THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-55. 525 



Diplomatic Bill, the following amendments reported by the 

 committee were read — 



For the preservation of the collections of the exploring expedition. 

 For compensation of keepers, watchmen, and laborers, $2,980. 

 For contingent expenses, $100. 



Mr. Pratt. If I understand that amendment, the expen- 

 diture proposed by it is an annual one for the preservation 

 of the collections of the exploring expedition. 



Mr. Hunter. The Senator from Maryland, over the way, 

 [Mr. Pearce,] can explain this matter. 



Mr. Pearce. These collections have been, from the time 

 they were received in this country down to the present 

 period, under the charge of the Library Committee, who 

 are very anxious to get rid of that responsibility. But there 

 are other reasons why they should be transferred to the 

 Commissioner of Patents. They are in the Patent Office 

 building, they are under his eye. He is the proper officer 

 to take care of them. He takes care of other things which 

 are connected with them. 



The sum appropriated, I will remark, is rather more 

 perhaps than has been heretofore expended by the Library 

 Committee for that purpose ; for the reason that it will be 

 necessary to erect additional buildings, and necessary to have 

 an additional watchman, as there is now nothing to prevent 

 burglars from getting into so much of the building as is 

 now going on. I believe that all the allowances are eco- 

 nomical ; and I am very sure they are below those made in 

 other departments of the Government. If we do not ap- 

 propriate this money here, we shall have to appropriate the 

 same sum of money to be expended under the care of the 

 Library Committee. That is the only difference. That 

 committee is not the proper body to take charge of the 

 matter. They are not an executive body properly. 



Mr. Pratt. I called attention to the matter, because it 

 struck me as being rather singular that there should be an 

 annual appropriation of about ^3,000, for the purpose of 

 preserving the curiosities collected by the exploring ex- 

 pedition. I do not know whether they are worth to the 

 Government this annual expense. I only desired the ex- 

 planation, as it struck my mind as curious. 



Mr. Pearce. As long as we keep them, we must take 

 care of them, and we cannot take care of them with less 

 expenditure. These are very interesting objects. There 

 are one hundred and twenty thousand people who visit that 

 building annually, and it seems to nie that this is a very 



