THIRTIETH CONGRESS, 1847-49. 481 



desire by a simple statement of facts, to give the House a 

 view of the history, condition, and plans of an institution 

 which so strongly appeals to us for protection. 



Mr. Smithson's bequest was a noble one. He gave his 

 whole property to found at the city of Washington " an es- 

 tablishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge 

 among men." America was selected as a field for so wide 

 and beneficent a design. Young, vigorous, rapidly increas- 

 ing in numbers, this country aftbrded the best ground upon 

 which to rest an establishment which was designed to en- 

 lighten mankind. 



Entering into the spirit of this bequest. Congress passed 

 an act making the most liberal provision for carrying it in- 

 to practical effect. The whole sum, with its accumulated 

 interest, was turned over to the establishment created by 

 the act, composed of the President and Vice President of 

 the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of 

 the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the 

 Kavy, the Postmaster General, the Attorney General, the 

 Chief Justice, and the Commissioner of the Patent Oflice 

 of the United States, and the Mayor of the city of Wash- 

 ington, during the time for which they shall hold their res- 

 pective oflaces, and such other persons as they may elect 

 honorary members. The sum amounted to five hundred 

 and fifteen thousand one hundred and sixty-nine dollars, 

 and a further sum of two hundred and forty-two thou- 

 sand one hundred and twenty-nine dollars, being the 

 accumulated interest upon that sum since it came into 

 possession of the Government. The principal sum was 

 forever to remain untouched, the interest was appropriated 

 to the erection of the building and incidental expenses. 

 The building to be erected was to meet the provisions of 

 the act, which required it to contain suitable rooms or halls 

 for the reception and arrangement, upon a liberal scale, of 

 objects of natural history, including a geological and min- 

 eralogical cabinet; also a chemical laboratory, a library, a 

 gallery of art, and the necessary lecture rooms. Another 

 section provides that, in proportion as suitable arrangements 

 can be made for their reception, all objects of art, and of for- 

 eign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, 

 plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens, belong- 

 ing or hereafter to belong to the United States, which may 

 be in the city of Washington, shall be delivered to the care 

 of the institution, and so classed and arranged as best to 

 facilitate the examination and study of them in the building 

 to be erected. This at once empties the great hall of the 

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