TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-47. 405 



provement to converge into every country school house in 

 the land. 



There are other features in this bill, Mr. Chairman, upon 

 which it would be interesting to comment, if the hour allot- 

 ted by the rules of the House would permit. The lectures 

 by able men of science, the cheap and useful publications, 

 and the investigations which the managers have power to 

 direct, may be made, by judicious direction, to contribute 

 to the most useful and important ends. But these things 

 will suggest themselves to the mind of every intelligent 

 man. 



I approve heartily the provision which forbids the estab- 

 lishment of any school of law, or medicine, or divinity, or 

 any professorship of ancient languages. The scope of my 

 remarks throughout has been in accordance with this view, 

 and, I hope, will fully justify the position. The number of 

 persons who could be educated by all the funds of this in- 

 stitution must, of necessity, be very limited ; and unless 

 they be instructed with a view to communicate the light 

 and diffuse the knowledge received, the benefits of the 

 establishment would not be general. 



The annual appropriation of ten thousand dollars for the 

 gradual formation of a library, might have been limited to 

 a smaller amount, with a better result. But the managers 

 will doubtless act with wisdom and discretion. 



By proper management, this institution may doubtless be 

 made the instrument of immense good to the whole coun- 

 try. To the Government it will be of no slight advantage. 

 It will be a great institution. It may attain a character as 

 high as that of the French Academ}^ ; and its authority will 

 then be decisive in reference to numerous questions of a 

 scientific nature, continually presented to the committees of 

 Congress and the departments of Government, for deter- 

 mination and consequent action. Such an institution is 

 greatly needed in the Federal city. It is fortunate, not less 

 for the public service than for the advantage of the individ- 

 ual citizen, that the opportunity is now afforded to accom- 

 plish so important an object. I cannot doubt that the 

 opportunity will be seized with alacrity, and improved with 

 something of that spirit of liberality and intelligence which 

 I think is embodied in the bill now before the committee. 



Mr. Sawyer moved to amend the bill by striking out 

 " six," in the first section, and inserting in lieu thereof 

 "five." 



There was a motion pending to strike out the whole bill, 

 and therefore this motion to amend was in order. 



