THE UNITED STATES

ByJoel B.\rlow,iSo6.

[ReprintedfromadefectivecopyofBarlow'spamphletintheCongressionalI<ibrarj',supplemented bythe reprint in theNationalIiUelligeiicerof iSo6,andamanuscript copyin the possessionof DoctorJ.C. AVellinj;.]

The

project for erecting a universityat the seat of the federal

government

^is brought forwardata

happy moment, and on

liberal principles.

We may

therefore reasonably

hope

for an extensive

endowment

fromthe munificenceof individuals, aswellasfrom

government

it.self. Thisexpectationwillnaturallyleadustoenlarge ourideasonthesubject, andtogi\eagreaterscope to its practical operation than has usually been contemplatedin institutions ofa similarnature.

330 Memorial of George Bro7VJi Goode.

Two

distinct objects, which,in other countrieshave been keptasiander, ma}-

and

ought to be united; they are both of great national importance; and

by

being embracedinthe

same

Institutiontheywillaideachotherin theiracquisition. These arethe

advancement

of

knowledge by

associationsof scientific

men, and

thedissem- inationofitsrudiments

by

the instructionofyouth.

The

firsthasbeenthe business oflearned corporations,suchastheRoyalSocietyof

London

andtheNationalInsti- tute ofFrance; the second ispursued

by

collections of instructors, underthe

name

of universities, colleges,academies,etc.

The

leading principle of uniting thesetwo branches of

improvement

inoneInsti- tution, tobeextended

upon

ascalethatwill renderittrulynational,requires

some

development.

We

find ourselves in possession of a countryso vast as toleadthe

mind

toanticipatea sceneof socialintercourse

and

interest

unexampled

inthe expe- rienceofmankind. Thisterritory presents

and

will present sucha variety of pro- ductions, natural

and

artificial,suchadiversity ofconnections abroad,

and

ofmanners, habits,

and

propensities at

home,

as will create a strongtendency to diverge

and

separate theviewsofthose

who

shallinhabitthedifferentregions withinourlimits.

Itis

most

essential tothehappinessofthepeoi^le

and

tothe preservationof their republicanprinciples,thatthistendencytoa separationshould beoverbalanced

by

superior motives to a

harmony

of sentiment; that they

may

habitually feel that

community

of interest on

which

their fedf ral system is founded. This desirable objectistobe attained,notonly

by

the operationsof the

government

initsseveral departments, but

by

thoseof literature, sciences,

and

arts.

The

liberalsciences are in theirnature republican; theydelight in reciprocalcommunication; the}- cherish fraternal feelings, andleadtoafreedomofintercourse, coni1:)inedwith therestraints of society,

which

contributetogethertoourimprovement.

To

explore the natural productionsofour country, give an enlightened direction tothe laborsofindustry,explain theadvantagesof interiortranqiiillit}-,ofmoderation

and

justiceinthe pursuits of self-interest,

and

to promote, as far ascircumstances will admit, an assimilation of civil regulations, political principles, and

modes

of education,

must

engagethesolicitude ofeverypatriotic citizen; ashe

nmst

perceive in

them

the necessary

means

ofsecuring

good

morals

and

everyrepuljlican virtue; a

wholesome

jealousyof rightand a clearunderstandingof duty; witlioutwhich,

no

peoplecan be expected to enjoy the one or perform the other for anv numl)erof years.

The

timeisfastapproaching

when

theUnitedStates,ifnoforeign disputesshould induceanextraordinaryexpenditureof

money,

willbeoutofdebt.

From

thattime forward, the greater partoftheirpublicrevenuemay, andpro1)ablywill,beapplied topublicimprovementsofvarious kinds; such asfacilitatingthe intercoursethrough

;illparts oftheirdominion

by

roads,bridges,

and

canals; suchas

making more

exact surveys,

and

forming

maps and

chartsoftheinteriorcountry,

and

ofthecoasts,ba3-s,

andharT)ors,]>erfectingthe systemof lights, buoys,

and

othernaiiticalaids; suchas encouraging

new

^{l^ranches}of industry, sofaras

may

beadvantageoustothepul)lic, either

by

offering

premiums

fordiscoveries,or

by

purchasing fromtheir i)roprietors suchinventionsas shall apj^ear to1)eofimmediate

and

generalutility,andrendering

them

freetothecitizens at large; suchasexploring theremainingparts of thewil- dernessofourcontinent, both withinand without our

own

jurisdiction,andextend- ingtotheir savage inhabitants,as far as

may

bepracticable, a taste for civilization, andthe

means

of

knowing

the comforts that

men

are capable of yieldingtoeach other in the peaceable pursuits ofindustry, asthey areunderstoodin ourstageof society.

