_Memorial of Francis Lieber, Professor of History and Political
Economy in the South Carolina College, relative to Proposals for a
Work on the Statistics of the United States._
This is a Congressional Document of about seventeen pages, and should
be read by all who feel an interest in the welfare of America.
Professor Lieber has herein laid before the Federal Legislature, with
remarkable clearness of thought, and force of lucid arrangement, the
plan of a proposed work on the Statistics of the Union—the word
Statistics to be understood in its truest and most expanded
acceptation, as a view of the _actual state_ of the country. In the
pages before us, a most comprehensive exhibition is afforded of all
the _points of interest_ to the student of political philosophy.
Should Congress do nothing in the matter, the author of the Memorial
(of which twice the usual number of copies have been printed,) will
still have rendered his adopted country a service of no common value,
in diffusing among our citizens, by means of the document itself, a
vast amount of needful and accurate knowledge on a subject of
pre-eminent interest. Should, however, the proposals so ably presented
for consideration, be finally adopted, a consummation to be expected
as well as desired, America will have the honor of taking the most
important step ever yet taken in aid of the most important of
sciences. There can be no doubt of this, we think, in the mind of any
person at all conversant with the subject, who will examine the
well-arranged and extensive plan of the work in contemplation.
Professor Lieber is well known as a writer of untiring industry, great
mental activity, and extensive attainments. His first work, we
believe, was entitled “_Journal of my Residence in Greece_,” written
at the instigation of the historian Niebuhr, and issued at Leipzig in
1823. Since then he has published “_The Stranger in America_,” a
piquantly written work, abounding in various information relative to
the States—and a volume on the subject of _Education_, which was
submitted to the Trustees of the College of Girard, and which evinces
a well-grounded and philosophical knowledge of the {597} science of
instruction. We had nearly forgotten the interesting “_Reminiscences
of Niebuhr_,” lately published. Dr. Lieber, however, is still more
widely and more favorably known as Editor of the Encyclopædia
Americana, a monument, which will not readily decay, of great
enterprize, industry, and erudition.