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66 Hennepin [circled] Ill 10th Jany - 1859
Mr Robt. Kennicott
Dear Young Friend
Your letter or circulars from Washington came to hand by the evening mail of Saturday and without farther time or consultation I drew up a memoreal to our legislature on the subject of a [page torn] [z]oological survey of the the state [page torn] [I]t will be presented immediately to all our best known and most active members of the Buel Institute by whom it will with-out doubt be sustained and then sent forward to our representative that it may be presented to the house at an early day
On the blank portion of your circular respecting a zoological survey I wrote to Mr James McCall our representative giving it my most hearty approbation and urging ing[strikethrough] him to give it his earliest attention and strongest support
I did not forget to recommend the name of Robt. Kennicott as a
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gentleman qualified both by literary and scientific attainments to perform such survey with credit to himself and honour to the State.
I hope the State will order the survey and that you may be honoured with a commiss[ion?] to execute the trust and be enabled to such a service as will entitle you [torn page] be considered the benefactor of your cau[se] [torn page]
Yours in all kindness Smiley Shepherd
P.S. I have a little John Bull of an English boy who has devoured every thing on the subject of Natural history that I can procure He indulges in high anticipation about about [strikethrough] the pleasure he will enjoy in reading your books when you publish them so that if he lives you may be sure of one patron for your works or if you should turn candidate and his vote would make you presedent of the United States
