The Genesis of the United States Natio)ial Museum. 145 



geological and mineralogical cabinet, a chemical laboratory, a library, a 

 gallery of art, and the necessary lecture rooms;" and this was coupled 

 with the accompanying provision, that, "in proportion as suitable 

 arrangements can be made for their reception," all objects suitable for a 

 nuiseum or gallery of art which the United States at any time might 

 possess shall be delivered to the Regents and shall be arranged in the 

 building. 



The national collections then existing and those afterwards to accumu- 

 late were thus transferred to the governing board of the Smithsonian 

 Institution as a contribution from the United States to the resources of 

 the Institution, and were evidently intended in a certain way to counter- 

 balance the gift of James Smithson for the same purpose. 



The intention of Congress is evident, and the law was almost manda- 

 tory in character. There was one phrase in the law, however, which gave 

 opportunity for adjustment of terms. 



The provision that the delivery of these objects should take place "in 

 proportion as suitable arrangements could be made for their reception," 

 was, it may be, intended to give the Institution time for careful and 

 thorough preparation. This placed no limit upon the time for completing 

 the buildings, and indeed gave to the Board of Regents the right to indi- 

 cate the time when ' ' suitable arrangements ' ' could be made. 



It was undoubtedly the wish of the members of the Twenty-ninth Con- 

 gress that the expense and responsibility of organizing and maintaining 

 a national museum should be transferred forever to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, and it was quite far from their intention that the public Treasury 

 should ever be called upon for aid. 



Not only the National Museum, the National I^ibrary, and a national 

 chemical laboratory were thus assigned, but also the expense of keeping 

 up the previously neglected public park in which the Smithsonian build- 

 ings were to be erected. It was only by accident that a national observa- 

 tory and an institution corresponding to the present Department of 

 Agriculture were not added to the burden. 



That was the day of small beginnings. The theory of our form of 

 government had not been settled in the minds of our public men, and 

 every new project brought up for discussion in Congress became the sub- 

 ject of long and tortuous discussions. There were Congressmen who ten 

 3-ears after the acceptance of the Smithson legacy were in favor of return- 

 ing the money to England to be given to any one who could legally take 

 it, while Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, in 1845, endeavored to over- 

 throw what had already been established and to substitute a ' ' Washington 

 University for the benefit of the indigent children of the District of Colum- 

 bia, in memory of and out of respect to George Washington, the Father 

 of his Countr3\ ' ' ' 



'Rhees, Documents, p. 489. 

 NAT MUS 97, PT 2 10 



