MEMOIRS OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. 799 



there would be no ultimate loss to the United States of the 

 funds thus invested. 



I moved to strike out of the report this expression of 

 confidence, which I could not honestly avow. It was accord- 

 ingly struck out, leaving a bare statement of the facts to be 

 made. 



The chairman was directed, in presenting the report and 

 bill, to move that they should be printed and made the 

 special order of the day for the second Tuesday in April. 

 The committees of the House upon this subject have here- 

 tofore been unanimous in the reports — all which have been 

 made by me. But the House has never been prevailed upon 

 to take them into consideration. In this committee no two 

 members, excepting Mr. Marsh and myself, have agreed in 

 opinion with regard to the future management of the fund. 

 I doubt if there will be more harmony in the House, for 

 never was there a benevolent and charitable purpose more 

 unfortunately endowed than that of James Smithson, en- 

 trusted to the good faith and intelligence of the North 

 American Congress. 



April 22, 1846. 



At the House, the bill to establish the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution for the increase and diflusion of knowledge among 

 men was taken up in Committee of the Whole on the state 

 of the Union — Armistead Burt, of South Carolina, in the 

 chair. It was read through for information, and then taken 

 up by sections for amendment. 



George W. Jones, of Tennessee, moved to strike out the 

 first section ; that is, to reject the bill. 



Robert Dale Owen delivered an hour speech in support of 

 the bill, dwelling chiefly upon the parts of it appropriating 

 funds for the education and training of teachers for normal 

 schools throughout the Union — in my opinion the worst 

 feature of the bill. 



Jones' objection was chiefly to the organization of the 

 trustees of the fund as a corporation, which he contended 

 was not within the constitutional power of Congress to 

 create. After Owen's speech, Jones withdrew his motion 

 to strike out the first section, and moved to amend by a sec- 

 tion authorizing the whole bequest to be returned to the 

 heirs at law, or next of kin, or residuary legatees of Smith- 

 son, or their authorized agents, whenever they shall demand 

 the same. That is to say, to deliver to them the State 

 bonds of the State of Arkansas, Illinois, and Michigan, 

 upon which neither interest nor principal is, or is soon likely 



