TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-1847. 371 



serve the remainder. But let us do something to carry out the objects 

 of the testator, or let us throw back the fund upon the chancer}^ court 

 of England. 



Mr. G. P. Marsh desired, he said, to add a few words on this 

 subject, but was unable to proceed at present in consequence of indis- 

 position. He therefore moved that the committee rise. 



Some conversation ensued, upon which Mr. Marsh withdrew the 

 motion. 



Mr. J. Q. Adams expressed a wish that some progress be made in 

 the bill by taking a vote on some of the amendments. 



The question was then taken on the amendment offered by Mr. 

 Sawyer, and it was decided in the negative. 



On motion of Mr. Marsh the committee then rose and reported 

 progress. 

 April 23, 1846— House. 



Mr. Linn Boyd offered a resolution providing that all debate on this 

 bill should cease in one hour and a half after it should again be taken 

 up in committee unless sooner disposed of, and that the committee 

 should then proceed to vote on amendments pending or to be offered. 



Mr. J. R. Ingersoll moved to amend the resolution by striking out 

 "one hour and a half after it shall have been taken up in committee," 

 and inserting ""two o'clock." 



jSIr. James Graham moved that the resolution and amendment be 

 laid on the table. Agreed to. 



The Speaker (Mr. John W. Davis) announced the unfinished busi- 

 ness to be the special order of yesterday, the bill to establish the 

 Smithsonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge 

 among men. 



On motion of Mr. R. D. Owen, the House resolved itself into Com- 

 mittee of the Whole (Mr. Armistead Burt, of South Carolina, in the 

 chair), and resumed the consideration of the said bill. 



Mr. G. P. Marsh, of Vermont, after some preliminary observations, 

 said: I agree, Mr. Chairman, with those who doubt whether it was 

 entirely wise in the Congress of the United States to accept the munif- 

 icent bequest of Mr. Smithson. Were the question now first pre- 

 sented I should hesitate. Not that I deny or even doubt the power of 

 Congress to administer this charity, but I should question the pro- 

 priety of assuming a trust which there is too much reason to fear we 

 shall not discharge in such a manner as to give the fullest effect to the 

 purposes of the enlightened donor. The history of this bequest 

 confirms these scruples. It is now nearly ten years since Con- 

 gress, by a solemn act, assumed the trust and pledged "the faith of 

 the United States" to its faithful execution. The money was soon 

 after received and immediately passed out of the hands of the 

 Government, not irrevocably, it is to be hoped, but it is, at all 



