308 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



men they nad already done a good deal. But he had ascertained, 

 through various conferences in the Library Committee, that the Sen- 

 ator's proposition was not likely to meet that favor or support neces- 

 sary to insure the success of the bill this session; on the contrary, that 

 it would make enemies of many who would otherwise sustain the meas- 

 ure. Now, on this subject of constituting a board of managers — for 

 the committee attached great importance to it — he (Mr, Choate) had 

 given it his most anxious attention. It was the only part of the origi- 

 nal bill to which much consideration was not given in the first instance. 

 Since its recommittal the committee had had repeated conferences on 

 this point, and the result has been that the plan laid down in the bill was 

 unanimously adopted as a happy embodiment of the main principles 

 of all former propositions, the difference of opinion in regard to which 

 had heretofore impeded the action of Congress as to the dispositioo of 

 the fund. He was prepared now to say that, unless there was some 

 more palpable objection than had yet been made to the plan laid down 

 in the bill, the support which it would insure could not fail of render- 

 ing the measure successful this session. 



It might be necessary to say a word or two respecting the course 

 pursued by the committee in making this arrangement. They went 

 back to the records of all proceedings in Congress since the reception 

 of the bequest, to ascertain the number and character of the various 

 propositions suggested for its disposition; and having collected them 

 all, the committee conceived they could not be mistaken in combining 

 from the whole such general principles as would unite the greatest 

 number of friends to the main object. Now he felt bound to say that 

 in this the committee had succeeded beyond his most sanguine expec- 

 tations. They had not, as the Senator from New Hampshire seemed 

 to suppose, made a complex, expensive, or impracticable plan of 

 machinery for the management of the institution ; but, on the contrary, 

 one preeminently likely to work well — economically, efficiently, and 

 practically considered. 



On reviewing all former propositions the connnittee found that there 

 were two or three things in which a large majority concurred — such as, 

 that the Vice-President and Chief Justice of the United States should be 

 ex officio members of the board, and that they should have associated 

 with them one or two respectable resident members of the National 

 Institute. It was found, also, that a suggestion came from Mr. Rob- 

 bins, of Rhode Island, that three members of the Senate and three of the 

 House of Representatives should be made members of the board. 

 Thus the committee had united whatever there was to recommend this 

 proposition to those whose differences of opinion had heretofore 

 impeded the action of Congress. They took for the ex officio mem- 

 bers of the board the Vice-President and the Chief fTustice of the 

 United States. There could be no difficulty as to their appointment, 



