The Smithson Matter

By Robert Manns

The Smithson Matter, together with its one-act Introduction, recounts the personal and political maneuvers behind the creation of the great Smithsonian Institute. The Introduction presents James Smithson, n Macie, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland and the fashionable Elizabeth Macie. Frustrated by the English class society that stigmatizes him and inspired by the equality of the new American States, he resolves to leave his fortune to that country, to be used to create an institute "for the dissemination of knowledge to the common man."

The Smithson Matter itself takes place during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. While former president-now Massachusetts representative-John Quincy Adams struggles to maintain the original intent of the Smithson bequest, other congressmen lobby for a piece here and a slice there to please their own constituencies. Clearly, politics has not changed much in the past 175 years.

Told with wit and wisdom, The Smithson Matter delves into the personalities of James Smithson and John Quincy Adams with affection and historical accuracy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9780595605217

Robert Manns

Robert Manns was born in Detroit; spent six years in New York, where he received his first productions; and later moved to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He wrote his first play when he was 19, his first poem when he was 21. He has taught dramaturgy at Emory University in Atlanta and, while director of Callanwolde Art Institure in that city, initiated the poetry readings still held today. Even before serving as field representative for the National Audubon Society, wildlife and the environment had solidly manifested themselves in his writing.

Book preview

The Smithson Matter

Copyright © 2008 by Robert Manns

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Certain characters in this work are historical figures, and certain events

portrayed did take place. However, this is a work of fiction. All of the other

characters, names, and events as well as all places, incidents, organizations,

and dialogue in this play are either the products of the author’s imagination

or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-0-595-47770-8 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-595-60521-7 (ebk)

Contents

An Introduction To The Smithson Matter

A Note on James Smithson

First Time

Second Time

The Smithson Matter

A Note on John (Quincy Adams

Scene One

Scene Two

Scene Three

Scene Four

Scene Five

Scene Six

Scene Seven

Scene Eight

Scene Nine

Scene Ten

An Introduction

To The Smithson Matter

♦

A Note on James Smithson

The history of James Smithson is masked in question marks. He was born in 1864 or ‘65 and naturalized as a French citizen in Paris. He was reported to have been born out of wedlock to the Duke of Northumberland, and grew to dislike the closed caste system of England. Like many others, he was impressed with the new ideas of liberty exhibited by the American and French revolutions. His income allowed him to travel and engage in several sciences popular at the time.

Unfortunately, little is really known of this interesting man, but the few realities are of more than considerable interest. On these few, the Introduction is based.

Strong telescoping was used to bring together time, events, and ideas in a short presentation.

Two books were used for references on the Smithson era. They were The Stranger and the Statesman by Nina Burleigh and The Lost World of James Smithson by Heather Ewing.

My special thanks go to Brian Smith of Camden, Maine, who first suggested the story to me and who worked with me throughout its composition. He was the kind of Herculean friend any writer would envy.

-RM

First Time