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He observed carefully the character and features of idiocy. He justly apprehended the true principles that should pertain to any system of education designed to obviate it. He was interested in the investigation of those physiological laws that would enlighten the public mind as to its causes and prevention; and those psychological laws, that were to guide in the selection of the proper objects and in the arrangement of the proper order of such instruction.

He was deeply impressed with the results of the experiment, as they were, from time to time, developed. And when the aggregate of these results had at last secured his faith, he lost no time in proclaiming his conviction of the entire practicability of the plan for educating idiots; he neglected no opportunity of enforcing the claims of the unfortunate class who were the subjects of it to public sympathy and public charity.

He brought to the duties of his office all the caution and sagacity of age, united with an energy and cheering hopefulness and confidence, under all the discouragements attending a new enterprise, usually confined in their exhibition to early manhood.

I had frequent occasion to consult him in the details of the management and superintendence of the Institution -- as, also, in the planning of our new building, with its special requirements and adaptations. He was a man always under a severe pressure of varied duties and labors; and yet I never found him too busy to listen to any statement of the affairs of the Asylum, or too fatigued to devote himself at once to any business connected with it.

It will be regarded by you as no exaggerated tribute to his services, when I say, that to his great personal influence we are now indebted, in a great measure, for the favorable position we have so soon obtained among the charitable institutions of the State.

In his last days, he seemed to feel no small degree of satisfaction that this influence had been so freely and disinterestedly given, and that success in all respects had attended his labors to promote the objects of the Institution.

In accordance with the wish expressed in the report of last year, an appropriation was made by the Legislature that enabled us to complete our new buildings here.

It will be recollected that at the date of the last annual report the institution numbered some 50 pupils. Since that period no sickness or untoward event has occurred to disturb its prosperity.

A reasonable degree of success has attended the ordinary labors of management and instruction, and a manifest satisfaction and gratitude has been generally felt by those who have had children in the Asylum.

The removal of the Asylum from Albany to the new structure designed for its use, and located just without the bounds of the city of Syracuse, was accomplished with safety to the pupils and without serious inconvenience to any concerned.

Just before the time arrived for the completion of our new building, a vacation was appointed, and a majority of the pupils were removed by their parents or friends, to be returned here at the close of the vacation. The remainder of the pupils, with the various employees of the institution, came to Syracuse about the 10th of August last. Permission was given to the others to be presented on the 15th of the same month.

But a portion of the building was then ready for occupation, and it was not entirely completed till some six weeks later.

Application had been received for the admission of many pupils into the Asylum during the last two years. The limited capacity of our former and temporary quarters at Albany had compelled us to refuse the most of these. But the promise was held out to the persons interested, of their being favorably acted upon, when enlarged accommodations should render it possible.

Accordingly, some 40 new pupils have been added to our former number, and a few more are daily expected.

The current expenses of the Asylum for the present fiscal year, with this number, will doubtless exhaust the appropriation of the Legislature for that purpose.

Quite a number of applications are now on file at the institution, to be acted upon by the trustees whenever increased annual appropriations will allow of favorable action upon them.

The increase in the number of pupils involves a corresponding increase in the number of assistants, attendants, &c., of the institution, and a re-organization of the system of management pursued. This has been accomplished with as little delay as possible. Some little time will doubtless elapse before all will go as smoothly in the affairs of the Asylum as before the change of location.

The comparatively rapid growth of our Asylum, and its present position as a permanent institution, to be henceforward fostered and sustained by the State, is to be ascribed mainly to two causes.

The first of these was the fact, that successive legislative enactments for a long series of years, had established the principle, that any physical infirmity, with its consequent mental or moral characteristics, in the case of any children of the State, constituted no bar to their enjoyment of the public provision for education whenever the education was practicable.