THIETY-SIXTH CONGEESS, 1859-1861. ()17 



transportation." As to favoritism, I say it is not possible, because 

 there is an abundance of these collections to answer the calls of every 

 institution in the country. 



Mr. Thomas Bragg. 1 think the difficulty may be obviated by an 

 amendment which I have prepared, though I suppose my amendment 

 will not be in order at this time, as I understand there is an amend- 

 ment pending to the amendment. 



The Presiding Officer. The question now is on striking out. 



Mr. Fessenden. On striking out what nobody objects to strik- 

 ing out. 



Mr. Bragg. This, 1 think, will accord with the idea of the Senator 

 from Maryland, to follow the amendment offered by the committee: 



Such distril^ution to be only to institutions willing to receive the same, and at their 

 own expense. 



The Presiding Officer. The question is on striking out. 



Mr. J. P. Hale. Is it in order to move to strike out more words 

 with those which the committee propose to strike out? 



The Presiding Officer. Perhaps it would be in order as an amend- 

 ment to the amendment; but the Chair would suggest to the Senator 

 that it would be better to take the question on striking out the words 

 which the committee proposes to strike out. 



Mr. Hale. I agree to that. 



The Presiding Officer. The question is on striking out the words 

 which have been read. 



The motion to strike out was agreed to. 



The Presiding Officer. The question now is on the amendment of 

 the Committee on Finance, to insert the following words: 



For the distribution of the collections of the exploring and surveying expeditions 

 of the Government, and the construction of additional cases to receive such part of 

 said collections as may be retained by the Government, $6,000. 



The Senator from North Carolina moves to amend the amendment 

 by adding to it: 



Such distribution to be only to institutions willing to receive the same, and at 

 their own expense. 



The question is on the amendment to the amendment. 



Mr. Hale. 1 am opposed to the whole of this, from beginning to 

 end. I have been in Congress I do not know how many years; but 

 about as long as the Smithsonian Institution has been in existence. 

 I have devoted some time every year, more or less, to finding out 

 what on earth that Smithsonian Institution was for; I have had friends 

 who have visited Washington, who have told me that they were going 

 to examine it to find out; and I have asked them repeatedly, if any of 

 them had found it out, to tell me. The New York Tribune — I do not 

 often quote from that paper, for it is never very complimentary to 