To

prepare the

way

forthe

government

toact onthese great objectswith intelli- gence, economy,

and

effect,

and

toaiditsoperations

when

itshallbereadytoapply

itsfunds to that purpose, will occupy in part the attention of thatbranchof the Institution

composed

of

men

of scientificresearch;

whose

labors,it isexpected,will

ReportofU.S.NationalMuseum, 1897. PartII. Plate66.

c^^s^^L^cr^ (4y^^/>^-^/^^z^

Natio)ial

Scioitific

aiu^ Educational

Iiisliliilioiis.

331

be ill a great measure gratuitous. It cannot])e too early,even at this

moment,

to directthe researchesofsciencetooccupationsof thisnature.

By

thesemeans,atthe endof the elevenyears, the epochat

which

the

government may

expecttobefree of debt,the

way

can be preparedtobegin with system, and proceed withregularity inthe various detailsof public iinj)rt)vement; abusinesswhich, if therulers of all nations did but

know

it, oughttol)e considered

among

thefirstof their duties, one ofthe principal objectsof theirappointment.

The

.scienceof political

economy

isstillinits infancy; asindeedisthewhole.sci-

enceofgovernment,if

we

regarditasfounded

on

principlesanalogoustothe nature of

man, and

designedtopromotehis happiness.

As we

believe our

government

to befoundedontheseprinciples,

we

cannot butperceivean

immense

fieldofimprove-

ment

openingbeforeus; afieldin

which

allthe physical as wellasthemoral.sciences should lendtheir aid and unite theiroperation,to place

human

.society

on

such a footingin this great section of the habitable world, astosecure it against further convulsionsfromviolenceandwar.

Mankind

have a right toexpectthisexam])le fromus;

we

alone are in a situation to hold it\ip before them,to

connnand

their esteem,and perhapstheir imitation. Shouldwe,

by

anarrownessofviews, neglect the opportunityof realising .so

many

benefits,

we

ought to reflectthatitnevercan occurtous again; nor can

we

foresee that itwillreturn to

any

ageornation.

We

.shouldgrievouslydi.sappointthe expectationsofall

good men

inothercountries,

we

shouldourselvesregretourerrorwhile

we

live;

and

ifpo.steritydid not load uswith thereproaches

we

slioi;ldmerit,it

would

be because our conductwillhave kept

them

ignorantofthepossibilityofobtaining the blessingsof

which

it

had

deprivedthem.

It

would

h<isuperfluous,in thisProspectus, to pointout the objectsmerelyscien- tific,thatwillnaturallyengagethe attentionof thisbranchoftheIn.stitution.

We

are .sen.sible that

many

of the .sciences,physical as well as moral, are very little

advanced; .someofthem, in which

we

^{.seem tohave}

made

considerable progress, are yet .so uncertain as to leave it doubtful whether even their fir.st principles donot remaintobediscovered; andinallofthem,thereisa great deficiencyas tothe

mode

of familiarizingtheir results,and applying

them

totheu.seful arts of life,the true objectofalllaborandresearch.

What

arangeisopeninthiscountryfor inineralogj-

and

botany!

How many new

artsaretoarise, and

how

farthe oldonesaretobe advanced,bythe pursuitofthese two sciencies, it isimpo.ssible even to imagine. Chemistry is

making

a rapid and useful progress, though

we

^still di.spute about its elements.

Our knowledge

of

anatomy

haslaidanecessaryandsure foundation for .surgeryand medicine; surgery indeed is

making

great proficiency; but, after three thou.sand years of recorded experience,

how

little do

we know

()f me<licine! Mechanics and hydraulics are jirogressingfa.st, and wonderfulan-the facilities

and

comforts

we draw

from

them

;

butwhile it continuesto be necessary to

make

use ofanimal force to

move

heavy bodiesinanydirection

by

landor water,

we

^havea right toanticipate

new

discoveries.

Could the genius of a Baconplace itself on thehigh groundofall the^.sciencesin their present state ofadvancement,

and

marshal

them

before

him

in .so greata couiitr}-asthis,and undera

government

like ours,hewtmldpointouttheir objects, foretelltheir.successes,and

move them

ontheirmarch,ina

manner

that.shouldani- matetheirvotaries

and

greatly acceleratetheirprogress.

