27 
Vftl'vfe upon the department of American History and Antiquities ar6 essentially 
different from those required in any other quarter of the globe. While in the 
$ early history of those nations, the historian, compelled to grope his way through a 
labyrinth of barbarism, ignorance, and fiction, is bewildered in his search after 
truth, the light of science, dawning upon the whole course of American History, 
points out to the careful investigator a safe and illumined path from the great new 
continent in the South, back to the island of St. Salvador. 
“ The discovery of our continent; its first settlements ; the growth of the colo¬ 
nists in intelligence, wealth, and love of freedom; the triumph over oppression 5 
the establishment of a republican Government, and the subsequent proof of its 
happy adaptation to the wants of man, are all subjects peculiar to the history of 
our own nation, and are now being illustrated and treated with equal industry 
and ability, and by master hands. The documentary history of that Revolution 
which secured to us and to our posterity the blessings of civil and religious liberty, 
now being published through the enlightened liberality of Congress, has been col¬ 
lected by Mr. Fgrce, of this city, through whose zeal and untiring industry every 
document of a public nature has been collected which tended to prepare and carry 
on that Revolution, and he is gathering together every interesting material calcu¬ 
lated to illustrate this great event; while the luminous pages of Mr. Bancroft con¬ 
tain already an admirable account of the early settlement and colonial history of 
our country, and give promise of a work far surpassing any other that has appear¬ 
ed, in profound research, in brilliancy and beauty of style, and in every quality 
which can interest and gratify the historian, and secure his confidence in its truth 
and faithfulness. Both of these gentlemen, I am happy to say, are members of 
our Institution. 
“It will be our province to aid the Societies already formed in the United States 
in collecting and preserving such materials as may develop and substantiate the 
truth of the events of our history ; and especially will it be our duty to inquire into 
that of the people we have dispossessed. We are only the settlers of this conti¬ 
nent. Who are, and whence came its aborigines? The Indian race, now fading 
from the earth ; their mounds and pyramids, and temples and ruined cities; their 
various revolutions and states of society, have long been subjects of investigation, 
and to assist in tracing this mysterious people from their present degraded condi- 1 
tion up, through days of glory, to their origin, is a duty that belongs to the de¬ 
partment of American History and Antiquities. Fortunately for our infant Insti¬ 
tution this department is well composed and well organized. An association of 
individuals devoted to historical researches, with enlightened liberality, joined the 
Institution upon its formation, and transferred to it their books, and the valuable 
records of their transactions. They have since continued their labors under the 
auspices of this association, and from the industry and intelligence which have hith¬ 
erto marked their investigations, there is reason to calculate upon results eminent¬ 
ly useful to the public and honorable to the institution. These investigations will 
be essentially aided by the historical researches now making by a very able and 
distinguished American writer, (if I am rightly informed,) into the records of our 
sister republic of Mexico.” 
