Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-20

impressive Ceremonies I'm the Smith
soDtf.n Grounds-Distinxnis Men
VhO Participated In Thcm-An Adj.
dress by the Chit Justice and an
Grafton by Prof. Noah Porter.

Fully five thousand persons witnessed yesterday
afternoon the unveing OF the statue erected In
the Smithsonian Grounds to the memory OF Pro-.
Joseph Henry, tie first secretary and director OF
the Smithsonian Institution. The invited guests
began to assemble in the lecture room OF the Ma
tl0nal Museum about three o'clock, and an
hour later were formed in line by Gen. O. NJ Poe.
who acted as MARSHAL, and marched to the plat
form which haG been built about the statue At
the platform they took places as follows:
Caef Iu tlce Waite. chancellor of the institution
with President SoLh Porter of Yale College, ana
hay. D.: 4: Eo1:e2. o. Princeton; SECRETARY OF
state FrellnghnyseD, secretary O. the Treasury
Folger. cres2rv NJ War Lincoln. Secretary or the
Interior Tells. Postmaster General Graham and
Commissioner o. Patents Marble, Of the establish
nest o. the Smithsonian Institution: Senators
Morriil. of Vermont and Ill., OF Colorado; Repre-
Ientatl ,,e p..rinG, OF Iowa, and Cox, OF New
Henry Coffee. o. The board o! regents or the insti
tuti>n, with Pro-. spencer Baird. the secretary;
Groomc. representatives, Wait. Alirich, Brown
,s@nn. RobeSon Pattibone Tucker Curtin aud
Gibson. o. the joint committee appointed TO repre-
sent the Congress Among the other prominent
persons upon the Platform were W. W. COrcorun,
OF Washington; is95srt G. "inthrop. of Boston;
Ban roit, tue historian, and GAn. Sherman; the
ministers Of Great Britain. France, Japan and
Turkey, and other members OF the diplomatic
corps: As i3ciate Justices Miller, Field. Bradley,
HI triin. Woods, Matthews. Gray ami Blatch10rl.
ami eN-AsSOciate Justice strong, OF the Supreme
Court: judges Macarthur, HaCner and Smell. of the
District courts; Judges Drake, Richardson,
ScoI I'd and DAVIS, OF the Court OF Claims; Judge
Wens, OK the Court OF Alabama Claims;
Senator's sherman, German and Conger, Repre-
sentativeS Dunn and ROsecranS and other mem
bars OF Congress. District Commissioners Eimonds
and Lydccker, Commissioner LOring. OF the Agri-
cultural department: President yelling, OF the
Columbian university; Mr. S. ii. kaufmann and
Mr. F. b. McGulre. trustees OF the Corcoran Art
Gallery; Hon. James G. Blaine, Mr.. George Ban
croft, nearly ali OF the members or the National
Academy of Sciences. the prominent officials of
the government, and officers of the army and
r,ln lrIVNr Drjn
largely represented In the throng. The three
dngSh i OF Prot Henry occupied seats mmedi-
platform altose; her about 800 spectators.
THE EXERCISES
The exercises lasted about an hour and half,
the program consisting OF prayer by Rev. DR..
Hodge and address by Chief Justice Waite, and an
Grafton by President Noah Porter, OF Yale college.
The #G lreSS of the Chief Justice brief
View or The facts relating to Prof. Honry'S COnnec-
ton with tie Smithsonian Institution. In closing
he said: Tine statue which VIII now be unveiled
has been erected by the United States as u token
or gratitude for the labors OF his useful lle and
Tor Ills faithful administration Of the important
public trust long in his keeping. As the speaker
turned towards the statue the canvass covering
which concealed 1t from view was instantly re-
moved by an Ingenious contrivance operated by
MI. Joseph Palmer, Oh the National Museum. In
stantly the throEg broke out In applause which
c0at.nued for some minutes. Haydn's chorus,
with Impressive effect by the Philharmonic So
Ciety. numbering 200 voices, accompanied by the
Marine baud, r. c. Bernays conducting
the news was telegraphed from an
instrument on the Platform, this arrangement
beinI male IN recognition OF Prof Henry's elactr-
cal discoveries, which led to the perfection of
telesr1phy When the chorlsters had finished,
Prof Porter delivered the Grafton of the day,
the life work o. the great scientist Prof. Porter
was congratulated when he had finished sDe king
hy many or ais d!stiLs uishei auditors The throng
then dispersed.
