Movement of the International Literary Exchanges, between France and North America from January 1845 to May, 1846 With Instructions for Collecting, Preparing, and Forwarding Objects of Natural History Written by The Professors Administrators...

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Sir,

The undersigned young men, citizens of the United States of America, now in Paris, have heard so much about the successful realisation of your scheme of international exchanges between France and their native land, that they are induced to take the liberty of requesting from you a narration of the results of your indefatigable exertions in the cause of science during the past twelve months. They avail themselves of the occasion to testify their gratitude for your desinterested toil and the high respect with which they have the honor to subscribe themselves,

Your very obedient and humble servants,

Benj. Perley Poore, of Massachusetts.
W. C. Allan, of Kentucky.
F. S. Ainsworth, M. D., of Massachusetts.
J. Hunt, of Massachusetts.
Benj. Apthorp Gould, of Massachusetts.
Edward Monroe, of New-York.
James M. Hoppin, of Rhode-Island.
Geo. H. Hall, of North-Carolina.
Benj. Champney, of Massachusetts.
Henry Willard, of Massachusetts.
W. J. Parkerson, of Massachusetts.
H. H. J. Gibson, of New-York.
Samuel Wanslow, New-York.
Geo. C. Mason, Rhode-Island.
Jno. C. Martin, New-York.
Flelcher Derby, New-York.
J. Sumner, Massachusetts.
Henderson Pope, So. Carolina.
J.-S. Harris, Mississipi.
Thomas Dustin, Indiana.
E. Hartshorn, Pennsylvania.
John S. Miller, Pennsylvania.
J. C. Cross, Kentucky.
Norwood Penrose, New-Jersey.
Morton Stille, Pennsylvania.
Geo. Catlin, New-York.

Considering myself highly honored by this kind invitation, I felt it necessary to endeavour at once to gratify a desire expressed in such flattering terms.

But, after mature reflection, I resolved to confine myself to the publication of official documents; and it was again necessary to choose from these on account of my limits. I have thus been prevented from publishing letters of the honorable president of the Court of accounts; the director of the King's library; the secretary of the society for the encouragement of silk culture; the president of the Royal academy of Rouen; the perpetual secretaries of the Royal and central agricultural society; of the academy of science, of the academy of moral and political science. All these letters were accompanied by documents and books which have been faithfully transmitted to their respective destinations in the United States.

It can be easily understood, that, obliged even to reduce the number of documents which each testified to the positive results of the system of exchanges, I have entirely omitted those which merely contain promises. In the present state of things, I can only with propriety present the public with accomplished facts.

Why should I add any reflection to these authentic documents which I publish? It does not become me to tell the care and anxiety which the already acquired results have cost me. As for the kindness and liberality of which so many proofs have been given me both in France and America, it is visible enough through this publication. If, on this occasion, I express my unbounded gratitude, I cannot nevertheless forget that these favors have been granted less to my exertions than in consequence of the hopes thereby created, and the ends foreseen....