. Dr. 
Noah Porter, President of Yale College, who had been selected as the orator of 
the occasion. Dr. Porter said: 
"We are assembled to complete the long series of public honors to the late 
Joseph Henry as we unveil the statue which has been erected to his memory. 
These honors have been manifold, but all have been well deserved and most cord- 
ially bestowed. His funeral obsequies were attended by the President of the 
United States and other officials of the Government which he had so faithfully 
served, by representatives from many learned and scientific societies of which he 
was a conspicuous member and ornament, and by a large following of those who 
honored and mourned him as a friend. Subsequently a more formal commemo- 
ration of his scientific and public services was held at the Capitol, at which were 
present the Executive of the Nation, the Judiciary, the Senate and House of 
Representatives. On this occasion a discriminating and sympathizing sketch of 
