The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-06-11
J.F. MCCLELLAN, Printer.

makes all knowledge r~eclprocaIly CON-
municallve and rece~ptive--each borrowing
light from all, and each in turn rejecting
lig hit upon all-he was too generous 10
confne his bounty to the qualification OF
tastes entirely similar to his own. None
of the objects embraced in this bill are
alien from his probable views. Books,
indeed, he did not collect, as we propose
TO do, because 10 one who had no fixed
habitation a library would have been but
an encumbrance; and he lived IN the
great cities of Europe, where public and
private muni6cence has collected and de-
voted 10 general use such ample reposi<
tories Of the records Of knowledge, that
individual accumulation Of such stories is
almost super1uous. But, though he gath
cred no library, his writings show him 10
have been a man ofsomewhat multlfarious
reading and it is quite a gratuitous as
sumption to suppose him. TO have been
one OF those narrow minds, who think no
path worth travelling but that which they
have trodden, no field worth cultivating
whose fruits they have never piucked.-
Apart, then, from the liberty which the
broad words of the will give US, we are
entitled 10 believe that the purposes of the
testator were as comprehensive as the
language he has used-that he aimed at
promoting all knowledge for the common
benefit at all men-and to appropriate 10
the American people, in a spirit worthy of
The object and of ourselves, the compIi-
ment he has paid US, by selecting us as
the dispensers of a charity which knows
no limits bat the utmost bounds Of human
knowledge, and claims as its recipients the
men Of this and all coming ages.
The limitation Of the bequeSl, then, is 10
The increase and diffusion Of knowledge
among men," Here two objects are aim
ed at. Increase, enlargement, extension,
progress and diffusion, spread, communi-
c%alion, dissemination. These the bill
seeks to accomplish by various ans
1t proposes to increase knowledge by coll
lecting specimens of the works of nature,
from every cline, and in each of her kings
doms +; by gathering objects in every
branch of industrial, decorative, represen-
%tative, and imaginative art; BY accumu-
la.ing the records Of human action, and
thought, and imagination, in every form
Of literature; by insll!uting experimental
researches in agriculture, in horticulture,
in chemistry, and in other studies founded
upon observation. 1t proposes 10 dlfuse
the knowledge thus accumulated, acquir-
ed, and extended, by throwing open to
public use the diversified collections of:he
institution in every branch of human in>
quiry; by lectures upon every subject of
liberal ~iuterest; by a normal school, where
teachers shall become pupils, and the best
modes that experience has devised for i'm
parting the rudiments of knowledge shall
be communicated by preparing and dis
tribuling models OF scientific apparatus, s.
by the publication of lectures, essays, mans
uaIs, and t~rea,ises.
Of the various instrumentdli,ies recon-
mended by this noble and imposing
scheme, the simplest and most efficient,
both as it respects the increase and the diff
fusion of knowledge, Is, in my judgment,
The provision for collecting for public use
a library, a museum, and a gallery of art;
and | should personally much prefer, that
for a reasonable period the entire income
OF the fund should be expended in carry
ltS VuI Lulo UidUCI vi tuS DIdH.
But in expressing my preference for
such a present application Of the monies
Of the fund, and my belief that we should
thus best accomplish the purposes of tho
donor, | desire not to be understood as
speaking CONTEMPORARY Of research aud
experiment in natural knowledge and the
economic arts. | have loo much both of
interest and Of feeling staked upon the
prosperity of these arts, and they are 10
me subjects too intrinsically attractive, 10
allow me to be indifferent 10 any measures
which promises 10 promote their advance
ment. an even convinced, that their
earnest cultivation and extension are alb
soletely Indispensable TO our national pros.
perity, our true Independence, and aImos.
our political existence /; and | am at all
times ready TO maintain lhei. claim to all
the legislative favor which it is within the
power OF the General Government 10 be-
stow. | would not, therefore, exclude
them from the plan Ola great national in
%slitution for the promotion of all good
learning /; but l desire 10 assign them their
true place in the scale of human knows
and | must be permitted 10 express
my dissent from the doctrine implied by
the bill, as originally framed and referred
10 the Special Committee, which c%oufnes
all knowledge, all science, 10 The numeri-
cal and quantilative values of material
Researches in such branches as
were the favored objects OF ihal bill, have
10 general little of a really scientific char
'cter. Geology, mineroIogy, even chem
Istry, are but assembIages ofapparent facts
.mpiricals established; and this must a.
ways be true, 10 a great extent, OF every
which rests upon observation and
experiment alone. True science is the
classification and arrangement of n~ecessa-