TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1843-1845. 307 



the whole board of management subject to the acts of Congress and its 

 directions given from time to time; but subject also to the constant 

 scrutiny of the standing committee of Congress in both Houses. And 

 so far from conferring salaries or donations on the board or on the 

 institute, he would not give a dollar to either, except to defray actual 

 expenses incurred in the discharge of the trust; and not allow either 

 to draw a cent from the Treasury except in the manner and under the 

 security which shall be prescribed by that standing committee of the 

 two Houses. 



With these explanations, he submitted the amendment he would 

 now read: 



To strike out those portions of the new bill providing for the con- 

 stitution of a board of managers, and insert: 



The National Institute, through its officers, not to exceed their present number, 

 and associated with them four other scientific gentlemen from different portions of 

 the Union, to be selected by the Joint Committee on the Library; and said com- 

 mittee to exercise, from time to time, a supervision and control over this board, in 

 behalf of Congress, and see that its directions as expressed in this act or in any future 

 act be duly carried into effect; and to prescribe safe rules to be adhered to in draw- 

 ing from the Treasury and auditing all moneys whatever expended from the Smith- 

 sonian fund; and none of the said board, nor any of said committee, shall receive 

 any compensation for their personal services on this subject from the fund aforesaid, 

 but be paid only their traveling expenses. 



Mr. James Buchanan would be very glad if it could be accomplished 

 (and he thought at first it might be on this amendment), to get a test 

 vote of the Senate on the question whether Congress or the National 

 Institute shall have the management and control of the Smithsonian 

 librar3^ But the amendment contained some things not necessarily 

 involved in that test, which might be advantageously considered. He 

 could not move an amendment, or he would, so as to separate these 

 things. 



Mr. RuFUS Choate said the amendment of the Senator from New 

 Hampshire raised the precise question the Senator from Pennsylvania 

 wished to have tested. 



Mr. James Buchanan looked upon it as a compound amendment. 



Mr. Tappan hoped the amendment would not prevail. Although the 

 chairman of the Library Committee some sessions back [Mr. Preston], 

 then a Senator from South Carolina, made a report accompanied by a 

 bill in conformity with this amendment, it was with the express under- 

 standing of the committee that not one member of it but himself was 

 in favor of that plan or would sustain it. 



Mr. Choate did not know that the amendment offered by the Sen- 

 ator from New Hampshire would not make a very good board of man- 

 agement; indeed, he felt nothing but respect in the highest degree for 

 that Senator and his associates of the National Institute; as colaborers 

 in the advancement of science and the diffusion of knowledge among 



