RK-713

[printed letterhead] No. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. [written] Jan 22nd [printed] 18 [written] 59.

C. D. Wilber

Dear Sir; - I have been informed (but wrongly I earnestly hope) that the Ill. State Nat. Hist. Society, in asking the Ill. legislature to pass a bill incorporating the society, and providing for pecuniary aid, has also asked that any appropriation[strikethrough] made[strikethrough] for[strikethrough] a[strikethrough] Natural History survey ordered by the legislature should be under the control of the society, and not[strikethrough] stand[strikethrough] that it should not be placed in the hands of any “private” person. – or something to that effect.

Now any thing of that kind would amount to the assumption on the part of the society, that it I[strikethrough] could not be proper to place me in charge; - for of course it is well known that I desire to be placed in charge of such a survey. And if this has been done I beg leave to entreat that for the

sake of the good standing of the society if for no other reason you make every effort to have this movement corrected. Should any such measure as that referred to be taken by the society, and the bill for a zoölogical survey be lost, the odium must rest to a greater or less extent with the getters up of such measure. [remainder of the paragraph struck through] You will please observe that I undertake to complete the collection and make the reports in so short a time because I have the material already for this to a great extent. But if I do this it must be in my own way, and I see no reason why

Had the Society done more