148 Memorial of George Brown Goode. 



The delay in the completion of the Smithsonian buildings afforded to 

 the Regents an opportunity for a gradual development of the plan of 

 organization. Until the building should have been furnished the resolu- 

 tion giving half of the income to library and museum was not obligatory, 

 nor was it possible for the custody of the Government museum to be 

 finally transferred. 



The corner stone was laid May i, 1847, but the work was in progress 

 until 1855. The delay was evidently intentional, for in [September 27] 

 1848 Professor Henry, in an exposition of Smithson's bequest before 

 the New Jersey Historical Society, spoke as follows: 



He regretted that in order to make provision for the accommodation of the Museum 

 of the Exploring Expedition, as directed by the act of Congress, so large an amount 

 of money was required for the erection of the buildings. The evil, however, which 

 would result from this is in a measure obviated by the plan proposed b}^ Professor 

 Bache, and adopted by the Regents, viz, that of deferring the time of completing the 

 building, so that it might be erected in considerable part by means of the interest 

 of 1240,000, which had accrued in interest on the original fund, previous to the 

 year 1846.^ 



As early as 1 847 Professor Henry seems to have entertained the hope 

 of escape from the full acceptance of the terms of the charter, for in his 

 first plans, as finally submitted to the Regents, he expressed the hope 

 ' ' that in due time other means may be found of establishing and support- 

 ing a general collection of objects of nature and art at the seat of the 

 general government, with funds not derived from the Smithsonian 

 bequest."' 



In the report for the year 1849, presented in 1850, Professor Henry 

 gave the result of his later observations and reflections, and for the first 

 time took his stand in opposition to the transfer, advancing the theory 

 that it was not obligatory on the Regents to take charge of the Govern- 

 ment collections. He wrote: 



This law evidently gives to the Smithsonian Institution the museum in the Patent 

 Office, the conservatory of plants, and all specimens of nature and art to be found 

 in the several offices and departments of the Government. The act, however, can 

 not be construed as rendering it obligatory on the Regents to take charge of these 

 articles, if, in their opinion, it is not for the best interests of the Institution that they 

 should do so. Though one of the reasons urged upon the Regents for the immedi- 

 ate erection of so large a building was the necessity of providing accommodation for 

 this museum, I have been, from the first, of the opinion that it was inexpedient to 

 accept it. 



This museum was collected at the expense of the Government, and should be pre- 

 served as a memento of the science and energy of our Navy, and as a means of 

 illustrating and verifying the magnificent volumes which comprise the history of 

 that expedition. If the Regents accept this museum, it must be merged in the 

 Smithsonian collections. It could not be the intention of Congress that an Institu- 

 tion founded by the liberality of a foreigner, and to which he has affixed his own 

 name, should be charged with the keeping of a separate museum, the property of 



'Henry, Smithson's Bequest, p. 8. 



= Second Report for 1847, p. 184 [reprinted as First Report in Report for 1853, 

 p. 139] ; Rhees, Documents, p. 958. 



