TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-47. 457 



acter. The question was, in what manner the trust should 

 be discharged. He held that the United States was respon- 

 sible for the fund, and ought to appropriate it for its object. 

 He hoped that Arkansas would one day pay the money, but 

 he feared it would be a distant day. It was necessary to 

 act now. He did not wholly approve of the bill reported, 

 but he would take it rather than do nothing. 



Mr. Hough sent to the Chair a substitute for the bill, 

 which he gave notice he would offer; and it was read. 



The committee then rose, and reported progress. 



On motion of Mr. Hopkins, (and under the operation of 

 the previous question,) a resolution was adopted, providing 

 that all debate on this bill (in committee) should cease in 

 one liour after it shall again have been taken up. 



House of Representatives, April 29, 1846. 



On motion of Mr. McKay, the House resolved itself into 

 Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union, (Mr. 

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

 consideration of the bill to provide for the establishment of 

 a Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men. 



The amendment given notice by Mr. A. Johnson last 

 evening, was read, at the request of several members. 



Some conversation ensued between Mr. Owen and others. 



Mr. Hamlin brietly addressed the committee. He re- 

 garded this fund as one which had been received by the 

 Government to carry out the intentions of Mr. Smithson, 

 to which, by their acceptance, they had solemnly bound 

 themselves. 



He alluded to the difficulty — naj', the impossibility — of 

 any select committee agreeing upon a plan which in all its 

 details should be in accordance with the views of all. jSTot- 

 withstanding this, he trusted we should not let this oppor- 

 tunity go by to make a commencement in this matter. He 

 had not the slightest doubt of the full and unqualified power 

 of this Government to take charge of this money and give 

 it the direction required by the vv'ill of Mr. Smithson. 



While there were features in the bill with which he was 

 not entirel}' pleased, he should vote for the bill in case it 

 %vas not amended. But there were some amendments to 

 the bill of the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Owen] to which 

 he would fain hope that gentleman himself would lend a 

 favorable ear. One related to the appropriation of a part 

 of it to the science of agriculture. He referred to the gen- 

 eral and deplorable want of information of the components 



