14 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



tries and of all times. It was not restricted in effect to the diffusion 

 of a knowledge of old truths, but primarily designed for the exten- 

 sion of the boundaries of thought by the promotion of the discovery 

 of new powers of nature, of new principles and new laws of the uni- 

 verse. Nor was the acceptance of the trust an ordinary occurrence. 

 It became a constitutional question whether the Congress of the 

 United States was legally authorized to assume the responsibility and 

 discharge the dutj'' of a trustee for such a purpose; nor was it until 

 after the expression of many doubts as to the result, that the accept- 

 ance was finally resolved on. Again, one of our most distinguished 

 citizens, Hon. Richard Rush, who had previously represented our 

 government at the court of St. James, was chosen- as the agent to 

 effect a transfer of the funds to this country, and this he was enabled 

 to do without the delay of protracted legal proceedings, through the 

 courtesy of the court of chancery in granting a decree to that effect, 

 after a mere formal suit to satisfy the requirements of law. 



A trust of so novel a character, confided by a prominent citizen of 

 England, not to his own government, but to that of the United States, 

 could not fail to attract general attention and place in a conspicuous 

 light before the world, the integrity, intelligence and executive 

 ability of the party accepting an office of so much responsibility and 

 difficulty as that of the trustee of this endowment. 



The obligation became more impressive in consideration of the 

 fact that the trust was accepted after the decease of him by whom it 

 was confided, and who could, therefore, give no further indications of 

 his intentions than those expressed in the terms of his will. It was, 

 consequently, of the first importance that these terms should be critically 

 studied, logically interpreted, and the intentions deduced from them 

 be strictly followed. Unfortunately, however, at the time the be- 

 quest was accepted, the public at large were so little acquainted with 

 the distinctions of science, or so little regardful of the precise ideas 

 to be attached to the terms which it employs, that it is scarcely a 

 matter of surprise that the intention of Smithson, as expressed by the 

 words "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men" 

 should have been misinterpreted, and that the act of Congress organ- 

 izing the Institution should include provisions which have since been 

 generally recognized as incompatible with the leading objects of the 

 bequest. 



It is, however, a sacred duty on the part of the government, 

 which it owes to its own character for candor and equity, to cor* 

 rect, as far as possible, any errors which misapprehension or inad- 



