Diary of to Amos A. Lawrence: January 21, 1859

Evening to James Lawrence's. Meeting of forty gentlemen about a building for Agassiz collection. Mr. Gray has given $50,000 for increasing and supporting the collection already made. Ex-Governor Clifford in the chair. Those who made remarks were Dr. Walker, Governor Banks, ex-Governor Washburn, E. R. Hoar, Mr. George Ticknor, Dr. Gould, Dr. Jacob Bigelow, and myself. But Agassiz made the speech of the evening, very modest and characteristic; all for the science, nothing for himself. Dr. Bigelow introduced a vote and called the collection the “Agassiz Museum,” etc., but Agassiz interrupted him and declined decidedly. “Personalities,” said he, “must be banished from science.”

SOURCE: William Lawrence, Life of Amos A. Lawrence: With Extracts from His Diary and Correspondence, p. 159-60

John M. Forbes to John H. Clifford*, January 27, 1862

New York Cars, January 27, 1862.

My Dear Clifford, — I am going on to Washington by “telegraph,” and may stay a few days. You once gave me a line to Secretary Stanton, but I could not find him, after several calls, he being in court. I wish you would give me such a letter to him as will convince him that I do not come on to steal anything from Uncle Sam. In fact my object is quite the reverse — viz.: to help fight the “legal tender” mongrel, a cross between a folly and a fraud! I may also want to talk coast defense with him.

I have a line to him from the governor, but I also want one from you, to let him know I am no self-seeker, nor office-seeker, nor politician!

Thanks to your suggestions, I gave the joint Committee on Federal Relations a good screed of doctrine, and now hope they will act promptly.

Very truly yours,

J. M. FoRbes.

_______________

* Formerly governor of Massachusetts, and a leading member of the bar in that State. — Ed.

SOURCE: Sarah Forbes Hughes, Letters and Recollections of John Murray Forbes, Volume 1, p. 288-9