The Genesis of the United States National Museum. 95 



and even of collections of geological, zoological, botanical, ethnological, 

 and economical objects. 



The fifth response was from the venerable Senator and ex-President, 

 John Quincy Adams, who, from 1835, when he was appointed chairman 

 of the select committee of ' the House to report upon the Smithson 

 bequest, appears to have taken a deep interest in its fate, and to have 

 felt personally responsible for its judicious administration. In his letters 

 to the Secretary of State, October 8 and 11, 1838, he brought forward 

 with great vigor the proposal that the first use to be made of the fund 

 was the establishment of a great nationa.1 astronomical observatory, and 

 in January, 1839, as chairman of the House committee, acting jointly 

 with a similar committee from the Senate, he reported a bill (House bill 

 1 161, Senate bill 293) providing for the establishment of an observatory 

 fuU}^ equipped, with provision for the publication of its observations, and 

 the annual composition and publication of a nautical almanac. 



The bill, which was evidently a minority report of the joint committee, 

 was reinforced by two sets of resolutions, proposed by Mr. Adams in the 

 House, one reported from the committee January 26, providing — 



That the first appropriation from the interest, or income, of the Smithsonian fund, 

 ought to be for the erection and establishment, at the city of Washington, of an 

 astronomical observatory, provided with the best and most approved instruments 

 and books for the continual observation, calculation and recording of the remark- 

 able phenomena of the heavens ; for the periodical publication of the observations 

 thus made ; and of a nautical almanac for the use of the mariners of the United 

 States and of all other navigating nations. 



The second, reported February 6, recited the opinion — 



That the education of the children of these United States is a duty of solemn 

 and indispensable obligation incumbent upon their parents and guardians, not for 

 the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, but to qualify them for the 

 enjoyment of their rights, and the performance of their duties throughout life [and 

 therefore] 



That no part of the Smithsonian fund ought to be applied to the education of the 

 children or youth of the United States, nor to any school, college, university, or 

 institute of education. 



The latter resolutions were evidently intended as a counterpoise to the 

 view still held by many members of the Senate, which was brought for- 

 ward by the speech of Senator Asher Robbins, of Rhode Island, January 

 10, 1839, in which he urged "that this institution should make one of a 

 number of colleges to constitute a university to be established here, and 

 to be endowed in a manner worthy of this great nation and their innnense 

 resources. ' ' 



On the 1 8th of February vSenator R.obbins produced an antidote to Mr. 

 Adam's anti-university resolution in the following: 



I. Resolved, That it is the duty of the United States, they having accepted the 

 trust under the will of Mr. Smithson, of London, to execute that trust bona fide 

 according to the true intent and meaning of the testator. 



