410 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



Mr. J. Q. Adams expressed a wish that some progress be 

 made in the bill, by taking a vote on some of the amend- 

 ments. 



The question was then taken on the amendment offered 

 by Mr. Sawyer, and it was decided in the negative. 



On motion of Mr. Marsh, the committee then rose and 

 reported progress. 



House of Representatives, April 23, 1846. 



Mr. Boyd offered a resolution providing that all debate 

 on this bill should cease in one hour and a half after it 

 should again be taken up in committee, unless sooner dis- 

 posed of, and that the committee should then proceed to 

 vote on amendments pending, or to be offered. 



Mr. J. R. Ingersoll moved to amend the resolution by 

 striking out " one hour and a half after it shall have been 

 taken up in committee," and inserting " two o'clock." 



Mr. Graham moved that the resolution and amendment 

 be laid on the table. 



And the question having been taken, and decided in the 

 affirmative, the resolution and amendment were laid on the 

 table. 



The Speaker announced the unfinished business to be 

 the special order of yesterday, the bill to establish the 

 Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men. 



On motion of Mr, Owen, the House resolved itself into 

 Committee of the V/hole on the state of the Union, (Mr. 

 Burt, of South Carolina, in the chair,) and resumed the 

 consideration of the said bill. 



Mr. Marsh, of Vermont, after some preliminary observa- 

 tions, said: I agree, Mr. Chairman, with those who doubt 

 whether it was entirely wise in the Congress of the United 

 States to accept the munificent bequest of Mr. Smithson. 

 Were the question now first presented, I should hesitate. 

 Not that I deny or even doubt the power of Congress to 

 administer this charity, but I should question the propriety 

 of assuming a trust, which there is too much reason to fear 

 we shall not discharge in such a manner as to give the fullest 

 effect to the purposes of the enlightened donor. The his- 

 tory of this bequest confirms these scruples. It is now 

 nearly ten years since Congress, by a solemn act, assumed 

 the trust, and pledged "the Mth of the United States" to 

 its faithful execution. The money was soon after received, 

 and immediately passed out of the hands of the Govern- 

 ment, not irrevocably, it is to be hoped, but it is, at all 



