MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS. 
The following appeal was made to Congress, at its late session, 
(1st session of 29th Congress,) in favor of the National Institute, and 
was presented to the Senate by the Hon. Lewis Cass, and to the 
House of Representatives by the Hon. John Quincy Adams. 
To the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
The undersigned would respectfully petition that the memorials* heretofore 
presented to your honorable bodies in behalf of the National Institute may again 
betaken into consideration, and the prayers therein be granted. 
In addition to the reasons before set forth in their favor, the undersigned would 
beg leave to state, what they most sincerely deplore—the increasing difficulties of 
the Institute. It is becoming entirely impracticable, by mere private contribu¬ 
tions and taxes, to pay the large incidental expenses attendant on the collection 
and preservation of so much valuable property connected with the advancement of 
science, literature, and the arts. The Institute asks, and has asked, nothing for 
the private emolument of its members; it merely seeks means to secure the prop¬ 
erty coming into its custody from time to time, so that it may not bo injured or 
losS, and so that it may be exhibited and used by the public, as it is dedicated to 
the public, and the title to it is intended to be in the Government. 
For want of pecuniary means, all our collections, whether in possession or in¬ 
creasing by new additions weekly, are in jeopardy ; and unless Congress interfere 
to save what is so public in its character, and so peculiarly under its guardianship 
as is the encouragement of matters of this kind within this District, subject to its 
exclusive legislation, the prospect is that tho operations of the Institute must of 
necessity cease, and the property be abandoned. 
Deprecating, as we do, an event so unfortunate for the cause of science and the 
arts, not only here, but from here, in some degree, over the whole Union, and not 
a little disreputable to our character abroad, the undersigned would earnestly pray 
that Congress, at an early day, may avert the calamity by taking steps to aid effi¬ 
ciently in preserving this important public property ; and the more especially do 
we ask this, when, for various reasons, it can be done at moderate expense, and in 
entire conformity to the provisions of the constitution. 
The undersigned respectfully refer to the documents annexed, which exhibit the 
character of the Institute, and the course of its proceedings. 
LEVI WOODBURY, President. 
PETER FORCE, Vice President. ' 
Francis Markoe, Jr., Corresponding Secretary. 
G. W. Riggs, Jr., Treasurer. 
DIRECTORS. 
ROBERT J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury. 
J. J. A BERT, Topographical Engineers. 
J. G. TOTTEN, Engineer Corps. 
M. F. MAURY, U. S. Navy. 
A. O. DAYTON, Fourth Auditor. 
Washington, December 16, 1845. 
List of Documents accompanying the above Memorial. 
First Bulletin of the proceedings of the National Institution for the Promotion of 
Science, established at Washington, 1840: Washington, 1841. 
Second Bulletin, &c., March, 1841, to February, 1842: Washington, 1842. 
Third Bulletin, &c., February, 1842, to February, 1845; also, proceedings of 
the meeting of April, 1844: Washington, 1845. 
•Copies of these memorials will be found at pp. 383 and 386 of the third Bulletin of the proceedings 
of the National Institute, which accompanies this memorial. 
