TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1843-45. 325 



test was desired, it miglat as well be taken on it as on any 

 other amendment. 



He argued that a library limited to the works on sciences 

 and the arts, specified in the proviso, would be the only suit- 

 able and appropriate library for the institution. There was 

 no necessity for another general library in the city of Wash- 

 ington, where the government had already the library of 

 Congress, the libraries of the State, War, N"avy and other 

 public departments, annually augmented by means of large 

 ap]3ropriations. 



Mr. Woodbury, before the question of striking out the 

 proviso was taken, wished to offer an amendment which 

 might render it more acceptable. He moved the substitute 

 for the words " consist of," the words " among others, in- 

 clude; " which would take away the imperative injunction 

 to purchase none but books on science and the arts. 



Mr. Crittenden was about to suggest some such modifi- 

 cation. He thought the proviso might be modified so as to 

 read, " That in the purchase of books, it shall be a principal 

 object to obtain works," &c., following on with the words 

 of the original. 



Mr. Tappan said the Senator's object would be attained 

 by substituting for the words " consist of," the words prin- 

 cipally be." 



Mr. Crittenden said that would not exactly convey his 

 idea. 



Mr. Pearce preferred striking out the proviso altogether. 

 If he understood the object aimed at by the Senator from 

 Massachusetts, it was to make the interest of this munificent 

 bequest accomplish the injunction of the donor, by such an 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge among men as a com- 

 plete national library, worthy of him and this country would 

 undoubtedly insure. The library of Congress, though no 

 larger than the private collections of many private gentle- 

 men in Europe, had been thirty years collecting, and now 

 numbered only 40,000 volumes. The library of "the British 

 Museum consists of 200,000 volumes ; yet, by a recent re- 

 port, it appears that £100,000 is required to render it com- 

 plete. The libraries of the government alluded to by the 

 Senator from Ohio, are indispensable to the departments, as 

 is that of Congress to the Capitol : they cannot with due re- 

 gard to the interests of national legislation, be transferred 

 for public use as a national library. By carrying out the 

 suggestion of the Senator from Massachusetts, a great 

 national library, worthy of the country and the donor of this 

 fund, may be established. 



