While alluding to the estimate placed upon the scientific results of Col.

Fremont’s explorations, by some of his eminent contemporaries, we may be pardoned for anticipating the tributes paid two years later to his labors by Baron Humboldt, on behalf of the King of Prussia, and by the Royal Geographical Society of London.

As a minister of the Prussian government, Humboldt was charged to present Fremont with “the great golden medal for progress in the sciences.”

He accompanied the medal with the following highly complimentary note to Fremont, in which a graceful allusion is made to that early struggle against slavery with which his political career in California commenced and closed.

“Monsieur le Sénateur : Il m’est bien doux, Monsieur, de vous addresser ces lignes par mon excellent ami, notre ministre aux États-Unis, M. de Gerolt.

Après vous avoir donné dans la nouvelle édition de mes Tableaux de la Nature le témoignage public de l’admiration qui est due à vos gigantesques travaux entre St.

Louis du Missouri et les côtes de la mer du Sud, je me sens heureux de vous offrir, dans ce petit signe de vie, l’hommage de ma vive reconnaissance.

Vous avez déployé un noble courage dans des expéditions lointaines, bravé tout les dangers des frimas et du manque de nourriture, enrichi toutes les parties de sciences naturelles, illustré un vaste pays qui nous était presque entièrement inconnu.

Un mérite si rare a été reconnu par un souverain vivement interessé aux progrès de la géographie physique: le roi m’ordonne de vous offrir la grande médaille d’or, destinée à ceux qui ont travaillé à des progrès scientifiques.

J’espère que cette marque de la bienveillance royale vous sera agréable dans un moment, où, sur la proposition de l’illustre géographe, Charles Ritter, la Société de Géographie, residante à Berlin, vous a nommé pour membre honoraire.

Quant à moi, je dois vous remercier particulièrement aussi de l’honneur que vous m’avez fait d’attacher mon nom et celui de mon collaborateur et ami intime, M. Bonpland, à des contrées voisines de celles qui ont été l’objet de nos travaux.

La Californie, qui a noblement résisté à l’introduction de l’esclavage, sera dignement représentée par un ami de la liberté et des progrès de l’intelligence.

Fremont had just been elected to the United States Senate, from California.

The following is the English translation of Baron Humboldt’s letter: “To Col.

Fremont, Senator. It is very agreeable to me, sir, to address you these lines by my excellent friend, our minister to the United States, M. de Gerolt.

After having given you, in the new edition of my ‘Aspects of Nature,’ the public testimony of the admiration which is due to your gigantic labors between St. Louis, of Missouri, and the coasts of the South Sea, I feel happy to offer you, in this living token, (dans cc petit signe de vie) the homage of my warm acknowledgment.

You have displayed a noble courage in distant expeditions, braved all the dangers of cold and famine, enriched all the branches of the natural sciences, illustrated a vast country which was almost entirely unknown to us.

“A merit so rare has been acknowledged by a sovereign warmly interested in the progress of physical geography; the king orders me to offer you the grand golden medal destined to those who have labored at scientific progress.

I hope that this mark of the royal good will, will be agreeable to you at a time when, upon the proposition of the illustrious geographer, Chas.

Ritter, the Geographical Society at Berlin has named you an honorary member.

For myself, I must thank you particularly also for the houor which you have done in attaching my name, and that of my fellow-laborer and intimate friend, Mr. Bonpland, to countries neighboring to those which have been the object of our labors.

California, which has so nobly resisted the introduction of slavery, will be worthily represented by a friend of liberty and of the progress of intelligence.

“Accept, I pray you, sir, the expression of my high and affectionate consideration.

“Your most humble and most obedient servant, A. v. Humboldt.

Sans Souci, October 7, 1850.”

“Agréez, je vous prie, Monsieur le Sénateur, l’expression de ma haute et affectueuse considération.

“Votre très humble et très obéissant serviteur,

“A. v. Humboldt.

“A Sans Souci, le 7 Octobre, 1850.”

On the envelope thus addressed:

“À Monsieur le Colonel Frémont, Senateur,

“Avec la grande médaille d’or,

The medal is of fine gold, massive, more than double the size of the American double eagle, and of exquisite workmanship.

On the face is the medallion head of the king, Frederic William the Fourth, surrounded by figures emblematical of Religion, Jurisprudence, Medicine and the Arts.

On the reverse, Apollo, in the chariot of the sun, drawn by four high mettled plunging horses, traversing the zodiac, and darting rays of light from his head.

“Pour les progrès dans les sciences.

“Baron Humboldt.