888 PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 



tries, and who do not know the nice shades of distinction 

 that we draw between the powers of Con_£jress and the rights 

 of the States, to understand how it is that we have volun- 

 tarily incapacitated ourselves for performing the greatest of 

 all benefits for which governments are instituted — the diffu- 

 sion of a public blessing? This money is not given for our 

 use alone, but for the general good of all men. We should 

 therefore recollect that others have rights in it as well as 

 ourselves. We can neither return it without betraying our 

 trust to them, nor can we, with a clear conscience, defer to 

 appropriate it to the use for which it was unquestionably 

 designed. We stand merely in the light of trustees, or 

 rather executors of a will. We may not, therefore, pro- 

 crastinate unduly. 



Such being the case, let us act as upright men in private 

 life would do. Taking the will of the giver in its plain and 

 literal sense, let us erect a Smithsonian Institute for the 

 purpose of increasing and diffusing knowledge among men, 

 shaping our course by the known ideas of the testator, estab- 

 lishing such an institution as we have reason to believe he 

 Avould have established, but moulding it, as we ought to do, 

 to the wants and circumstances of the country in which he 

 saw fit to locate it. We are not called upon to raise up a 

 rival or an antagonist to our own colleges. 



And as the funds are small, compared with the object in 

 view, let us first guarantee the permanent safety of the prin- 

 cipal. If Congress saw good, it would surely bring honor 

 to the country if a piece of land and suitable buildings were 

 given; but if not, proceed to procure them as rapidl}^ as the 

 annual income will allow, keeping steadily in mind that we 

 are not erecting structures to ornament Washington, but 

 buildings in which science has to be taught. Let the stranger 

 who visits us see an edifice plain and in keeping with repub- 

 lican simplicity without, but well equipped within. 



A school organized as has been indicated in this letter 

 would probably consume the revenue of five years before it 

 could be brought into full operation. Its leading features 

 once settled, there would be abundant time to arrange the 

 details of the plan — to make inquiry into and profit by the 

 experience of foreign institutions of an analogous class. A 

 liberal charter should be given it, raising it on a level in 

 point of privileges with any existing university, and vesting 

 its government in a very few but very responsible hands. 

 You will find it one of the most prominent faults in the 

 organization of most of our schools that they are governed 

 by unwieldy boards of trustees. A council of five men. 



