THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 121 



belong to the United States — it was the property of the Smithsonian 

 Institution — and the government was bound in honor tu restore it. 

 Congress has acknowledged this b}^ declaring that the money is still in 

 the treasury of the nation, bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent., 

 annually producing a revenue of about thirt}'' thousand dollars. 



It may be stated in this place, that the principal remains perpetually 

 in the treasury of the United States, and that nothing but the interest 

 can be expended ; not only has the original bequest been preserved, but 

 a considerable addition has been made to the principal. At the time 

 of the passing of the act establishing the Institution in 1846, the sum of 

 $242,000 had accrued in interest, and this the Regents were authorized 

 to expend on a building; but instead of appropriating this sum imme- 

 diately to this purpose, they put it at interest, and deterred the comple- 

 tion of the building for several years, until $150,000 should be accumu- 

 lated, the income of which might defray the expense of keeping the 

 building, and the greater portion of the income of the original bequest 

 he devoted to the objects tor which it was designed. This policy has 

 been rigidly adhered to, and the result is, that besides the original sum, 

 and after all that has been devoted to the building, the grounds, and all 

 other operations, there is now on hand $200,000 of accumulated inter- 

 est. Of this sum $50,000 are to be appropriated to finishing the build- 

 ing, and the remainder is to be added to the principal. The funds have 

 therefore been carefully husbanded. 



The bequest, in the language of the testator, was, ^^ to found at JVash- 

 mgtoji an establishmetil wider the 7iame of the Smithsonian Inslitutio7i, for 

 the increase and diffusion of Jcnoivledge amo7ig men.^'' 



According to this, the government of the United States is merely a 

 trustee. The bequest is for the benefit of mankind, and any plan which 

 does not recognise ihis provision of the will would be illiberal and 

 unjust. 



The Institution must bear and perpetuate the name of its founder; 

 and hence its operations ought to be kept distinct from those of the gov- 

 ernment, and all the good which resuUs from the expenditure of the 

 fund should be accredited to the name of Smithson. 



The object of the bequest is two-fold: first, to ijicrease; and second, 

 to diffuse knowledge among men. These two objects are entirely dis- 

 tinct, and ought not to be confounded with one another. The first is 

 to enlarge the existing stock of knowledge by the addition of new 

 truths; and the second to disseminate knowledge, thus enlarged, among 

 men. . The distinction is generally recognised b}^ men of science, and 

 in Europe different classes of scientific and other societies are founded 

 upon it. 



Again : the will makes no restriction in favor of any particular kind 

 of knowledge, and hence all branches are entitled to a share of atten- 

 tion. Smithson was well aware that knowledge should not be viewed 

 as existing in isolated parts, but as a whole, each portion of which 

 throws light on all the other, and that the tendency of all is to improve 

 the human mind, and to give it new sources of power and enjoyment. 

 The most prevalent idea, however, in relation to the will, is that the 

 money was intended exclusively for the diffusion of useful or imme- 

 diately practical knowledge among the inhabitants of this country, but 



