Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

The Royal Academy of Belgium, and all the public and private scientific establishments, and among others, the celebrated geographical establishment of Brussels, under the direction of its founder, Mr. Van Der Maalen, have most generously brought their voluntary contributions to help in the promotion of this prosperous link I came to establish between this country and the United States of America. My visit to Liege, Gand, Louvain and Antwerp, the principal cities of that Kingdom, were as successful as the one to the Dutch cities. The most flattering letters were addressed to me by the Ministers of the several Departments, encouraging my efforts, and pledging themselves to support them with all their might. But I will confine myself with the following translation of a letter, from the chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library of the National Legislature of Belgium:

"In acknowledging the receipt of the works accompanying your letter of yesterday, I cannot resist the want of expressing to you our feelings of gratitude and delight. The generous initiative of the exchange of all the intellectual productions which you have taken, will bear its fruits, and have a most happy influence over the transactions, the esteem and friendship of nations, that are as yet almost unknown to one another, and which the result of your mission is to bring in closer contact, and to unite more intimately together. And it was by the perusal of the valuable documents you brought that we have acquired a true knowledge of all the grandeur and noble genius of your nation, as well as of the immense merit and usefulness of these documents and publications. Please, sir, on your return to the United States, to say how highly Belgium appreciates them, and how honored and happy she feels at the establishment of this new link between her and the United State, a link which will be strengthened by time. From the readiness with which we presented to you all the documents we could dispose of, you have been able to see how anxious the House of Representatives was to respond, in the most becoming manner, to your noble appeal. Receive, sir, the expression of our esteem."

"The Questor of the Chamber of Representatives,

(Signed)

"C. THIEFRY."

The results of my official visit to the Netherlands, and to Belgium, for the present, have brought more than 6,000 volumes to the stock of international exchanges and public usefulness, besides several hundreds of maps, a great number of fine engravings, medals, &c. (a great number of which are destined to the State of New-York). Not only this, but for the purpose of facilitating these International Exchanges, the two governments have adopted the most liberal measures, not only for the admission, duty free, of all objects destined for international exchanges, but for their safe and immediate transmission to their respective destinations. In Holland, the Minister of the Interior has appointed a standing committee for the purpose, and in Belgium, the Secretary of the Treasury has appointed one of the principal clerks of his department to receive and transmit, free of all charges, for the interior of the Kingdom, every thing proceeding from the Central Agency of Paris, destined for exchanges, and to transmit to said Central Agency, all the returns to be made by the departments and the scientific establishments of that Kingdom.

From the success of the five months excursion in these two Kingdoms, your Excellency may judge of what we have to expect from a long tour through all the great kingdoms and empires of Europe. You saw, in the appendix to my last report, that Switzerland, Sweden, and the Universities of the Grand Duchy of Baden and Wurtemberg, had already brought their liberal contributions to our system, and inscribed their names among the members of our great intellectual confederacy. It is but a few days ago that His Excellency, Count De Moltke, Minister Plenipotentiary of Denmark, honored our office with a visit for the purpose of informing me that his government acceded to the system, and, as an evidence of his desire to become a member of this peaceful association, His Excellency presented me with a large list of Danish works, as his country's first contribution to the system of international exchanges.

As for France, whatever may be the political form of government, she will always remain as faithfully and favorably disposed to help the system, and be one of the most liberal members and co-operators of our Union. For ever, since 1841, to the present

time, the voluntary contributions of her intellectual riches to the system, and above all, those destined to America, have continually increased, and even during the greatest trials, her liberality and readiness in giving the strongest proofs of her desire of strengthening our intellectual union have remained as ardent as ever. And whatever may happen to my beloved country, the eloquent words of Governor Fish, in his message transmitting my report to the Legislature in March, 1848, in relation to the progress of the system, may be applied to any political events, when he says:

"In the midst of the fierce commotions and conflicts which deluged Paris with blood, and worked a revolution in the government of France, the peaceful and benign operations of the system of exchanges were not interrupted. The influence of this silent but efficient agency rose above the excitement and violence which overthrew a Kingdom, and quietly pursued its liberalising and beneficent designs."

Placing the great and good cause to the success of which I have devoted my humble life under the continued patronage of your great, generous and most prosperous State,

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your Excellency's very humble and obedient serv't,

ALEXANDER VATTEMARE.

(B.)

Books missing from the Law Library.

Revised laws of Massachusetts, edited by Metcalf, vol. 2.

The following books, reported missing last year, have been found:

Cushing's contested Elections in Massachusetts, 1 vol.
Kents' Commentaries, 6th edition, vol. 1.

(C.)

T. Romeyn Beck, Secretary of the Regents, ex officio, Treasurer of the Library Fund, in account current.

1. Cash received for the purchase of Books.

To cash received from the Comptroller, being the annual appropriation,...

To cash received, at various times, from the sale of duplicates,...

To cash received, interest on deposits,

By debit on last account (see Senate Document, 1852,

No. 93, pages 277, 287),...

1852.

Jan. 5. By cash paid C. B. Norton (Blackwood, 68

$2,800 00

32 72

108 72

$2,941 44

Dr.

$68 53

[blocks in formation]

1852.

Brought forward,...

Jan. 5. By cash paid John Gooch (Washington), No.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »