TWENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS, 1841-43. 261 



House of Representatives, August 5, 1842. 

 Bill No. 479, for the relief of Richard Rush was passed. 

 The bill is as follows : 



Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury 

 pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to 

 Eichard Eush, the sum of three thousand eight hundred and fifteen dollars 

 and seventy-three cents, for extra services in converting the Smithsonian 

 funds received by him, as the agent of the United States, into f;old coin, 

 and for his aid and supervision in transporting the same from London to 

 the mint at Philadelphia. 



House of Representatives, August 27, 1842. 



A petition of Henry L. Ellsworth, Elisha Whittlesey, J. 

 S. Skinner, and others, on behalf of the Agricultural Soci- 

 ety of the United States, asking for tlie disposal of a portion 

 of the Smithsonian fund, for the establishment of an agri- 

 cultural school and farm in the District of Columbia, was 

 laid on the table. 



The following is the memorial : 



The memorial of the undersigned respectfully represents : 

 That they, and those associated with them, have formed a 

 society in the District of Columbia, to be called "The Agri- 

 cultural Society of the United States," which is designed 

 in various ways to promote the improvement of American 

 husbandry. 



For that purpose they have adopted a constitution, and 

 applied to Congress for an act of incorporation. The objects 

 of the society are fully explained in the constitution, a copy 

 of which has been laid before Congress. One of these is 

 the establishment of a school and farm in this District, with 

 a course of lectures for instruction and experiments to 

 advance the condition of agriculture throughout the Union, 

 and thus dift'use wider among men that knowledge so essen- 

 tial to the improvement of this most important pursuit. 



They therefore, in pursuance of a resolve * adopted by said 

 society, a copy of which is hereto annexed, pray Congress 

 to set apart and apply to the above objects the residue of 



* Vide 15th article of constitution, presented August 27, 1842 : 

 " Art. 15. The said board (board of control) shall also be instructed to 

 make efforts to obtain funds for the establishment of an agricultural .-chool 

 in the District of Columbia, and, appurtenant thereto, a course of public 

 lectures on agriculture, chemistry, botany, mineralogy, geology, and ento- 

 mology, as appropriate sciences to the great business of agriculticre, and an 

 experimental farm, which, with the buildings and improvements thereon, 

 shall be set apart forever as an establishment for the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among m.en." 



