Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-08-30
SMITHSONIAN REQUEST.


late James Smithson, Esq. Of London, for
founding an institute in the City of
Washington, amounting to about half
million Of dollars. is expected to be receiv-
ed during the present mouth, and that
heis prepared to receive proposals from
persons who have State Stocks to dis>
pose Of bearing interest at the rate of
not less than FIVE per cent. according to
the direction Of the act oil Congress for
the investment Of the fund.
The following article from the Ma
tional Gazette places the conduct of our
Government, i'll the prosecution of this
claim. in truely humilia,ing and disre-
putable point Of view.
THE SMITHSONIAN REQUEST.
Messrs Editors.-On look ing over the pa
pers transmitted 10y the President to Con-
gress, IN March last, l think il impossible
not TO feel the strongest doubts whether the
United States can, with propIie,y, accept,
under existing circumstances the Smithso.
nun fund.
| IL will be recollec,ed that the claim of the
United States, as residudry legatee. under
the viii, depends upon the contingency of
person described by the testator as Henry
james Hungerford, my nephew, formerly
called Henry James Dickinson" being
dead without child, legitimate or niesiti.
mate" In the bill filed On our be half. the
President oi The United States solemnly AYERS
that this person did die, IN Italy, in 1895,
without child, legitimate or illegi,imate.
Our whole case turns on the truth Of th,s al.
legation.
The uncertainties necessarily attendant
on such nm investigation ure unusually null
,iplied in this case. Not only is the testatcr
driven, as we have seen, TO describe the ra>
rent stem OF illegitimacy 10y an alias, hut a
h'rd name is disclosed. Mr.. Rush, in his
letter to Mr.. Forsyth (p. l0) says: "Henry
James Hungerford was the natural son Of
| Henry Louis Dickinson deceased, brother of
Mr.. Smilhson, bya Mrs. Coates. The lat
ter is still living, and married 10 French
man named De la Balu,. Hungeriord lived
with her, and took her name, whilst bearing
which he died, having also passed under
that OF Dick inson." He Subscribed (p. % !
as man who "lived up 10 his income, aud
left behind him nothing to pay debts and fu-
neral EXPENSES" IL is the history of this
mans impure connections that the United
States are bound 10 follow up and exhaust
\ receive
one dollar OF Smithson's money.
Let us now see how MIR. Rush conducted
himself in this case Of that he calls (p. ll)
"a complication OF il!egitimacy."
An Older IN Chancery had been made, di-
recling 1.-THE requisite inquiries ms TO the
iacts IN the happening OF which the United
States became enti,led to the fund bequea ,h-
ed by MIR. Smithson.' On the subject OF
the advertisements required by this Order,
| Mr. Rush says:
| al was by my direction that the oSvertise-
mems have been framed with all the brevily
compatible with the essential object of The
Courts decree. have caused TO be careful,
W Kept from them any mention OF the amount
oi property bequehthed, and every thing
else respecting the nature Of mfr. Sniithson's
W!H. This course seems best adapted to
guard against tho risk OF raising up spurious
Claimants or combinations, in France, Italy,
or this country, to battle Nth The right ofths
Chttea States, whereby, although ineir ulii.
mate ,ecyYsry Of the fund nigh! not be pre-
vented, great delay mig hi he inierposed"
And again ne says TO MIR. Forsyth at was
my ,utsh 10 avoid these advertisements alto
geihfr, not simply on account OF expense,
which would have been a good reason Of i'll
| sell, but Tor the more important one hined
Ih my last, viz: their possible tendency To
raise up fictitious claimants, but my ,uish
could not prevail against THE EXPRESS
ORDER Ut The Court OF Chancery, under
which they we're inserted"
Now, II this had ever reached the eve of
The Chancellor would he not have indignant
~ vacated the whole proceedings? The in
curry alter illegi,imate children demands,
iion It's very nature, the widest scope. IL
is not necessary that the child should have
been recognized by The deceased parent. Ii
Is sufficient 10 make out The impure paterni.
ty. knowledge upon this subject is not 10
oe sought amongst the most respectable
portion oil the community. And yet, all
that an untutorsd Solicitor would have nut
into on adSerlsemeni-ali that was caIcula-
ted 10 make nine days wonderful tina,
might stimulate curiosity or arouse cupiditv
TO eager rssearch-alI this is anxiousIy sup
pressed by MIR. Rssb. The interests ofJus.
tice were that an illegiiimate child should be
found. Thu. was the object Of the Court OF
Cbancery. The interests which MIR. Rush
represented were, as he supposed, That this
public notice should be Dugstory and una
vailing. And he conlfives that the solicitors,
who are officers Oi the Court, and on whose
honor and good faith and sharp responsible,
ty The Chancellor implicitly ,slios-- should
become instrumental in battling The great
purpose OF lbe order.
What honest Judge would tolerate boil
low apology about guarding against fictitious
claims: The solicitors, on such an exposure,
would be instantly struck from the roll
Such an affected apprehension might bs ur-
sed IN any case. ii is an argument againsi
any notice. And such was MIR. Rush's anx-
Ious wish as expressed by himself. As the |
,,aL !.