Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-06-24
NATIONAL DEAF MUTE COLLEGE.
THE ALUMNI DINNER.
An INTERFERING OCCASION.
Remark. by Professor Henry
Washington q. a I.,elIee,uaI Center.


Following upon the Interesting commence.
ment exercises of The National ID AZ Mute Col.
| l.g", The Presioent Faculty. DIR ctors. 20.
s-ther with the graduating cia.s and some IN.
| yi'ed guests assembled a. KIRK wood House
wh're dinner had ben prepared by Msssrs
W. II Quincy Il Son. tue new proprie.ors o.
( his hotel. Among those present were Prof
CorcoraD, J. q. Mcclure. Hon Amos Kendall
/ Professor Whittiesey, Of the Howard UnIyer.
| sity; DE- u w. Samson, President Of Colum.
ban college; Prefes sor Banmgras, W. s Hun
lngcon, sidney Andrews, Rev. Mr.. Turner OF
Hartford, Conn; Professor jenkins of III,
Kansas Deafand Dumb Institution and Others
Ate the excellent dinner had been duly at
tHbdsd 10, President Gallaudet arose and pro-
pose the following tosst: The President oi
tbe United States, the Executive Had Of the
Nd ION may ms victories peace surpass
those " on by him in war;
The second toast was the American Con
ertssi may u ever seek the welfare of tue
nation by fostering the cause of educ 'tiou.'
Ut sunderland was called upon TO respond
to this toast, IN the absence OF anv Representa-
tive of Congress, who stat.d that the call had
TAKEN MN entirely by surprise, and he f-lt
himself entirety incompetent To respond IN
BEHALF OF the represrH tauves OF so great q peO-
pie 10 the ser iirneut lust announced, and n
was only account OF the abseucr OF any
Representatives, of Congress that he con sen ted
TO respond. He did MOI think the any
nee, ssity for eulogy up q such a body of
men rs bad from the beginning bsen en- shr iued
in Inc nesrts OF the nation; We could only think
Of them rs fountains of law, the promoters OF
liberty, aud The founders of a republic. His
r. marks at The close were loudly applauded.
The third toas; was: The American Iustitu-
lions for the Deaf and Dumb-the foundation
OF the collegs; lie; this foundation be well laid
and the college Is secure"
Rev w. w. Turner, Of Hartford, Connecticut
was called upon and res ponded a very happy
deaf mute in-nturons OF the country, and re-
lated several anecdotes that bad come under ms
observation during his teaching OF deaf IN utes
nr. Turner was long associated with the Hart
FORD Deaf and Dumb Institute. and he gave
some Interesting particulars of the rise OF the
different institutions of the sort throughout the
country, all of which were the off Shoots Of that
az Hartford In conclusion he spoke OF the
peculiar qualifications Of Mr.. Gallaudet for
the responsible position he holds, and told
pleasantly of the amIcable contest between Mr.
henoaII aHd himself, the one TO get possession
OF Mr.. Gal1audet and the other to keep him.
The fourth toast was" The christian
Church-that body which recognizes as its
mead HIM who said to the dumb, Epnpatha."
ms was responded 10 by Rev. DIR. Hewlett,
VINO said there was NO sentiment 70 which be
could so happily respond as this: that the
Cnurch could foster NO better institutions than
these Institutions of mercy; and after hearing
the manner in which the president OF this col.
lege had become connected with il. he was
convinced that the hand of Providence was In
the work, for when he had any great work to
perform be always selected the right man for
tne rlgnt place. Any one that knew anything
about this institution knew that we have tn
rlent man In the right place in the person of
. The fifth toast was 90 The Press-the cdr.
