606 CONGKESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



country is of greater importance than a few thousand dol- 

 hxrs, more or less, expended in either direction. 



But a few words are needed to do justice to the value of 

 a great universal library at the metropolis of the Union. 

 Every person who undertakes to prepare and publish a book 

 on an}' subject will be found to bear testimony to the need 

 of such a library. The great historians and classical writers 

 of the country have to send abroad, often to go abroad in 

 person, in order to obtain materials for their works. All 

 literary men are eager to inspect catalogues and explore 

 alcoves in the prosecution of their favorite departments, 

 and there is no direction in which they are more tempted 

 to drain their generally quite moderate resources than in 

 the purchase of books. Such a library as would be accum- 

 ulated by an appropriation of $20,000 annually for twenty 

 years, judiciously expended, would be frequented by schol- 

 ars and authors in much larger numbers than persons not 

 acquainted with their wants will be likely to suppose. In 

 half a century it would give to America a library unequaled 

 in value, and probabl}' in size, in the world. 



There is a special reason why such a library should be 

 provided at this seat of the Federal Government. The an- 

 nals of all other countries, running back into the past, are 

 soon shrouded in fable or lost in total darkness ; but ours, 

 during their whole duration, are within the range of un- 

 clouded history. The great social, moral, and political ex- 

 periment here going on, to test the last hoj^e of humanity, 

 is capable of being described in clear and certain records. 

 The history of each State and Territory can be written on 

 the solid basis of ascertained facts. In each State and Ter- 

 ritory there are, and, from the first, have been, many per- 

 sons who are preparing, and have published, works illus- 

 trative of the entire progress of those respective communi- 

 ties. In local histories, commemorative addresses, and the 

 vast variety of productions of this sort, our literature is rich 

 and ample beyond that of any other people. There is no way 

 in which the patriotism and virtue of a people can be so 

 effectually fostered and strengthened as by cherishing in 

 their breasts an interest in their ancestry, in the incidents 

 that have marked the fortunes of their States, their towns,' 

 and the scenes of their residence — the transmitted reminis- 

 cences of their homes and firesides. It would be a great 

 and a good thing, could there be collected in a national 

 library, in distinct alcoves, all valuable publications illustrat- 

 ing the history of the several States of this Union. Differ- 

 ent processes of legislation, and various social and political 



