28'2 C0NGEES8I0NAL PROCEEDINGS. 



tions, to the productive and li})eial arts of life — to improvement.s in 

 agriculture, manufactures, trades, and domestic economy." Thus, the 

 professor of chemistry is to analyze different kinds of soils, and to 

 learn and teach how to enrich them; the professor of natural history 

 is to deal with noxious or useful animals and insects; the professor of 

 geology is to illustrate the working of mines; the professor of astron- 

 omy is to teach navigation ; the professor of architecture and domestic 

 science is charged with the theory and practice of building, lighting, 

 and ventilating all manner of edifices, and the professor of agriculture, 

 horticulture, and domestic economy is to make experiments to see what 

 exotics will grow, and what will not, all over the United States. And, 

 in pursuance of the same theory of administration of the fund, it is 

 provided that not a book is to be purchased for the institution except 

 ^ works on science and the arts, especially such as relate to the ordinar}^ 

 business of life, and to the various mechanical and other improvements 

 and discoveries which may be made." 



Now, I say that this creates a college or school, such as it is, on the 

 basis of a somewhat narrow utilitarianism— to be sure, erroneously so 

 called, but a college or academical institution. Who is to be taught 

 agriculture, architecture, domestic science, rural econom}^ and navi- 

 gation ? Not you, Mr. President, I suppose, not Congress, not the 

 Government, not men at all. Students, pupils, youths, are to be 

 brought hither, if you can find them; "rules and regulations" (so 

 runs the eighth section of the bill) are to be made "for the admission 

 into the various departments of the institution, and their conduct and 

 deportment while they remain therein," and instruction is to be given 

 them by professors and lecturers. This surely is a school, a college, 

 an academical institute of education, such as it is, or nothing. 



Well, sir, in reviewing, as 1 have had occasion to do, the proceed- 

 ings of Congress upon this subject heretofore, I have received the 

 impression that it had become quite 3^our settled judgment — settled on 

 the most decisive reasons — that no school, college, or academical estab- 

 lishment should be constituted. It seems that in the session of 1838 a 

 joint committee of the two branches was charged with this delibera- 

 tion. The chairman of the committee from this body was Mr. Kob- 

 bins, and the chairman on the appointment of the House was Mr. 

 Adams; both of them, I may pause to say, persons of the most pro- 

 found and elegant acquisition; both of them of that happy, rare class 

 who ' ' grow old still learning. " The two committees differed on this 

 very question whether a school or college should be established. The 

 opinion of the committee of the House is expressed in the fourth sec- 

 tion of the bill (No. 293 Senate) which they desired to report, and 

 which is in these words: 



Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That no part of the said Smithsonian fund, prin- 

 cipal, or interest shall be applied to any school, college, university, institute f)f edu- 

 ciation, or ecclesiastical estal)lislunent. 



