PROPOSED APPLICATIONS OF SMITHSON'S BEQUEST. 929 



is one of the most important duties of a wise and paternal 

 government. To teach religion is the business of the chureh. 

 The lower and the higher branches of science may be safely 

 confided to the schools. But to enlighten our industry, to 

 instruct us how to establish and defend our liberties, to 

 continue the education of manhood, in all ranks of the 

 community, is the business of Government. The press is 

 the instrument ordained of God for these purposes. Di- 

 rected by private interest it caters for a morbid intellectual 

 appetite — floods the land with putrid waters — and buries 

 useful knowledge under infinite accumulations of rubbish. 

 We wish to put a press under the control of men in whom 

 there is the spirit of excellent wisdom, that they may teach 

 us. We are told that it would be unlawful to take money 

 from our national treasury for this purpose. Lawful or un- 

 lawful, it cannot be had there. But by the favor of God, 

 and James Smithson, a little fund has been provided for 

 the diffusion of knowledge among men, which, by accumu- 

 lation, now amounts to $757,298. It is about to be alien- 

 ated from its holy purpose, or applied in a way which, 

 keeping the promise to the ear, breaks it to the hope. 



I propose that the people shall reclaim their money, and 

 demand that it should be expended in the support of a 

 bureau of national instruction, which shall speak to us in 

 two annual volumes of industrial and political science. The 

 plan is simple, feasible, eificient. It opens no flood-gates 

 of expenditure, and leaves little room for contingencies. 

 It puts the machinery of the Smithsonian Institution under 

 the control of the incorruptible sages of our country. It 

 ofliers reward to useful talent, but furnishes no sinecures for 

 idleness. It would eft'ect the object of Mr. Smithson, re- 

 deem the faith of the nation, and accomplish the wish of 

 philanthropy, " by the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 vien.'' These two volumes would do more for human hap- 

 piness than " all the abundance cast into the Treasury." 

 Like the mustard in the parable, they are small seeds, but 

 let them take root, and they would send out " boughs to the 

 sea, and branches to the rivers," — " their leaves would be 

 fair, and their fruit much." 



Gentlemen, is it your pleasure that this should be done? 

 Let, then, the plan which I have suggested go to the coun- 

 try with your imprimatur. Truth is mighty — who knoweth 

 but that it may prevail ? 



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