THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1849-51. 511 



bis construction if sustained — is to cripple that fund in the 

 very object for which it was given, and encumber it with 

 the keeping of a great collection of art which now belongs 

 to the United States. I do hope that the Senate will reject 

 the resolution. 



Mr. Pearce. Mr. President, after what has been said by 

 the Senator from Mississippi it would be unnecessary to say 

 anything more. But I wish to state two considerations, 

 which I trust will be sufficient to induce the Senate not to 

 adopt the resolution. In the first place, the resolution as- 

 sumes that the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution have neglected their duty. I think it can very easily 

 be shown that they have not neglected this or any other 

 duty imposed upon them. In the next place, all the infor- 

 mation which the Senate can possibly derive from any com- 

 munication the Board of Regents might make in answer to 

 such a call is already in the possession of the Senate. The 

 last annual report of the Board of Regents has been laid 

 before the Senate and printed. That report explains fully 

 their system of operations from the time of their organiza- 

 tion. It sets forth the scheme of finance which they 

 adopted, and in pursuance of that scheme of finance, the 

 enlargement of the principal fund, which was rather small, 

 for the great objects of the institution. They propose to 

 extend the erection of the building over a series of years 

 instead of completing it at once by the whole sum which 

 the act of Congress authorized them to apply for that pur- 

 pose. They have erected the building slowly, so as to ap- 

 ply the accruing interest to the enlargement of the fund 

 and the increase of the general endowment of the institu- 

 tion. The plan of the building under which it is now being 

 erected is precisely that which was adopted in the first in- 

 stance by the Board of Regents, and which, if it be com- 

 pleted, will, if Congress choose to compel the institution to 

 accept of this donation, enable them to accommodate this 

 museum. The central building will accommodate the li- 

 brary w^hich it is proposed the institution shall have, and 

 also the museum of art. The upper story of the central 

 building is designed for the museum of art, where the col- 

 lections now in the Patent Office can be placed if Congress 

 insist upon it. They have, therefore, neglected no duty ; 

 they have done their duty properly, judiciously, economi- 

 cally, faithfully. I suppose no one will charge them with a 

 dereliction of duty, because they have endeavored to in- 

 crease the principal fund, with the view of having the insti- 



