Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-07-09
FOR THE INTELLIGENcER

Iwasmuch delightedin reading in the Inelhgencer description of extensive collection of Fossil Re- mains which is exhibiting in New-York; al the same time regret that there is every probability of me whole beng carried out of the United States t0 Europe. Why should this be so These wonderful remains belong to this country of right; and it is dIsgraceful Tn us nation, that foreigners should possess them To some people views will no doubt appear rdicuous but do not we pity the pool ensiaved Greeks, when they permitted Lord Elgen to deface the Parthenon of Athens, and carry away the memorials of the former grandeur and ndepen. dence of their nationi And yet we, ourselves. a mghty and prosperous people, cultivating the arts and sciences, will permit relics of a former world of such magnificent and wonderful nature found Tn our soil to be taken away from us and traficked in foreign countries. What will these foreigners think? That we cannot appreciate them. In fact the Pacha Of Egypt is more patriotic in this respec than we are; for he has nearly prohibited the taking away of antiquities from that country Ye the men of science of the Union are not to be blan cd; for they know, that if an enlightened individual were to propose the purchase of the very collections Tn question: either in Congress in any of our Stat. Legislatures, some one would get up and turn the subject into ridicule. Knowing this to be the casa they wrap themselves up in dgnifed silence dis dainlng to contend with such opponents. Whatever other people may think of it, I cannot help feen. the wish that these and similar collections were iron ilme to time purchased up, and distributed amongt our varlous Universities, where we have nothing at present to examine and look at but bare walls
 Of the value and importance to science of these fossil remains it is not to be expected that they can be appreciated properly by most of those who have never given their attention to such subjects will, therefore, quote few lines from the mertorous and highly scientific work on Natural History, by Dr Goldman, of Philadelphia and his ideas on thls subject are those of every of science in the Union In speaking of the fossil remains of the Great Mastadon, this gentleman says
 "There is every reason to believe, that the bones of this gigantic animal, as well as the relics of va rlous other extinct species, will be procured in great abundance as the internal improvement of our happy country advances. The magnificent works already completed, have given inconsiderable earnest of what may be expected from numerous others now in progress; and the means which intended to fa- cilitate the intercourse of czens and bind them more firmly together by mutual interests, may also contribute, in powerful degree, to shed light on of the most obscure and interesting topics con- nected with the history of the globe. It should therefore, be deeply impressed upon the minds of those who superintend the construction of canals tunnels, roads, c. that the fragments of organic re- insignificant, may prove of the highest importance to science, when viewed in connexion with all the circumstances of their characters and positions the peculiar nature of the superincumbent soil and the general aspect of the surrounding country. When opp portunes are presented no pains should be spar ed in order to procure bones other relics of an
 nal bodies, with the least possible delay and every attendant circumstance should be noted with the most scrupulous accuracy"
 | Our various State Universities are the best repo sitories for collections of this kind, and, indeed, fo collections of any kind connected with science: fo although they may not be much attended to at the present day, ought ever to keep in mind that we laboring for faturity and the time may moi be far distant when they will be appreciated and stu
 died. Z