316 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



which is the most democratio — and he reall}' rejoiced that his friend 

 from Massachusetts was claiming to be democratic, for it was a good 

 symptom of the progress of democracy — and, notwithstanding all that 

 was said by his friend from Ohio [Mr. Allen], he was bound to say 

 that the individuals who originated this institution were eminently 

 democratic. He did not see that the amendment offered by the Senator 

 from New Hampshire proposed that the National Institute should have 

 one dollar of the Smithsonian fund, or of any fund whatever. He 

 believed it provides that the whole payments to be made are to be made 

 by the Treasury; and that all the National Institute is to do, as regards 

 this matter, in connection with the four other individuals named, is to 

 be done under the direction of a committee of this body, and subject 

 every year to the modifications and regulations, and subject to the 

 supervision and control, of the Government of the United States. He 

 rejected the idea, as one utterl}^ erroneous, that the amendment of the 

 Senator from New Hampshire proposes that the National Institute shall 

 take any portion of this fund, or that it proposes even that it shall have 

 the administration of it. It is not to receive a solitary dollar. It is 

 not to disburse either the Smithsonian fund, or any other fund what- 

 ever, under this amendment. The Smithsonian fund is all to be admin- 

 istered by the Treasury Department — to be paid out by that department; 

 and all that is to be done by this amendment is, to provide that there 

 may be some supervision of these drafts before they are presented to 

 the Treasury Department. 



He should really like to know, inasmuch as there was to be a dis- 

 cussion here upon politics generally, which of the two is the more 

 democratic — the Smithsonian Institution or the National Institute? 

 The Smithsonian Institution originated from an individual in England, 

 entirely foreign — the very name is foreign. How was it with the 

 National Institute ? It sprang from the people. It bears a name that 

 is dear to the people; and it has received the manifest encouragement 

 of the people of the United States. He spoke now not merely of the 

 colleges scattered all over the Union that had contributed to its aid 

 and support. He spoke not merely of the scientific men who assem- 

 bled at this Capitol not long since and gave it their encouragement and 

 support; but he spoke of the people in the humblest walks of life, 

 scattered all over this Union — residing in every State of the Union — 

 who, from year to year and month to month, had forwarded presents. 

 And why is it that this institute is dear to the American people? 

 Because it is national— because it is American. They wish to see an 

 institution here bearing the name of the nation, which shall give to 

 the United States the same happy range in science that this Govern- 

 ment has done in political affairs. 



And let him tell gentlemen that an institution that is merely called 

 Smithsonian can never concentrate in the same degree the affections 



