GARDINER GREENE HUBBARD 35 



that had hitherto been doomed to live apart and to miss many of 

 life's sweetest joys. His keen interest in this work never lagged, 

 and he has for many years been first vice-president of the Amer- 

 ican Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf. 

 This alone would entitle him to be called a benefactor of mankind. 



These services, together with his high standing as a lawyer, 

 and his very efficient labors as a commissioner from Massachu- 

 setts to the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, had given 

 Mr Hubbard a national reputation ; and in 1876 President Grant 

 appointed him chairman of a special commission to. investigate 

 the entire question of railway mail transportation. His work 

 here was characteristically thorough, and is to be chiefly credited 

 with the present excellent condition of that important branch of 

 the public service. From that time distinguished political pre- 

 ferments have been repeatedly offered him ; but though the com- 

 pliment was fully appreciated, the offer was always declined, since 

 he believed independence of action to be best, both for himself 

 and for the causes that he loved, and aimed to promote. During 

 his residence of nearly a quarter of a century at this Capital he 

 has been the trusted friend and counsellor of Presidents and 

 statesmen, and has exercised a strong, if indirect, influence upon 

 national and international affairs. He was a wise and staunch 

 friend of arbitration. He believed that the Government should 

 use its post-offices as telegraph stations. He was vitally interested 

 in the free library of this city. He had long urged what is just 

 now happily coming anew to the front, the establishment here of 

 a true national university upon the lines drawn by Washington. 

 He was an active and efficient trustee of the Columbian University. 

 He cherished the keenest interest in his Alma Mater; was presi- 

 dent of her Alumni Association in this city, and provided a lec- 

 tureship at the college which is filled by his close and cherished 

 friend, ex-Senator Dawes. President Tucker says : " The college 

 honors the memory which has become a part of its lasting posses- 

 sions." He was a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, and 

 eminently fitted to be, for he was committed mind and heart and 

 soul to " the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



And so, while not himself a specialist in science, Mr Hubbard 

 became a promoter of science, and in a remarkable degree a friend 

 of scientists. He felt a hearty and honest pride in our city's lead- 

 ing position as a scientific center in this country. Every earnest 

 student of science was sure of his sympathy and encouragement. 

 Nowhere outside of his own household will he be more missed 

 than in the goodly scientific fellowship here, as nowhere has he 

 been more honored and beloved. It was this fondness, probably, 



