Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-03-09

The undersigned. having been associated,
for several years, with the late DIR. TRoosr
in the University of Nashville, would re-
specially represent to the Legislature of
Tennessee, that at the time of his death, Dr.
e. believed bis Cabinet contained specimens
of all the known minerals; that although
The collection at Yale College may have had
some more brilliant speciznens of minerals,
yet in other respects. it was inferior to his,
especially in meteoric iron, in which DIR. IT'S
was unsurpassed by only two cabinets in
| Earope-one in Vienna and one in st. Peters
burg.
In addition to its intrinsic value, there is
another consideration, that ought to enhance
| the interest of this Cabinet, in the estimation
of Tennesseans; and that is, that it was
mostly procured, directly or Indirectly, from
the soil of Tennessee, and may therefore
properly be considered Tennessee Ca6ina
Dr. TRoosT, as is well known, like most other
scientific men, was not wealthy, and could
not therefore have procured The splendid
and costly specimens, to he found in bis
Cabinet, single one OF which. piece of
malachite, is valued at seUea hundred and fifty
dollars, { 1901. if be had been obliged to pur-
chase from Collectors. When he first came
| to Nashville, Tennessee, to the Geologist and
.Mineralogist, was unexplored. and, as sub
sequently appeared, very rich region; and
| it-was IN exchange Tor the naturdlia, accumula-
ted in our State, by his research, and in
dustry, and what be could spare from an
| uncomfortable salary, that he procured from
Europe and the eastern part of our own
country, the splendid, scientifically arranged
and catalogued Cabinet, now offered to bis
ad oped State. 1t would indeed be subject
of the deepest regret, not unmixed with
humiliation, should such a collection, OBJ
tanned in such manner, and, In its history,
associated with almost every county in the
State, be broken up and dispersed, or re-
moved elsewhere. Such economy would
seem not unlike selling birihright for a
mess of pottage.
DR.. TRoosT often expressed the wish that
his cabinet should continue entire, and, to,
this end, should become the property of the
State; and his heirs have refused 10 sell parts
of it, with the hope that this cherished desire
might be realized. The Doctor has contrib
uted as much to the scientific reputation OF
Tennessee as any other man, to say the least
He has thus done the State some service, and
in purchasing his cabinet, we shall only per-
pett1Ite the noble monument be erected Tor
himself. In honoring him, we shall do honor
to ourselves. Twenty thousand dollars to he
raised in two years, by an annual tax of one
third of one per cent. on every hundred dol
lars of all the taxable property in the Stale
the most fastidious, it would seem, could
hardly object to this degree Ct taxation for
such purpose.
1t would seem. moreover, to be very fitting
in every respect, that this cabinet should be
the property of the State, and placed, as pro
posed in the bill, in the capitol-the finest
collection of minerals enshrined in the finest
capitol in the Union. In an institution OF
learning, its benefits would be comparatively
limited. and under more or less restraint.
But in the capitol, the Professors of Mineral
ogy and Geology of every college in the State,
would have free access to it, especially du-
ring their vacations, and would gather rich
stores of accurate knowledge, to dispense to
their classes.
II is to be regretted that the bill was not
brought before the Legislature at an earlier
day, as the more the object of it is consider
ed, the more it will commend itself; but still
the Importance of the measure being so appa-
rent, as connected with the PRIDE and honor,
and interests or the State, it is earnestly
hoped that it may not be deferred till the
next Legislature, with the probability, and
almost certainty, of being lost forever.
+. From my former quite intimate connection
with DIR. TRoosr, for whom, as being Hol-
lander and therefore imperfcclly acquainted
with the English language. 1 often acted
an amanuensis, as | supposed some definite
ness might be given thereby TO the facts sta
ted above, | have presumed to give them
over my own name.
NATHL CROSS.
NASHVILLE, March s, 1860.