286 Meinorial of George Brown Goode. 



it was ail iusfitution of national importance, organized by private indi- 

 viduals to do work legitimately within the domain of governmental 

 responsibilities. ' 



The Columbian College received nearly one-third of its original endow- 

 ment from the Government of the United States. Of the remainder, 

 perhaps one-half was contributed by men like President Adams, whOvSe 

 sole interest in it was a patriotic one. 



During Jackson's Presidency all ideas of centralization, even in scientific 

 matters, appear to have fallen into disfavor, and the Columbian Institute 

 and the Columbian College were forced to abandon their hopes for gov- 

 ernmental aid. The institute languished and dropped out of existence, 

 while the college, under the fostering care of a church organization (which 

 finally dropped it in 1846), and through the beneficence of individuals, 

 one of whom, a citizen of Washington, gave it property to the value of 

 ^200,000, has grown to be a university in name and scope, and is included 

 among the thirteen ' ' foundations comprising groups of related faculties, 

 colleges, or schools," enumerated in the Report of the Commissioner of 

 Education for 1886-87. , 



' This appropriation was made on the strength of a report by Senator Barbour, of 

 Virginia, chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia, in which, after 

 alluding to the long-recognized "utility of a central literary establishment" and to 

 the failures of the recommendations of Washington and Madison, he gave a brief 

 history of the enterprise, which was as follows : 



At length a few enterprising and patriotic individuals attempted to achieve, by 

 voluntary donations, that which it had been supposed could be effected only by the 

 power of Congress. 



Their efforts were crowned with distinguished success. One individual in par- 

 ticular, the Rev. Luther Rice, with an unwearied industry and an unyielding perse- 

 verance which prompted him to traverse every part of the Union in pursuit of aid to 

 this beneficent object, contributed principally to that success. 



The funds thus acquired were faithfully and judiciously applied to the object. 

 * * * A])plication was made to Congress for an act of incorporation, which passed 

 February 9, 1821. This, however, was all the aid which Congress dispensed. 



The accompanying document shows that there have been expended on this insti- 

 tution |i8o,ooo, |';5o,oc)o only have been procured ; and, as a consequence, the institu- 

 tion is embarrassed with a debt to the amount of |l30,ooo. * * * Under these 

 circumstances, the individuals who have thus generously devoted themselves to the 

 promotion of this establishment, and who have disinterestedly pledged their inde- 

 pendence upon the success of the college, present themselves to Congress, with a 

 view to obtain their protection by a small pecuniary grant. * * * 



The committee, in reviewing the peculiar circumstances which characterize the 

 origin of this establishment, its progress, and the great benefits it promises to society, 

 are of opinion that the application is reasonable. It cannot be doixbted, had such 

 an establishment grown up, under similar circumstances, in either of the states, it 

 would receive the helping hand of its Legislature. Congress stands in the same 

 relation to this establishment, from its exclusive power of legislation within the 

 District. 



Report of Mr. Barbour, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom 

 was referred the memorial of the trustees of the Cohmibian College. April 19, 1824. 

 Senate, Eighteenth Congress, first session (67). pp. 80-83 



