THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.

To understand the genesis of the National Museum of the United States, it seems necessary to examine the history of this society, initiative and influential in time. The Institute will now fulfill the approval and support of the Government and scientists of the District of Columbia." p.

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 283

284 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

286 REPORT OF NATIONAL IMUSEUM^ 1891

THE GENEylB OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.. tlie Smithsonianorjiauizatiou hadl)('eii presented l)ynie in the lively years of discussion which i)retracted the organization of the iSTAtioual. The influence of this society was strongly and thoughtfully4) resented in (the Congress, for the six years which followed its organization, until the Smithsonianact was finally bound, and it seems very proper to attempt to ascertain whose the mastermind who not only]) got the upper hand to finally implant the development of the National Museum. tln^.

288 REPORT OF NATIONAL MU8EUM, 1891

290 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

In London, the Koyal Museum, which was founded by the enlightened liberality of an individual, and afterwards enriched by similar bequests, and now liberally enthroned by Government, possesses them all. This is necessary to protect and encourage literature, science and the arts. This bequest shall enable the Government to undertake all operations necessary for the promotion of science and the benefits, without the exercise of any doubtful power, by the application of the annual interest of the funds to the establishment of an observatory, the erection of suitable buildings for it. keep collections. , and.

292 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 293 Senator Prefston's bill for Mio Tiiiiou of the two institutions came to

294 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the first annual meeting of the National Institute (under its new name and in its capacity as a corporation) in April 1844, the meeting of the friends of science, including, besides all the members and patrons of the National Institute, the members of the American Philosophical Society and of the "Association ofAmerican Geologists and Naturalists" (the predecessor of the American Association for theAdvancement of Science), were held in Washington. Senator Walker, of Mississippi, one of the directors of the institute, delivered a very appreciative introductory address on the present state and history of American science, which ended with an appeal to scientists to come forward and with the unite people to maintain and promote the National Institute.

300 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

Astronomy, Geography, and Natural Philosophy;
Geology and Mineralogy;
Chemistry;
American History and Antiquities;

It is worth noting that the term "manager"* to refer to a member of the board of directors was used in every bill except a substitute proposed only a few hours before the legislation, and that when elected the First Secretary was Francis Markoe, Jr., who had been secretary of the National Institution for six years, and was perhaps more than any other identified with its interests, received four votes to seven for Prof. Henry. The term "curator", used for the official responsible for national collections, was then used for the first time.

THE NATIONAL OABINET OF CURIOSITIES

304 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

McGingan

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 305

That in all cases of difficulty which may arise, be referred to the president or vice-president of the Institution for decision, who, if they deem it necessary, will submit the question to the Institution. HenryKing, M.D., was a geologist-miner who was a native of Missouri, Avho was lately employed in an exploration of the lead mines of the West, and who was this time in the employ of the War Department in Wash- .

308 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

He had been a member of Wilkes's exploring expedition, and was occupied during its connection almost entirely with the work of disassembling and arranging his collections. conchologist, however, with the expedition until the Eudin of November, 1839, as his last duties were divided between them, and successfully performed. The reputation of our country. is in jeopardy, and if what 1) has been attempted and succeeded in is not already completed, from any economic motive, the arrangement of the organization will be destroyed, and . it will become the laughing-stock of Europe, and all the praises bestowed on our government for its noble enterprise will prove it to be "Satan in disguise." —complained openly when they were])aid'.

310 , REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

P. Upshur

That until other provisions are made by law for the preservation and arrangement of:, such objects of natural history as may be the property of the government, they shall be deposited and arranged in the upper room of the Patent Office, under the care of such i) crsons as may. In the charter of the National Institute, which had been passed a month before, there was a provision that all trusts be "confirmed and confirmed to the said corporation," and the supporters of the Institute tended to insist that it applied to the collections of the "reconnaissance party" at that time in the custody of the Institute. There was, in fact, no legal authority for the agency of supervision which the Institution now exercised, which was entirely the outgrowth of a very informal understanding between two or three successive Secretaries of the Navy and a committee of the Institution" appointed to correspond with the Departments" x) to perform the functions of a general executive committee - doubtless with the sanction of the society, but without direct authority.

312 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 189L

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAE MUSEUM. 313

314 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1«91

Abetit

Will any of the persons employed at the room and paid hy the U

Abert

310 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUKEUM, 1891

318 EEPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 319

L. Ellsworth

320 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

Abekt,

34; That until other provision is made by law for the custody and arrangement of such objects of natural history as may be in the possession of (charity), the same shall be deposited and arranged in the pi)er room of the Patent Office under the charge of a person who may be designated by the Loint Committee of the library.". The Minister of Foreign Affairs must transfer the custody of the ar to J)r.Pickering (;hives, jewels,et<'., received from the Ministry, but the secretary refused, noting that the Patent Commissioner was a department of the State Secretary) and he could not agree to place the articles entrusted to him in the care of a company or alien over whom he had no control. Committee of the Library, to whom alone was entrusted the right to fill the vacancy, quite unexpectedly for me, assigned the designation to the Commissioner of Patents.

The Secretary of State expressed his wish in the letters instructions to the great hall that the National Institute might be allowed to occupy any "vacant case" until this C(Wild l) was made without inconvenience to the Patent Office. ) allowed the Institute to enjoy a very considerable portion of the upper and lower floors from time to time.

