Year: 1878




THE CONTRIBUTORS AND PROF. HENRY.
1t will be remembered that at the last meet
ing of the Academy of Sciences in this city
the establishment of fund to be known as
the Joseph Henry Fund.-" the interest OF
which was to go to Prof. Henry during his
life and to any of his family surviving him.
and finally to be transferred to the Academy
OF Sciences, was announced. In this connec-
ton the following correspondence showing
the circumstances under which the teStimO-
MAJ was rendered and accepted will be OF in
tereSt;


PHILADELPHIA, Dec. %, lS777


Ny Dear Sr:-ThiS is addressed to you, on
behalf OF a few of your friends, who wish to
express their respect and esteem for your per-
Sonal virtues; their sense of the great value
OF your lite'S devotion to science with its re-
suits suits O. important discoveries: and yonr con
slant labOrS to increase and ditfuSe knowledge
ana promote the flare of mankind
WIN feelings inspired by grateful recsgn-
tion of your fruitful and noble life, your
lflehdS now advise you OF their action, and
earnestly request that you will freely accept
IL as an imperfect expression of their great
respect and affectOnate regard.


lne sum OF forty thousand dollars is now
secured Tor investment in trust, the income to
be paid to you during your life and to any of
your family surviving you, and after their de
cease The principal to be transferred to the
National Academy of Sciences of the United
States, OF which you are president, with the
con9ltlon that it shall be accepted by the
as the Joseph Henry Fund" and the income
applied to assist meritOriOus investigations in
natural science, especially i'll the direction OF
original research.


The motives and manner of this action have
been so conSiderate of your feelings and ex-
preSSlye OF the highest regard and respect for
you, that am sure you will value it chiefly on
tnat account.


This will add twenty-fC ur hundred dollars
to your annual income, which will be con
tlnued to your family to the last survivor: and
its ultimate application. associated with yOur
SflIyat tn
which your life and labOrS have been so gen
erouSly given.


Appended to this are the names of your
friends, who have found very great pleasure
in uniting in this testimonial of their regard
for you.


With earnest desire for your long continued
lie, with health and strength, enabling yOu
to advance sill farther the best interests of
mankind, am faithfully your friend,


JOSEPH PATTERSON.
Professor Joseph Henry, Washington.


PROFESSOR HENRY'S REPLY.


WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 10. 1873
My Dear SIR; Your letter of the 10Th of De
cember was duly received but illness has pre-
vented its earlier Acknowledgement


l received the first intimatiOn of a move
ment on the part of my friends to compliment
me by a pecuniary testimonial, with feelings
OF doubt as to the proprlety of its acceptance
especially III respect to the faithful discharge
OF my duties in connection with the Smithsonian
Institution and the United States lighthouse
board.


1tIHl IL me W Say, III explanation OF this.
without subjeeting myself to the charge OF
egOtism, that / resolved at an early age to
preserve my independence by never eXDend
ing more than my income, and since | have
been in public life =! have studiously avoided
accepting propositions which have been
made to me to lend my name to the advocacy
OF any enterprises of a speculative character
or to accept the offered means which have
been presented to me, for acquiring property.
but Which might compromise my indepen-
dence in regard to public acts


hut When learn from your letter the char
actef OF the testimonial now rendered and the
names OF its contributors, l cannot refuse to
accept it.


Nothing could be more gratifying TO NV
feelings than the manner in which this affair
has been arranged and conducted It is in
tended not only to administer to the comfort
OF myself and family during our lives, but also
afterWard, TO advance the cause of science by
the application of fund to which my name is
to be attached


MosL OF mvv Contributors are my personal
trends, and all are of such high standing as
to command the confidence and respect of the
public.


beg leave to express to them, through YOU
my profound sense of the value of the compl
ment they have paid me and the delicacy and
kindness OF the manner in which it has been
rendered. 1t shall be my constant prayer 10
be preserved, during the small remainder of
my life, from doing anything to diminish the
good opinion which they have entertained i'm
regard TO me, or which may tend to lessen the
influence OF their example in the way OF high
appreciation of science on the future action of
wealthy and influential citizens of our cOun
try.


Accept for yourself, my dear sir the assur
ance OF my grateful sense of the manner in
which you have communicated to me the ac
tlOn OF the contributors to the testimonial, and
believe me


Very truly your friend and servant,


JOSEPH HENRY.