New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-29
TIVE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

o.-,.ropdenee Of The n. Y Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, July DC 1854.
considerable attention has been called lately to the
S.itbsonian Institution aud numerous attacks have
ssnSresred in various papers on the present manage
, one Of the most abusive of which was contained
Z, an editorial of The Nce- iors Herald of July ~
I.yino made myself acquainted with all the facts IN
Ease I propose 10 state some of them, that your
.aers NAV Ne dsabused concerning the character
operations Of this Institution which being thrown
10 .uch bad repue by the labors OF certain indvidu
II is well known here that Prof. Jewott was at
organization of the Institution candidate Tor the
.ereta rysbip aud Was pressed very hard upon the
xsgcnts by Mr. Choate of Boston and the bookm of
AZ quarter. The Regents, however, chose another
an of wider fame. more extensive requirements and
t,aessed Of scientific knowledge which Mr.. Jewctt
lew nothing Of. This was the present Secretary
iasnb Henry, then Professor of Natural Philosophy
~. PHYSICS in Princeton, New-Jersey. The Board at
outset it seems, were not united ia opinion az 10
!, best means of carryn out the law, part resist
ing the immediate outlay of large SUN on an expen
ave building and collection OF books and curlostles
ed another part cOntendng that these were the pr-
AR, and fundamental objects to be cared for, II
Se,ided that the building should be commenced and
psry finished as possible, but that the fund
ssnted by Congress the accumulated interest on the
original bsquest since It's reception into the L. =
n .easury in 1898 amounting 10 Sli2 000) should be
invested and by delaying the completion Of the build
ipa save considerable part of this sum by only using
he interest it, and such part of the sum itself
would DO absolutely necessary The operations OF the
Institution were then commenced, and any sensible
man must see that until suitable rooms were finished
in the building il would be useless to spend money in
buyng books 10 be piled up in stOrehOuses or left in
boxes Mr.. J,wett failing in obtaining the Secretary,
ship, succeeded in obtaining secondary place, and
was appointed by Prof Henry as Assistant Secretary
% there nothing for him to do as Librarian. How
ever his salary did not commence Immediately, bat fer
special private reasons was allowed by the Board
very soon
II was found almost at the beginning that Mr.
Jewct had entered the Institution not 10 be- an assist
ant to the Secretary III carrying out bis views and
those adotted by the Board of Regents but in every
way possible to push forward his great scheme OF
National Library at Washington, to be supported by
the Smithsonian fund. Books, books, books were his
mania and he neither cO6perated in any degree with
the Secretary or other assistants. II is true that he
maintained that ~ law had been violated, that the
act of Congress provided that yesixths oil the whole
income should be appropriated to library. 1his
question however fully discussed at the first and
subsequent meetings Of the Board, and the written
opinions to the construction of the law could he
produced from the Hon. George NJ Dallas, first Chan
ceOr Of the Institution. Roger Il. fancy Chef
Justice Of the United States now Chancellor, aud
nearly every one Of the Regents from l3i6 to the
present time including not only men OF the hrst legal
ability in the land and impartial and usprejudced
Judges Of the act but members also of the very Con-
sress whch passed the act and had an active hand IN
accomplishing il. This question therefore had been
settled by competent authority and the Secretary en
deayOred doubtless faithfully and vigorously to carry
out the will of Congress as construed by the Regents
he being only responsible to them. so Mr.. Jewett
while an assistant 10 the Secretary and hOldB. ms
Office by his appointment had no right to complain .!
rhe course pursued or if he did that he mad no rsh
10 oppose and thwart the measures OF his superior
aficer While a mere difference OF opinion existed ne
one could take exception but articles appeared
in the papers attacking Prof Henry and the Regents
for gross violation Of faith and improper conduct
series of charges were preferred against the secretary
sy Mr. Jswstt, in which language was used utterly
ncempatble with any further relationship or assoca
lion hewseu himself and the Secretary. Every species
of attack was resOrted to to defeat the Secretary false
statements circulated and the Institution rdlculcd
and abused-hese in all instances proceeding from Mr.
y welt or his friends During the late electen ioI
Mayor in this city Jewett actively enlisted to defeat
Mr. Maury who friend and supporter 0l the
Secretary, articles published, paid Tor ny Mr..
Jswett, charging the Mayor with gross derection 10
the interests Of the city and cOntendng tat Smihsoh
and Congress intended that the whole benefit OF the
beqHcst shsuld be for the City of Washington The
correspondents Of various papers were approached,
and strong feeling got up against the INSTITUTION vi
course when the Regents and their select comhtiee
who had thoroughly Investigated the "hoic ahd'r'
decided that the Srcrctarys course had been percy
kgai and proper, they recommended the dismissal
Mr. JeWett and this has been denc. IL may nave
surprised some that the Boston ITdrtHtf ana bJ|g"
hdrsHSer should have taken such deep lnteref' III
one is an uncle of Jewet and of the ether an intimate
friend Besides, these Boston publishers urge ~
immediate appropriation of Sl0O,sUO 10 Tie aois
land accomplished librarian, but surely they 90 nor
desire any books purchased in Boston. Mr. thoalr IL
il said is tho only man to be found who prove that
aibrary ia the best means of " Increasing ana dgaSmg
kuo,rieigs among men" and we in Washington have
keen duly notified by the papers that brilliant speech
" this subject may soon be expected from h''li'
Now ask, can any reasonable man suppose nat
srthson meant to confne the benefits 81 ms 0equesV
10 the City Of Washington Was 1t LOT thsI ne n"!e
the United States of America his trustee 10 bur! ~
an old Norman castle immense piles of books 10 ne
locked at by few inQuirng minds IN the progress oi
sges and their gay backs aud gut Lettering -
bs the wonder and admiration OF the croNas
who visit Washington yearly and who would 60 10 t.
Great library merely to say they had seen it, Nha'
Individual would be benefited by it WHAT advantages
would il confer upon mankind Already mn gihi-
cent library is accommodating at the CAPITOL ana WheI"
the necessity Of another halt mlc nearer inc 'o''
raacr 1t should be remembered however, thar at re
time have the Regents or Prof Henry objected 10 =
library but their position, far AZ have beeh '''e
TO learn il, has been ,
/ That great national Library for the |. :. should
le provdedby the country and not from the bequest ei
g foreigner.
. That by no construction of the law can great
library he considered the most important ana ABSORB
ms object but that suitable Hbray of such works az
are not TO he found collected anywhere else especa
alsucb as would assist students and those engaged 3.
scientific Investigations are emlnentIy dosII"''o ""
should gradually be formed.
For such hbrar, they contend. For inc Pi'n>
which have been adopted to increase ana dihlSo
knowledge among men, and for the reputation III .!
have gained for the Institution at home ana aot'a''
refer to any intelligent American who has eN',"-'i