The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-15

work. IL has succeeded hitherto beyond expectaflo
and the wise and the good are striving on m t6s nros
cuton OF the glorious enterprise Their mission Is a
compishng They advancing with giant strides Il
ward their goal, and il now remains for America to TAX
me next step IN her progress toward the highest civz
Not only that knowledge TO be difused, to which ou
has already attained but knowledge ste be increase
the everlasting cliffs the towering pines; the storm an
The sunshine; the thunderbolt and the rainbow; th
starry most the beast the bird the beetlehe whole ex
lernai ana the vast internal world big with mystee
untold These are TO be questioned and cross iestone
tn they shall surrender each his secret Deeper an
deeper must The endless abysses Of space be penetrated
more and more profoundly the laws Of mind and matte
De explored higher and higher must mankind ascend TO
| OF the Most High.
There IL al present in our country class o smal
and feeble It is true. bu. gaining day by day in strength
anu iniuence who have dedicated their lives their iacu
nes their energies to the pursuit Of truth and TO the pro
oon OF all Efforts Tor the advancement and increase
knowledge II is not yet ten years since the first Amer
can youth however, burning with enthusiasm inspired
win hope and faith dared to dedicate himself all 10 sci
ence and without the means OF subsistence forego the
sohy OF profession or the acquisition OF ai that be
might give his youth TO the attainment of scientific
knowledge TO prepare himself for life OF scientific inves
tigation.
The only prospects open him then were the dim hope
OF some collegiate professorshp in which the Iabors o
instruction enailed upon him might no, be SO
exnausng as totally to deprive his leisure hours of the
intellectual activity requisite for scientific researches-or
some business still less consonant with the habits of
hhu WiiCn MS youtn nad been employed acquiring
for to the shame of America il must be confessed that
man ot science SUCH has the present day no
place IN the comnuny-no means OF subsistence. A
very limited nunber OF positions under the United States
government, together with few Offices OF temporary
nature established for surveys of the resources OF nd
vdual States and The direction Of single observatory
make up the total OF the positions open TO American
scientists, in which ncumben,s fitted for the station
would have the of using all the faculties ntrused
them by the Almighty Tor the benefit of their country and
mankind
The of this state Of things are manifest The
mass OF our people, while they ready to acknowledge
and 70 advocate the high importance of the diffusion OF
knowledge have not yet convinced themselves Of the de-
sIabenesa OF attaining more not in those of
which we have so striking example in geology where
such additional knowledge can only be attained within
he limits OF our O1n territory. IL may not be too much
10 say that such IS the magnificent display OF the older
paaoozoc rocks in the United States distinct the ar
rangement and order OF the primary formations such the
regularity OF the Strata that examination OF the rocks
OF the United States hereafter be deemed an essen
al requisite Tor the geologs whatever his language or
his home. Yet how lew the State surveys and how in
adequate most of them New York may well be
proud OF the abors OF Hall; but what area remains
to be explored in sister States The wonderful structure
OF the regions OF Lake Superior is developing only in the
exact proportion OF their anticipated yield of copper and
those OF California not even in the ratio of their aurfer
Gus manifestations.
any professor in any college land. that he shall
labor for the discovery OF truth All that is de
manded is that he make himself acquainted with what
others have discovered and communicate this infona
ton to such OF his pupils may be sufficiently advanced
ltocomprehend il. And than this there is large
ana respectable portion OF our community who maintain
that II Is not even desirable that instruction be given in
those departments OF learning which cannot Immediately
be brought 10 bear upon the business of daily e Even
colleges are looked upon by this class with suspicion and
the advantages of what they call practical education
exoiled at the expense OF theoretical education We
VIII leave This point unasued, and assume that truth is
worth the knowing, though for no other reason
than that is truth; and impossible that all man.
kind should devote themselves life of student retire.
ment-leayng the plough, the counting room, and the
lie. 49,
ordered community small portion, embracing hose
whom the Creator has endowed with the tastes and II
whom be has conhded the talents necessary for the
prosecution OF scientific studies and for the culture OF
letters and art, should be depued labor in behalf of
the whole community Tor these desirable ends making
known their results and employing them for the best
interests oil tkeir fellow and in return being
titled TO immunity from pecunafy want in considera-
ton OF the labors which they perform and the SER
vices which they render To the large class who dis
sent IRON this proposition, and only Judge every service
and every discovery by it's relation to bread butter. and
dollars there IS an additional argument TO be presented
VIZ The historical iaci supported by every expetienos
that the ars aud comforts OF lite, and The wealth and
civilization oil nations, are and have been in the direct
relation ot their science. Age may be compared witt
age, and century with century IRON this point OF ves
as well nation with nation. The richly reighied
gosles oil Venice, the galeons OF Holland
manned by the counrymen OF the discoverers oi
the telescope and the clock. IL is the theoretical
omer 10 whom The mariner owes the rapidy and security
OF his voyage The telegraph message, emulating IN
speed the very hghi-ihe lIule friction match whose
Wuito HNs oi uht, u ontN Wne tuCh
appreciation ~ unavang- the s,eam-engine-i da-
gueFreoype: is for such influences these Afford ex.
eTied IN every ar forming the civilization OF The age and
giving TO The OF the nineteenth cenary thrice the
amount ard intensity OF life their fathers enjoyed, that
we indebted 10 The highes, science The practical
man. has borne his part In the work, and borne well ;
honor TO him But where is the midde-msn, when the
importer stops his work II - TO the highest science, the
deepest thought the pooundest that these
results arc due and we are TOO prone 10 forget those TO
whom our blessings really owing in the laudabe
desire to pay proper honor TO those from whose hands
have ourselves received them But il is no par, of our
purpose TO urge such arguments these true and
vincing though they may be Truth to be sought be.
10 TRUTH and all the material blessings that fol-
low the successful search should be deemed The rewards,
rather than constitute the aim, Of the investigation.
Well may the abest American scientist, conscious of
his lofty calling and oi the responsibilities which II en-
tails, feel sckening sense OF his ncompeiency 10
the duties before him Not only be 10 study and
labor and investigate but the part OF the crusader II not
OF the mayr is to be enacted And host of charaans,
greedy Of the poor reputation which forms his sole
coursgement and only reward other than that which his
own conscience Affords compel hun 10 the painful choice
between leaving, the hand his studies, his obser
vaons and his thought, TO give battle where he has per-
sonaly everything TO lose and nothing to gain or, PEN
elopekc. seeing upon The other hand all his labors
defed unavang, and his efforts hwared 10 satisfy the
vanity OF an ignoramus or the ambition OF quack,
Under these circumstances, unity of action among men
OF science ~ Indispensable and the OF attaining
this concert was one OF The chief ends for wblcn the
Amer Association designed. The assemblage OF
all the lovers OF science in country und
zaton offers facilities for deliberaon and action which
have already been used with great advantage, and the
unanimous action ol the association is Justly entitled TO
the greatest weight.
The first meeting for the organization of the assoca
lttpnf faoE MIA autB htludp pht in