TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-1847. 387 



provements in these arts as the great equalizers of the conditions of 

 different ranks in societj^, no man can estimate them more highly than 

 I do, and I hope soon to have an opportunity of showing that I dul}" 

 appreciate them. But I must protest against that classification of the 

 objects of human knowledge which, by giving them an undue pre- 

 eminence, elevates empiricism above true science, prefers matter to 

 mind, and in its zeal to advance the means quite loses sight of the end. 



Sir, these arts are the right hand, not the spirit, of true progressive 

 democracy; thej^ are the lever that shall move the world, not the 

 immaterial mind that shall guide it. 



Mr. Chairman, at present I neither propose nor expect any modifi- 

 cation of this bill. I am content with it as an experiment, though I 

 should prefer the appropriation of the entire income of the fund for 

 one generation — three times only as long as it has now lain idle — to 

 the purpose of founding such a library as the world has not jet seen. 

 If I support the bill, I shall support it, I repeat, as an experiment, but 

 in the confident hope that the plan will soon be so changed as to make 

 the Smithsonian Institution a fitter representative of a charity which 

 embraces all knowledge as its object and appoints the whole human 

 race its beneficiaries. 



jSIr. Isaac E. Morse said he desired to submit a few observations 

 in relation to the disposition of this fund. 



Expressing the pleasure which he had derived from the argmnent 

 of the learned and eloquent gentleman [Mr. Marsh] who had just taken 

 his seat, he [Mr. Morse] was still of opinion that if anything could be 

 drawn from the character of the testator, or from his habits and pur- 

 suits, as to the direction which he desired his bequest should take, it 

 was of a much more practical nature than that contemplated either by 

 the gentleman from Vermont [Mr. Marsh] or b}^ the originators of 

 the bill before the House. Mr. Smithson was a practical man; and 

 although endowed with the highest learning, he j' et condescended to 

 devote his time to a subject of the most domestic and homely character. 

 If his intention had been to establish a universit}^ or a magnificent 

 library, and thus to have his name transmitted to posterity", it would 

 have been easy for him to have said so, and nothing would have been 

 left to this country but to carry out his enlightened and liberal inten- 

 tions. But he had no doubt studied the peculiar character of the 

 American people and discovered that, whilst they entertained a proper 

 respect for the learning and genius of the German universities, of the 

 sciences taught in the universities of Europe, still there was some- 

 thing in the common sense and practical knowledge of that people 

 which comported with his notions; and he desired that this money 

 should be devoted to some plan of diffusing practical and useful 

 knowledge amongst them. 



Mr. MoKSE, referring to some portions of the argument of Mr. 



