The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-11-18
AcAsSIz's DeclINATloN.

MISREPRESENTATION,
WAsrrrxGroN, Oct. 1.-The fol-
lowing correspondence between the
secretary Of the treasury and Prof.
Agassiz explains itself; s,.Y II Y. ,
WASHINGTON, Sept. %, 1885.
Professor A. s,4gassisr .Cqm,
bridge, M0ss. :tSitAf am authorized
by the prssideht to loffer to you The
office (now vacant) of superinten-
dent of the United States coast and
geodetic survey, and to express to
you his most earnest wish that you
will accept the offer and give to the
government the benefit Of your soienti-
fic experience and business energy.
1 beg leave to add for myself nm
equally urgent request that you will
accept the place. The bureau needs,
at this moment more than ever, the
care and guidance, not only Of
superior scientific faculties, but Of
the very best executive ability. We
are convinced that you can 'satisfy
both of these urgent needs, and be
a worthy successor of even the most
distinguished among the very COM
peteht and illustrious men who have
been at the head of its forces. Use
full and important as the work of the
bureau has been, much and even
more useful and important work
remains to be done. Your accept
ance of the office now rendered to
you, without solicitation on your
part, will be an assurance to the
country, we hope, that while pro-
scouting its great purposes with
judlcious economy, scientific in
telligence of the broadcast and highest
order will surely mark the progress
of the bureau. May we not hope,
if you shall hesitate about postpon-
ing for little your present work at
Cambridge and the pursuit of the
speciality which SO much interests
you, that you will, before making a
final decision, come to Washington,
and by personal conference with
the president and myself, be con-
WINGED how urgent and exceptional
it is at this moment, both for the
government and the real interests of
American science, that faculties and
reputation such as, you happily
possess may be at the head of the
coast survey. Very respectfully
yours, DANIEL MANNING.
MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, !
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Sept. 20, 1885. !
To the. Honorable Daniel Man
ming, Secretary Of the Treasury:
Sir-I cannot feel but highly fat
tered at the offer of the position of
superintendent of the United States
coast survey, made to me on behalf
of the president, in your letter of
the 22d. In declining this offer,
rendered in such a cordial manner, l
have given all possible weight to the
reasons urged in favor of my accept
ance. 1t would be a pleasure to me
to express to the president and
yourself my thanks in person for
the honor conferred upon me, which
Unjust, however, respectfully decline
for various reasons. AS / am
neither professional mathematician
nor physicist, I do not think my
appointment would be acceptable to
my scientific colleagues as head of
the coast survey. There are, If I
am not mistaken, two gentlemen, at
least, in the service of the govern
ment, and two civilians who are
eminent specialists we'll fitted for
the post. Except in one case l am
unable to speak from any knowledge OF
their executive ability. Under these
circumstances I do not feel it my
duty to take your proposition into
consideration, even were other rea-
sons which kept me at Cambridge al
present such as could be ignored.
But I may add that I have charge
of important interests on which my
scientific future depends, and which
l could not honestly jeopardize. My
health is such also that am com.
PEELED every winter to absent myself
for at least three months, so that the
little time have at my command
for scientific work would be com.
pletely sacrificed were 1 to move to
Washington and begin anew in a
field which is not my own. While ]
am forced to the decision, which
must be considered final, l cannot
refrain from expressing my gratifica-
ton at the interest shown by the
administration in the appointment OF
worthy successor to the former
superintendent Of the coast survey.
That ! should be named in this con.
nection is proof Of confidence
which i value highly. Unquestion.
ably, it is essential at this moment
both TO the government and the in
terests of science throughout thu
country, that the head of 80 i'm
DOrtant n scientific bureau should IN