TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1843-1845. 313 



institution with the public Treasurv of the country, in any form or 

 shape. This title, "National Institute,'"' sounded large, and at a dis- 

 tance was calculated to produce a great impression upon the public 

 mind. What was iti Some years ago a fcAv gentlemen of this city 

 got together and concluded to form a literarj^ and scientific association 

 among themselves. Well, that thing has been done in every city, and 

 in most of the villages and towns of the United States, from little 

 debating societies composed of young men, up to literary associations 

 composed of gray-headed men. All of these associations, of which 

 there are so man}^ in this country, were like that in the city of Wash- 

 ington, formed in the same way, and were mere voluntaiy associations 

 of man with man. But this association in Washington City, finding a 

 Capitol here and a public Treasury here, called itself a National Insti- 

 tute; and, in order to legalize its claim to that pompous title it asked 

 Congress to give it a corporate existence by a solemn law. After they 

 got associated in the public mind the idea of its nationality, they suc- 

 ceeded in getting a law passed giving it a legal existence, and then they 

 began to enter into the organization and to claim a part in the admin- 

 istration of the Government. That institute came here with the very 

 instinct of all corporations — to get its hands into the public Treasury 

 of the country by a process of induction. It proceeded with that 

 modesty and imposing humility which characterize the movements of 

 all corporations. It began by obtaining the temporary charge of 

 objects of science belonging to the Government; and being intrusted 

 with the custody of that part of the public property which resulted 

 from the exploring expedition, there was a motion made toward the 

 public Treasury. Having proceeded so far, it proceeded a few years 

 after to ask Congress to pa}^ it moneys out of the public Treasury, 

 and for what? For its care of these very articles of public property 

 which, as a favor of the Government, it had asked to be intrusted 

 with the care of. 



The Senate, which sat here for its constituents, was nevertheless so 

 unjust, in his judgment, as to tempt this corporation to its present ad- 

 vances b}' the fatal step of making for it a public ofiice and paying it 

 $5,000 for the favor which the institution had asked in the privilege of 

 taking care of the articles resulting from the exploring expedition. 

 He opposed that bill at the time it was upon its passage through the 

 Senate; and he then said — what was now seen — that the attraction of 

 this corporation was toward the public Treasur}^. 



We are now intrusted with a fund of some half a million of dollars. 

 It is intrusted to the care of the Congress of the United States; whether 

 by the Constitution or by Mr. Smithson it is now immaterial. The 

 money is obtained, and the question is decided that Mr. Smithson could 

 extend the limits of the Constitution by a request in his will and place 

 at the disposal Cf Congress moneys for objects which the Constitution 



