338 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



nized, as in accordance with the language of the bequest, "the improve- 

 ment of all the arts and sciences." In a report made in 1840 he adds: 



A botanical garden, a cabinet of natural history, a museum of mineralogy, conch- 

 ology, or geology, a general accumulating library, are undoubtedly included within 

 the comprehensive grasp of Mr. Smithson's design. (House Report No. 277, Twenty- 

 sixth Congress, first session, p. 18. ) 



These various objects are all embraced in the bill which has been 

 reported to the House. The gentleman also recommended that the 

 original fund (it is about $515,000) be preserved unimpaired and that 

 yearly appropriations be made from the accruing interest only (which 

 will amount on the 1st of July next to about $242,000), a feature 

 which has been incorporated, I believe, in every Smithsonian bill here- 

 tofore submitted to Congress. The restrictions suggested by the gen- 

 tleman from Massachusetts have been so far retained in the present 

 bill as to exclude from the Institution "any school of law, medicine, 

 or divinity, or any professorship of ancient languages." 



At the last session a bill was introduced into the other branch by 

 Senator Tappan, Its plan included an experimental farm, botanical 

 garden and conservatories, cabinets of natural history, a chemical 

 laboratory, a library with an annual appropriation not exceeding 

 $5,000, scientific lectureships, and an establishment for printing scien- 

 tific tracts and other useful treatises, all instruction to be gratuitous. 



This bill was subsequently so amended by the Senate that the lec- 

 tures were restricted to a course or courses to be delivered during the 

 session of Congress, at an expense not exceeding $5,000 annually, and 

 the printing to a publication of these lectures, while the annual appro- 

 priation for a library was to be "not less than $20,000." 



The experimental farm, botanical garden, and conservatories, as 

 well as the museum, laboratory, and scientific cabinets, were nomi- 

 nally retained; but how these were to be supported, considering that 

 at least two-thirds of the entire income was annually to be spent on 

 the library, does not very clearly appear. 



This library plan, as it was commonly called, passed the Senate and 

 reached our House. An amendment or substitute, nearly similar to 

 the present bill, was substituted by myself and printed; but in the 

 hurry of a short session the whole matter was left once more among 

 the unfinished business. 



As this Senate bill is the only one establishing a Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution that has yet passed either branch of Congress, its principal fea- 

 ture demands our deliberate and respectful consideration. 



The library contemplated by this bill, it was expressly provided, 

 was to be "of the largest class of libraries now in the world." We 

 shall better understand both the object and the cost of this proposal 

 by taking as a commentary thereon some of the remarks with which 

 it was introduced by its author, then a distinguished member of the 



