The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-09-27
To A. VATTEMARE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.. June 25. 1913

SIR Eight years country received with favor an
application in behalf of enterprise the conception OF
which does honor heart The calm, impartial phi
osophic historian WILL in due me dwell with pleasure on
the beneficial influences which cannot fail to result from
dial interchange of iraernal feelings among nations
When the House OF Representatives first gave their APP
probation plan Tor International exchanges then
posed was an experiment. and had thrown around the
been conhgmed as matter OF settled policy sustained by
the experience of years.
We might congratulate you the Of your abors
and on your being spared to wness person the success
OF your cherished plans Notwithstanding the important
But prefer express thanks and gratitude that
France through has offered to us the representatives
rate in an effort bring together, upon liberal system of
exchanges, the Intellectual efforts of all nations for the pro-
motion science 's''H RoBE stS1a %N s
Speaker of the House OF Representatives;
and 222 members of the House.
To A. VArTEmARE, esq.
In connection with these testimonials, lay before
readers the following reply of Mr. Vattemare to the
Commissioner of Patents, whose letter to Mr. " pub
lshed short time since:
WASHINGTON, August 49, 1913.
To the Hon. Edmund Burke Commissioner of the Patent
Office;
SIR Permit me- before leaving Washington, to tender to
you the expression OF gratitude for the interesting and
important objects you have kindly ntrused to me for
present to your office in the naie OF Our public minis
ers, and of various scientific and literary societies in my
country.
Inspired by sentiments of enlightened patriotism and
honorable national pride, returned me gifts OF far
tuooo :"
This wise liberaly proves that fully appreciate the
truth; that in intercourse like this it is far more advan
geous to give than eceive and that you were desrous
for country the full benefits to be derived from
the o WS with s s
you made from among the most important inventions
ude OF that ingenious class whose interests 1t Is your
inventors by calling public aitsn,on to their merit but
you contribute to the rapid diffusion of the knowledge OF
the of America in the mechanic arts and thus al
her highest interests.
With the desire attract possible the attention
of my country the munfcenceo yours took the liberty
of having the letter you did the honor address
containing list OF the drawings, specifications, books Nc
leading journals this city, accompanied by remarks
pressive feelings your patriotic beality was SO well
spreading the knowledge of the facts authentic form
in Europe was by the reproduction of this article in the
afterwards that had appeared in Union, OF the
most respectable of the daily papers in Paris. You may
therefore rest assured that patriotic end will be fully
attained.
wish hereby to make formal acknowledgment of the
reception of your precious gs and you of their
faithful delivery to the respective institutions for which
you designed tem and that shall take to forward TO
in the prosecution Of the highly useful and important abors
of your office
To one like YOURSELF capable of approaching at once
the immense value the moral advantages expected
from these newly established relations, it would be
cessary say the ng expenditure which
they in volve is unworthy in comparson of a moments
consideration But, fortunately unfortunately there
tit of their race by what they be the unerrng
balances of profit and ossguardans of the public purse
jealous of every dollar for objects purely liberal
Yet by these men, and their ground the sys
tenn of exchange may challenge candid examination
confident that rigid considerations of economy,
will be found entitled their support which will fully APP
pear from the following statements. the truth of which is
proved by the experience past Fad the of 1910
been executed almost every dollar of the money
pended by the United States in the purchase
copies of all official documents which it Appropriated
the purposes of exchange, would have been more than
sufficient to procure nearly al! the important and costly
works published for the last eight years in Europe AS
it is ten times that number are annually adding the
useless lumber OF the public offices. to be in the end
destroyed by rats or mould, or sold us waste paper
for few cents pound Yet many of these very
would be OF infinitely value than money the pro-
curement of similar works from thence for, the return
made aside from its relation the high value upon the
documents themselves would be expression of The
probation by the Old World of these acts of courtesy from
the New. As proof of this, it is only necessary
that, occasion, obtained from the department of
$500 charts that in return tor collection of the laws and
the reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court 80 vol
Emitted States the Minister of Justice Of France
received from this minister the collection OF the French
collection of the annual reports of the civil, commercial
and criminal causes tried by the courts all France
forming together more than 400 volumes quaro and
and in 1886, 2O7 documents books &c sent me from
America, | received 34eS scientific works. medals, en-
shores brought with me more than Il, DO volumes and
objects OF art, among them the most important and costly
presented to the federal and State governments uncond
onaly, and merely tokens of friendly feeling and the
such useful relations firmly established The value of the
works transmitted from France last year has been esma
ted approximately (and doubt not below mark) al
$Ss, 900.
am almost ashamed, sir, to dwell, in addressing you
who well capable of taking higher of the sub
ect miserable considerations of dollars and
reference to the of international peace and good will
AS well might we attempt TO the value OF virtue
and friendship by the standard for the worth of the
articles exchanged is among the least important elements
for estimating the advantage the world of the
exchange Otherwise you degrade its operations the
level OF mere commercial transaction international
courteses not in the Market and do and tall
with the Hnds should have made these understandable
remarks had 1t not been objected the floor of the House
OF Representatives, by honorable members of Con-
gress that the would the country great deal
money, without a return OF corresponding value
Allow me to add sir, that desirable that there should
be an understanding between governments Gas much
posbe) never to purchase each Others Intellectual produc
lions with moneys but that whenever (he duplicates be-
ing exhaused) aoook, map, model shall be wanted
from America or from Europe, national book,
map, or model shall be procured and in exchange
by so dong you are not only book trade &c.
home but you are promoting the cultivation Sciences
arts literature In your country and spreading abroad
specimens OF It's productions; thus making of each
hc establishment OF the whole world public and perma
nent exhibition and kind of patent offices
of productions of each others genius
have the honor to be, with The highest sir
your very humble and obliged servant,
Alexandra vATTEMARE.
The next State elections which occur those Of Flo
da and Georgia. on Monday, the ID October Then fol-