TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1843-1845. 295 



tional sectioji could be put after the eig'hth section, and the necessary 

 alteration could be made in the first section. 



Mr. Levi Woodbury did not rise for any purpose of opposition, 

 but to suggest a course that would probably result in harmonizing the 

 propositions of the Senators from Ohio and Massachusetts. He thought 

 if the bill was recommitted to the Committee on the Library it would 

 receive more attention than it was possible to bestow upon it when 

 there before, in consequence of the absence of some of its members; 

 and he had no doubt of the propriety of providing for the establishment 

 of a complete library on a liberal scale — he would not say to the extent 

 of purchases amounting annually to twenty thousand, fifteen thousand, 

 or ten thousand dollars, but to an extent commensurate with the wants 

 of science and the arts in this country at present, to be hereafter 

 enlarged as might be found necessary. He should be sorr}^ to see the 

 eighth section of the bill stricken out, for he thought there were 

 important provisions in it which ought to be retained. The professors 

 and everything going to the principle of having a college or school 

 connected with the institution, should be dispensed with, but the plan 

 of employing eminent lecturers should be retained. These lecturers 

 could very well perform all the experiments required by the bill of 

 professors. If lecturers of great attainments, even from Europe, were 

 deemed necessary, they could be procured and paid liberally. The 

 donor of this fund was too well informed not to know that in this 

 country the most ample provisions in school lauds had been made for 

 elementary education, and that this fund was at least equal to a stock 

 yielding a million and a half of dollars annually for purposes of educa- 

 tion. His intention doubtless was to devote his bequest to that 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge among men which was not to be 

 attained at existing institutions of learning in this country; and it was 

 obvious this intention could be best accomplished by a harmonious 

 blending of the propositions of the two Senators, properly modified. 

 There was, however, one part of the plan he strongly objected to as 

 unnecessary; it was that relating to the establishment of a salaried 

 board of managers. The whole thing of balloting in Congress for this 

 board of managers was objectionable and would lead to loss of time 

 and other inconveniences; besides, the persons so chosen might be the 

 most unfit. There was no occasion whatever for that description of 

 management. A National Institute was already in existence in the 

 capital of the Government, created by Congress, and the objects of 

 which were peculiarly appropriate to those of the trust now under 

 consideration. The officers of this institute are the ex officio officers of 

 the Government itself, the scientific residents of the city, and the most 

 eminent professors of many of the learned institutions of the country. 

 These are all gentlemen of high attainments and character, to whom 

 the pursuit of knowledge and its diffusion are labors of love, for which 