The

mathematics,considered asa .science,

may

probablybesu.sceptible ofhigher ])owersthanithasyet attained; consideredasthe

handmaid

of allthe sciencesand

allthearts,itdoubtlessremains tobesimplified.

Some new

processes,

and

perhaps

new modes

ofexpressing quantities

and

numbers,

may

yet be di.scovered, to assist the

mind

inclimbingthedifficult .stepsthatlead toan elevation so

much

above our crude conceptions; an elevation that subjects the material universe, w'ith all its abstractionsof .space

and

time, tooiirinspection; andojiens, fortheircombinations,

.so

many

usefulandsatisfying truths.

332 ^Mc))iorinI of George Broioi Goode.

Researchesin literature, to

which may

beunited thoseinmorals,government,

and

laws, are so vagueintheirnature,

and

have beensolittle methodised,asscarcelyto have obtained the

name

of sciences.

No man

has denied the importanceofthese pursuits;

though

theEnglishnation, from

whom we

haveborrowedso

many

useful things,has not thought propertogive

them

thatconsistency

and

standing

among

the objectsoflaudable ambition,to

which

theyareentitled.

Men

themost eminent in these studieshave not been

members

of their learned associations. Locke, Ber- kely. Pope,

Hume,

Robertson, Gibbon,

Adam

Smith, and Blackstone, were never admittedintotheRoyalSociety. Thisisdoubtless

owing

tothenatureoftneirgov-

ernment

;

though

the

government

itselfexerts

no

influenceintheseelections.

The

scienceofmorals connects itselfsointimatelywith the principles of politicalinsti- tutions,that where it is

deemed

expedienttokeep thelatteroutof sight,it is not strange that theformer should

meet no

encouragement.

Thispolic}'isstrikinglyexemplifiedinthe historyoftheFrenchInstitute.

That

learned

and

respectable

body was

incorporated

by

the national conventionin the year 1795,

and

took place of all the old academies,

which had

been previously abolished. It

was composed

ofthree classes,accordingtothe objectstobepursued

by

itsmembers.

The

first

was

the classforthe physical sciences, the second

was

theclass forthemoral

and

political sciences,the third

was

for thefinearts.

Thus

itwent

on

and

made

great progress initsseveral branches, tillthej'ear 1803,

when

Bonaparte's

government assumed

thatcharacter

which

renderedthe pursuitofmoral

and

political .scienceinconvenienttohim.

He

then

new modeled

theInstitute,

and

abolished thatclass. Butlesthis realobjectshouldbeperceived,

and he

be accused ofnarrowingthecompassofresearch,

he

created

two new

classesinthe

room

of this

;

oneforancientliterature,

and

one forthe

French

language.

On

the

same

occasion anorder

was

issuedtoallthe colleges

and

great schools in France,suppressing the professorshipsofmoral

and

politicalphilosophy.

Butinourcountry,

and

at thisearlyepochinthe courseofrepublicanexperiment, nosubjectsofresearchcan be

more

important thanthose

embraced by

thesebranches of science.

Our

representative system is

new

in practice,

though some

theories of thatsorthave beenframed

by

speculative writers;

and

partialtrialshave been

made

in the British dominions. But our federal system,

combined

with democratical representation isamagnificent stranger

upon

earth; a

new

world of experiment, bursting with incalculable

omens on

the view of mankind. It

was

theresult of circumstances

which

no

man

couldforesee,

and

nowriterpretendedtocontemplate.

Itrepresenteditselftousfromthe necessityofthesituation

we

werein; dreadedat finstas an evil

by many good men

in our country,as well as

by

our friends in Europe;

and

itisatthisdayfarfrom beingimderstood, or properly appreciated,

by

the generalityofthose

who

admireit.

Our

practice

upon

it,as far as

we

havegone, andthe vast regionsof ourcontinent that presentthemselves toitsembrace,

must

convincetheworldthat itisthe greatest

improvement

inthe

mechanism

ofgovern-

ment

that hasever been discovered, the

most

consoling to the friends of liberty, humanity,

and

peace.

Men who

have

grown

old in the intrigues of ca1)inets,

and

those who, in the frenzy of youthf^ilambition, presentthemselves on the theatre ofpolitics, at the headofarmies,

which

theycannotlivewithout, aretellingus that

"no new

principle of

government

has been discovered for these

two

tliou.sand years;"'

and

that all propo.sals toamelioratethe.sy.stem arcvain ab.stractions,

unworthy

ofsoundphilos- oi)hy.