Gator of the people"
The Pres dent called upon Professor Henry,
OF the Smithsonian Institution, to respond TO
this toast. The remarks OF Prof Henry were
so interesting and of so much importance as
illustrating the position the city of Washing.
ton is entitled 10 hold as an Intellectual center
that we give them in full:
MI President and gentlemen:-I am called
upon TO respond to a sentiment in regard to
the press. II is understood, however, that am
Smithsonian Institution, for I am, in NO way
related to the periodical press Of thIs country,
though i acknowledge its powers aud its efiieI-
eney IN moulding the opinions Of thousands OF
our countrymen. The press of the institution,
with which am proud TO be connected, is one
thaf speaks TO a more restricted class Of persons
though Us voice is scarcely less potent, and its
nnal results NO less important TO the well being
OF humanity. The smithsonian Institution in
accordance with the spirit OF the bequest Of the
FOUNDER has published sixteen volumes of
essays nor discussions Of doubtful truths, bat
hiIed with new facts and new principles which
have been wrought out by the labors Of the sci.
entihc men Of this country. and difusad
through every part Of this civilized world
These volumes are to be found in all the princi-
pal Libraries Of every country where literature
and science are cultivated, and everywhere they
TENDER familiar the name OF Smithsou. of tina
city of " ashington, and OF the principI ii con-
tributors to the advancement ofscience In the
United States. Besides these il has also pub
nsned Tor more general distribution, especially
In his country, seven volumes of misCellane-
Gus collections and fifteen volumes OF animal
reports. 1tls, however, 10 be regretted that The
character and operations OF the institution are
cording to the legitimate inference OF the terms
OF the bequest is not educational in the ordi-
nary slgnifcation OF the term; nor Is tIntended
TO dlnIse useful knowledge among he people
o IN nht 10
higher than these. II is intended not 10 DIS
semlnate more generally kno Wedge OF what
Is already known by the principal OF the
schools and colleges, but by observations, ex-
periments. ana researches, 70 discover or
TO facilitate the discovery Of new truths,
and TO dihIse knowledge Of these
and every cline. Its volumes contain contri.
buttons 70 almost every br anch Of science, ami
the historian, in giving an account of the pro.
gress Of any one branch during lne last twenty
years, would lily perform his task II be
neglected 10 mention the name OF the Smith.
sonian institution. l. is not, however, alone
by Its publication OF original truths or
sively known; II has also ipdus;riously
collected and distributed 70 other institu.
tons at home and abroad samples OF the
of both North, South ana Central America,
ard while Its volumes are found in all libra.
RES It's specimens are TO be met with IN all mu-
seums- The institution, sir, is doing more for
are most anxious for the permanent prosperity
OF the city II Is not only establishing for il a
nlsn scientIhc reputation, but rendering it a
centre Of scientific inn uence by Its ef lent CO.
operation with all the literary and scientific
establishments Of the country In order To in
crease Its own power Of usefulness and NJ the
same time 10 advance the higher interests of
Washington. II has incorporated its library of
nifty thousand volumes with that of Con-
gress, and by this union has formed q
collection OF books hereafter, I trust 20
be denominated the National Library Ii
Is certainly the first, as regards size in this
country, and no one EQUALS it in the rapidlty
OF its increase. IL Ie truly a library Of pro.
gress. and II annually receives through the
gait OF the institution COPIES OF the transac-
lions OF every learned society of any repu,a.
ton at present in existence. 1t is perhaps Lot
generally known that in the law which au.
tnorlzed this transfer, that Il is distinctly ax-
pressed that the library shall be open to all
W no desire TO consult the volumes every week
Gay IN the year, except one month for rear.
rglng the books and cleaning the apartments
But the library Of Congress is not the oaIy
institution in this city with which the Smith.
SorIan so-operates. IL has lately trans ferrsd
TO the Agricultural Department, a herbarium
OF SO,WO plants, which Is placed under the
cnarge IN that Department, of a scientific bot
Asst, through whom all Interested in this
branch OF natural history may become IL.
indeed with the nora OF the whole country
In these and other transfers OF the care OF
materials which II has accumulated. II seeks 10
Increase its power more efiiciently 10 advance
science. and 70 enrich by further aecum ulaaons
OF objects OF interest tina poifieal ceotav az tha