324 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

Notwithstanding the extraordinary efforts at this time, and the favorable report of Senator Choate, the Congress adjourned in the spring of 1844, without regard to the collections of the Institute. Senator Levi Woodbury, President of the Institute, in the annual address he delivered on the 15th of Jaiuiary in the House of Representatives, made a most impressive appeal to Congress. In the organization of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Institute was practically omitted out of consideration, and the hopes of many years were dashed.

Rush's letter of July 184C. In the communication to the members of the National Institute, which served as an introduction to the fourth Bulletin, dated November 25, 1846, a sad statement is given as to the state of the association.

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. B27

R. POIXSETT,

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 329

In 1854 the ('ommissioner of Patents, for many years vested with some authority by the Library Committee, was given by Congress| the administration of the collections and authorized to employ custodians, and a small ai)property was made to be spent under the Department of the Interior - an arrangement which continued for three subsequent years. [n 1857, after the Smithsonian Institution had definitely assumed the responsibility of caring for the national collections, all the articles deposited at the ISTational Institute were removed. In addition to these there are numerous objects directly under the control of the National Institute which the officers would not remove. There is apparently an abiding hope that Congress will provide for the care of the collections.

This was the end of the ISTatioual Institute and its efforts to establish a national museum, the end of the National Cabinetof Curiosities and.

THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND THE NATIONAL CABINET OF CURIOSITIES,

They were afterwards placed iu some old cases in ai)assageway in the Patent Office, and many valuable specimens and books were destroyed or stolen, and no one was responsible for their safety.!. Baird told the writer that tlie])ooksand s])ecimens were placed on top of some tile boxes in a basement passage near an outside door. In 18G1, shortly before the text finally expired by limitation, the Birds and Insects were almost entirely destroyed, and the library reduced to broken sets of Journals and Transactions.

332 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

One party was in favor of spending the larger proceeds of income on the library and museum. The 'compromise' consisted of dividing the annual income into two almost equal parts, to be applied to the two types of expenses. Smithson, as expressed in his will, is one of the primary means of carrying out the act and the trust.

Owen, and probably ]S[r.liiish and({en. Totten.Avho) were l)other devoted to the interests of the National Institute.

334 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM... recognition of the right of the Kegeuts to interpret for themselves the meaning of the charter. He was from the beginning, in a sense, the authorized interpreter of the Smithsonian beipiest, and, as anyone knows who has studied the history of the institution, his earnest and steadfast policy. It must have been clear to him, as well as to the regents, that the fate of the Smithvsouian Institute, once he assumed this burden, would ultimately be similar to that of the National Institute.

The position of Prof. Henry's policy is almost universally recognized, and the success of Avith Avhicli in employing the resources of the institution for the increase and dissemination of knowledge for thirty-one years commands the admiration of all who study history.

636 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUHEUM, 1891

As early as 1847, Prof. Henry seems to have entertained the hope of escaping from the full fulfillment of the terms of the charter, for in his first plans, as finally submitted to the regents, he turned away the hope. 34;that in due time other means may be found for the establishment and support of a general collection of objects of nature and art at the headquarters of the (leneral(ro\ernment) with funds not derived from the Smithsonian be<|uest. "t. This museum was assembled in the ex]) sense of (love, ami should be preserved as a memorial of onr Xa\y's science and energy, and asa.

In addition, the extensive museum of the Patent Otlice would immediately utilize the space allocated - collections of (its kind in (the Smithsonian building, and within a short time another) - pi()]) riation would be necessary for the creation of another building.

340 REPORT OF NATIONAL MI-SEUM, 1891

In another place he expressed the hope that Congress would "relieve the Institution from the support of the building, and it was finally referred. by the Attorney-General, a -$15,000 was granted for curtailment of facilities and $2,000 for re-. This appropriation AA ^as granted in accordance with the recommendation of the late Home Secretary and Commissioner of Patents, in order that the large space in the Patent Office, occupied by the museum subject, may be used for more legitimate law-making purposes.

The management of this aj)]> expropriation and of all those which followed it.. from year to year was always })in the hands of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

344 REPORT OF NATIONAL MHSEUM, 1891

The GENESiH OF THE NATIONAL MtLSEUM.. Beyond these seas, and in order to clarify your position as director of the institution, we now have the honor to address you. The space allocated to the temporary use of the institution – the eastern half of the upper room of the Patent Office – is wholly inadequate for such a purpose, as are the resources and time devoted to it. A large collection of insects, said to be one of the finest in Europe, recently arrived in New York to be stored at the Institute for the benefit of the public.

Now the specimens which have been placed in the cases nearly fill the space, half of the upper room of the Patent Office, which the liberality of the Secretary of State temporarily assigned to the use of the Institution; but these specimens are necessarily imperfect states of imperfect arrangement.

NOTE B

REPORT UPON THE MATERIALS IN THE INSTITUTE

BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT

RBPORT OF MR. DANA

358 REPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHV

360 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM. 1891

OUTLINES OF THE ETHNOGRAPHICAL COLLECTIONS, CHIEFLY FROM THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 361 MARQUESAS ISLANDS

PENKHYNS ISLAND

AGATE

364 REPORT OP NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

DRIED PREPARATIONS IN NATIONAL INSTITUTE— NOVEMBER 18, 1842

NOTE C

NOTE D

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 3T5

378 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891

THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 379

J. Walker,

NOTE F