PROF.. PORTER's GRAFTON.
Prof. Porter, in opening his Grafton, referred to
the many holoTs already paid to the memory OF
Prof Henry. saying TINT that last OF all, the two
houses Of Congress, with the approval OF the Pres
ldent. have ordered that statue In bronze should
pc erected within the grounds OF the institution,
which was tn creation or his genius and indus
try. as permanent memorial OF his services and
worth All he should aim 10 do was to give SLIM
mary expression to that estimate of the man and
his work which, he was confident. other genera
lions would accept. and which this statue was
gave Il raDfd AMI Interesting sketch OF thu early
iiie-the dreaming boyhood-of the distinguished
scientist.
From these musings" said the orator, che was
awakened I'm his later boyhOOd suddenly ana
as by cali rom nature herself During
a week Of indisp35tlon, perhaps OF serious rellcc
he was suddenly arou ed by the consciousness
that the common phenomena OF nature are the
prodIctS OF forces acting, under laws. and that it
IS possible for man 10 interpret these mysteries.
1t was simple sentence or two from a common
place though uS"ru book, but the thought in that
sentence kindled fire in mind prepared for the
flame which was never eytinguished. This thought
held his attention; il took possession OF his MEN,
CRY; IL Guickcnei the Imagination already glow
Ing with romanCes OF another sort; 1t decided his
life. The words had been read and recited by
thousands OF boys before. but to this boy they
were spirit and life. They became fire in his
bones, and proved the intellectual energy that
had been slunberiEg within by the force OF the
reaction which taey aroused. So Gefinitc was the
impression which they made. and so fervent and
serious the purpose which they called into life,
that he summoned his companions and solemnly
announced TO them his purpose hencelorth TO ded-
lcate himself TO pri st0oi OF love anu service at
the altar OF SCience.'
The speaker then pictured the struggles of the
youth IN preparing himself Tor the service to
which he had dedicated himself and his final We
tory Ii was q day OF discovery In chemistry and
physics; ITO these novel phenomena" said the
or tor. "the young Prof Henry devoted his special
atttiit on, and soon aStOniShed the world by
achievements Which first awakened the excite
ment OF beWtlfereJ wonder TO convert it into the
he mage or amc2ad conviction. There was moth
ing 10 be said when, as the pluDger went down
Into It's bath, the iInpotent bar OF iron became
possessed OF giants strength and could pick up
and hold a weight OF more than q solid ton and
as the same plunger was lifted this gigantic en-
grSy vanished as at The word OF an enchanter.
Inc speaker well remembers the excitement
which this discovery occaslOned when the first
experiment was tried at Yale college In presence
OF few spectators who casually met at the call
OF Prof Silliman. who was glowing with admira-
ton and delight The ponderous platform was
loaded with pig-iron and other heavy weights,
IL.
Among the last was the speaker. being the light
est OF all. and therefore convenient to serve on
the sliilng scale 1t Is more than fifty years ago,
put the scene Is as vivid as the events OF yester-
day"
He gave an account Of the transfer of Prot.
Henry from the academy at Albany to Princeton
where, despite mS5iyfngS attending the transfer
10 college, or man who had himself lacked the
breadth or early culture, and the discipline and
variety OF scientific thought which the college
curriculum IS supposed to give he achieved pre-
eminent success as an instructor.
After referring to Prof. Henrys being called to
Washington at the age OF 10. the first secretary
or the Smithsonian Institution, and the steady
purpose with which he gave force to his theories
overcoming opposition, the orator said the expert
nent his Justified the theory Not only have the
WORKINGS Oh the Smithsonian Institution vndi-
Gated the wisdom OF his anticipations but it IS
Itself monument TO his strong convictions and
his unyieiiing tenacity, tempered as these were
by singular simplicity, patience and unsefshness
lad IL not been for these characteristics
the Smithsonian Institution as we
know IL would never have existed at ALL
Prof Henry, he said, was lifted above all personal
partsan5hip by the severe SinglenesS with which
he devoted himself to bis scientific and official
activities. 1t was only when his truthfulness.was
questioned In respect 10 one OF the most important
OF lis discoveries that he indicated his claim to
scientific confidence. In the wars OF theory against
theory he Was recognized AS an upright mediator
After giving an interesting analysis Of Prof. Hen
rvs habits OF thought and doctrines, the speaker
said that forward and hopeful as he had been all
hn Unit nj