TWENTY-NTNTH CONGRESS, 1845-1847. 333 



Mr. R. D. Owen moved that the House resolve itself into Commit- 

 tee of the Whole on the state of the Union, which motion was agreed to. 



The Speaker invited to the chair Mr. Seaborn Jones, who excused 

 himself on the ground that he had but a limited acquaintance with the 

 members. 



Mr. Armistead Burt, having then been addressed b}^ the Speaker, 

 accepted the invitation. 



Whereupon the House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole 

 on the state of the Union (Mr. Burt, of South Carolina, in the chair), 

 and proceeded to the consideration of the bill entitled "A bill to estab- 

 lish the Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowl- 

 edge among men." 



The bill, having been read through, was taken up by sections; and 

 the first section being under consideration, Mr. G. W. Jones moved 

 that the said section be stricken out. 



Mr. Owen said: We have been unfortunate, in this country, in the 

 administration of legacies bequeathed by benevolent men for the 

 improvement of our race. Of the noble Girard fund, three-quarters 

 of a million of dollars are lost forever, and though half a generation 

 has passed away since the eccentric Philadelphian died, not one child 

 has yet reaped the benefit of his munificent bequest. A temple has 

 indeed arisen that outshines Greece and her Parthenon; its sumptuous 

 Corinthian pillars, each one costing a sum that would have endowed a 

 professorship, are the admiration of beholders and the boast of the 

 Quaker City; but years must yet elapse lief ore the first son of indi- 

 gence can ascend the steps of that princel}^ portico and sit down within 

 those marble halls to receive the education for which its simple and 

 unostentatious founder sought to provide. 



Yet it is not for us of this National Legislature to arraign, as dila- 

 tory, the corporation of Philadelphia. It is sixteen years since James 

 Smithson died, leaving to the United States the reversion of more 

 than half a million of dollars, to found, in this District, an institution 

 "for the increase and difi'usion of knowledge among men." It will 

 be ten j^ears on the 1st of July next since this Government solemnly 

 accepted the trust created by Mr. Smithson's will. It will be eight 

 years next September since the money was obtained from the English 

 court of chancery and paid into the Treasury of the United States. 

 And yet, though distinguished men have moved in this matter, though 

 projects have been brought forward and discussed in Congress, there 

 has till this day been no final action; the first human being has yet to 

 receive the benefit of the Smithsonian bequest; the corner stone of the 

 first building has yet to be laid, in fulfillment of the intentions of the 

 philanthropic testator. 



Small encouragement is there in such tardiness as this to others as 

 wealthy and as liberal as Smithson and Girard to follow their noble 



