THIRTIETH CONGRESS, 1847-49. 489 



Resolved, That in addilion to tlio standing committees of tliis House, there 

 shall be one called the Smithsonian Committee, whose duty it shall be to 

 superintend the aifairs of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Resolved, That the report made b}"- the Regents and accompanying docu- 

 ments be referred to the Committee on the Smithsonian Institution, whose 

 duty it shall be to examine the same in connection with the original journal 

 and other documents from which they have been made, and report to this 

 House whether, in their opinion it is necessary to print all or any portion 

 of them, or not; and that said committee be, and is hereby, authorized and 

 required to take into consideration the propriety and expediency of suspend- 

 ing all further operations of the Smithsonian Institution until the Treasury 

 of the United States be relieved from the heavy and pressing burden crea- 

 ted by the existing war between the anarchy of Mexico and the American 

 Union. And, further, that said committee be authorized and required to 

 procure the aid of three architects, distinguished in their profession, asso- 

 ciated with two responsible and highly reputed .scientific practical builders, 

 who shall take into consideration the site, the design, and material of which 

 the present building is composed, and report the result of such examination 

 to this House. And, further, that said committee take into consideration 

 the propriety of so changing and remodelling the present design of the 

 Smithsonian Instit'ition as to convert it into a " university," in the ex- 

 tended sense of the term, including the manual labor feature, as to embrace, 

 agriculture, horticulture, and all the various branches of mechanism, or 

 as many of them as may be deemed practicable and useful to the country. 



The Speaker ruled the resolution out of order. 



Mr. Johnson moved to suspend the rules that the resolu- 

 tion might be received. 



The question was put on suspending the rules, and the 

 motion was disagreed to. 



Notices of motions for leave to introduce bills being in 

 order, the following notice was given : 



By Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee : Of a bill to change the 

 title of an act, approved on the 10th day of August, 1846, 

 entitled "An act to establish the Smithsonian Institution for 

 the increase and diflusion of knowledge among men," to 

 that of the " Washington University for the benefit of the 

 indigent children of the District of Columbia," in memory 

 of and out of respect to George Washington, the Father 

 of his Country. 



House of Representatives, 3Iarch 13, 1848. 



Mr. Embree offered the following preamble and resolu- 

 tion which was read, and the resolution agreed to : 



Whereas, James Smithson, Esq., by his last will and testament, having 

 given the whole of his property, now amounting to more than $700,000, to 

 the United States, to found an establishment for the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among men, and Congress, to carry out the liberal designs of 

 the donor, having passed an act entitled " An act to establish the Smithso- 

 nian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men," 

 approved August 10, 1846; and whereas officers have been appointed under 

 said act, and are proceeding to erect a building, which, with the improve- 

 ments attached, according to their estimate, is to cost about $250,000 ; and 

 said officers are about to establish in said building, with the funds of the 



