Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12


- ence of the Statute Of Virginian 1or
IaeI,oio,ls Freedom and Father of the UnlVer-
xitv of Virginia" History marks MN As -
writer, patriot and statesman Fopa!aIy
he was known as the sage OF MohVceno'
tina "Father of Expansion and as plain Long
Tom" ..,.a-
T3ut aside from these, Jefferson has another
CLAIM to fame A scientific paper recenuy
brought to light at the National Museum olS-
closes he was Americas hrst OUTSTANDING
paleontologist and as such made one great os-
roverv and perhaps two. He was the nrst 10
Synd@ and describe the fossil bones OF the great
Oround sioth probably the wierdest creature
ever to roam North America. 1here also .
evidence that points to him as discoVerer OF the
mastodon. AT any rate ne once haO 0oie0
ton of maStodon bones.
craftsmanship to Jefferson was duVy' OUT
science by his own pen was passion ano %
such he cherished it to his death AS PresioehC
of the United States he made museum OF tne
White House. filled it with tossn DoneS Sno
while great problems Of state cried Tor solu-
ton he took the time to keep in touch with
scientific progress.
AND by so doing he made ammunition Tor
"A the guns of his political enemies, as W.T.
ness the following lines from William Cullen
Brvant's poem, 1.-The Embargo
600 wretch, resign the presidential chair;
disclose thy secret measures, foul or far
Go search with curious eyes for horned frogs
Mid the wild waste of Louisiana boys.
~ uhere the Ohio rolls his turbid stream
Dig for huge bones, thy glory and thy theme"
Records of the American Philosophical So
eiety at Philadelphia, Oldest OF American learned
societies, Of which JEFFERSON was pIeS.oen1 .Oi
1s years and a member for almost % years,
best disclose the little known scientif1c slde OF
this rnany-sided man. In his letter accepting
the presidency Of the society, he said:
THE suffrage Of body Of men which COM
prehe,ads whatever the American world has OF
Sistjnction In philosophy and science Is the
most hattering incident OF my life, ana thaI 70
which am the most sensible"
AS Secretary Of State under George WASH
fngton and Vice President Of the United states
under John Adams, JEFFERSON llveo almost cO.I-
tinuo,isly in Philadelphia and had the oppor-
unity to cultivate science in association WIN
Franklin Rittenhouse, Wistar, Pr1estley ana
a dozen others whose names loom large IN
Americas early scientific history. upon ms
arrival in Philadelphia to be inaugurated wee
PRESIDENT of the United States, Jefferson
brought to the American Philosophical society
n number of fossilized bones and the manu-
script of q memoir upon them DiSoanlns
pre-inauguration gaities, he presided at meet
ing Of the society March s. 1877, tne nlsne
before his Inauguration, and read his paper at
o meeting the week following. 1t was entitled
"a Memoir on the Discovery OF Certain Bones
Of Quadruped Of the Sloth Family
'~The spectacle of an American statesman
coming to take part as central inquire IN the
Greatest political ceremony Of our country and
bringing with him an original contribution 70
science is certainly" writer once said, lone
we shall not soon see repeated.
During the eight years that Jefferson was
President Of the United States, he also was
president Of the American Philosophical So
ciety and was in close touch with all the
scientific activities Of the period. He wrote
one correspondent: Mature intended me Tor
the tranquil pursuits of science by rendering
them my extreme delight" To another he wrote,
your first letter gives me information In the
line of natural history and the second prom
ises political news; the first Is my passion, the
latter my duty"
The most sxacting political duties could not
withdraw Jefferson from the pleasurable pur-
suits Of science. During the troublesome weeks
In February 1901, when Congress was strug-
Cling to untangle the difficulties arising from
the tie vote on the presidency, when every
politician in Washington was busy with schemes
and counter schemes, Jefferson, whose political
fate hung by o thread, was corresponding with
Dr. Caspar Wistar, vice president OF the Philo-
sophical Society," in regard to some bones from
Shawangunk in New York.
And, again, in 1908, when the excitement
from from the embargo was highest, and when
every day brought forth fresh denunciations Of
him and his policy, he was carrying forward
his scientific studies in the White House itself,
where under his direction, upward Of 800
gpecimens OF fossil bones had been spread in
one Of the large unfinished rooms Of the pres
tdential mansion. 1t was at that time that he
drew the sparks from Bryant's pen quoted
shove.
TEFFERSONS election as q member Of the
American Philosophical Society probably
occurred in 1879 The first mention Of him In
10 tv,c r1u IN