They may

tellus too thatno

new

principleinmechanics

had

beendiscovered since

we came

tothe

knowledge

ofthelever; no

new

principleinwar, since

we

first

foundthata

man would

ceaseto fightthenu)ment he

was

^killed. Yet

we

^.seeinthe

'Thisis assertedina

book

writtento sujjjjortthe present

government

inI'rance.

I forgetthetitle

Nati<ytial Scientific

and Edncaticnial

Inslitnlions.

333 two

lattercases thai

new

coni1)iiiati()nsof ])rinciplehave beendiscovered; theyare daily

now

discovered

and

carried into practice. Inthese there arenobookswritten to inform lis

we

can

go

no fnrther; no imperial decrees to arrest onr proi^ress.

Why,

then,shouldthisbethe caseinthosecondnnationsofthe moralsenseof

man, which

composethe scienceofgovernment?

But whether

we

consider the principles themselvesas new, or thecombinations onlyasnew,thefactwithrespecttoour

government

is this: althoughthe principle has longsince been

known

that thepowers necessarily exercised in the peopleat large,andthatthesepowers cannotconveniently be exercised

by

thepeopleat large, yet it

was

not discovered

how

these powers could be conveniently exercised

by

a few delegates, in sucha

manner

as to l)e constantly kept within the reachof the peopleat large,soas to be controlled l)y

them

without a convulsion. Ihit a

mode

of doingthishas been discoveredin latter years,

and

is

now

forthe first time car- ried into practice in our country; I donot say inthe utmo.st perfection of

which

the principle iscapable; yet in a

manner which

greatly contributes, with ourother advantages,torender us the happiest people

on

earth. Again,althoughthe principle has long since been

known,

that

good

laws faithfully executed within a state,

woidd

protectthe industryof

men, and

preserveinterior tranquillit}-; yet

no method was

discovered

which would

effectuallypreserve exterior tranqiullitybetween state

and

.state. Treaties weremade, oathswereexacted,the

name

of

God was

invoked, forts,garrisons,

and

armieswereestablished

on

theirrespective frontiers; allwith the sincere desire,

no

doubt, ofpreserving peace.

The

wholeof these precautions have been constantlyfound ineffectual. But

we

at last,

and

almost

by

accident, havediscovered a

mode

of preserving peace

among

stateswithout

am-

of the old precautions;

which

were alwaj'S found extremelyexpensive, destructi\e to libertv,

and

incapableofsecuring theobject.

We

have foundthatstateshave

some

interests that are

common and

nnitual

among

themselves; that, so farasthese interests go, the statesshouldnotl)eindependent; that,withoutlosinganythingof theirdignity, butratherincreasingit,they can bind themselvestogether

by

afederalgovernment, compo.sedof their

own

delegates, frequentlyand freely elected, to

whom

they can confidethese

common

interests;

and

that

by

giving

up

tothese delegates the exercise of certainactsof sovereignty,

and

retainingtherestto themselves, each stateputs

itoutof its

own power

towithdraw from the confederation,

and

out of the

power

of the general

govermnent

todeprive

them

oftherightstheyha\eretained.

Ifthese arenot

new

principlesofgovernment, theyareat least

new

combinations of principles,

which

require to be developed, stiidied,

and

understood better than theyhavel>een, even byour.selves; but especiall}' bytherising generation,and

by

all foreignob.scrvers

who

shall studyourinstitutions. Foreignerswillthus give us credit for

what we

have done, point out to om- attention

what we

have omitted to do,

and

perhaps aid uswith their lights, inbringing towardsperfection a.sj-stem,

•which

may

bedestinedtoameliorate the condition oftheliumanrace.

Itisin thisviewthatmoral

and

political researchought tobe regardedasoneof themost importantobjectsoftheNationalInstitution,the highest

theme

of literary enudation, whetherinprose orverse,the constant stinudus toexcite the ambition ofyouthinthe courseofeducation.

What

arc calledthefinearts, indistinctionfrom

what

are called theuseful,have been but little cultivated in America. Indeed,fewof

them

have j-et arrived, in tnodern times, to that degree of splendor

which

they

had

acquired

among

the ancients.

Here we must exanune

anopinion,entertained by

some

persons,thatthe encouragement of the fine arts savors too

much

of luxury, and^isunfavorable to republican principles. It is true, as is alleged, theyhaveusually flourished most underdespoticgovernments; butsohave corn

and

cattle. Republican principles haveneverbeenorganised orunderstood,so as to formagovernment, inanv conn-