THIKTY-SIXTH CONGRESS, 1859-1861. 619 



men;" and so they have got up the thing they have. I will not char- 

 acterize it, for I confess I do not know what it is. I saw an advertise- 

 ment in the National Intelligencer that there was to be an exhibition 

 there at 25 cents a ticket, or perhaps 50 cents. That is for the 

 "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." In addition to 

 perverting Mr. Smithson's benevolent and sagacious purposes, defeat- 

 ing one of the greatest ideas that ever entered into the head of a 

 benevolent scholar — instead of making such an institution as he wanted, 

 you have founded the great humbug of the land; and you propose 

 now, in addition to the $36,000, to pay them $10,000 out of the public 

 Treasury. I propose to strike it all out. Now, I am prepared to be 

 castigated by the Senator from Maryland [Mr. Pearce] just as much 

 as he pleases. 



Mr. J. C. Ten Eyck. Rather than have this discussion continued on 

 the merits of the Smithsonian Institution, I move that the Senate do 

 now adjourn. ['" Oh, no ! "] 



Mr. Fessenden. We shall have it to-morrow instead of to-day. 



Mr. H. M. Rice. The understanding was that we should sit here 

 until 5 o'clock, and then take a recess until 7 o'clock. 



Mr. L. F. S. Foster. I would suggest that the motion can not be 

 entertained. Under the order of the Senate last night the Senate 

 to-day was to take a recess from 5 o'clock to 7, and an adjournment now 

 would override the order of the Senate yesterday, and would be an 

 adjournment until to-morrow. Therefore, such a motion, I think, can 

 not be entertained. 



Mr. Ten Eyck. I withdraw the motion. 



Mr. J. A. Pearce. Mr. President 



Mr. William Bigler. There is no difficulty in taking a recess now. 



The Presiding Officer. The Senator from Maryland is entitled to 

 the floor. 



Mr. Pearce. I shall not consume much of the time of the Senate 

 by replying to the attack which the Senator from New Hampshire 

 has made on the Smithsonian Institution. Some years ago the plan 

 of that Institution was the subject of deliberate investigation by a 

 committee of the Senate. It was discussed here in this body. It wag 

 referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the 

 Judiciary approved the plan of the Institution for the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge among men. The Senator from New Hamp- 

 shire has not given us any great reason to respect his authority on this 

 subject, because he started out with a confession that he knew nothing 

 about it; and, confessing so much, I take it that the Senate will take 

 him at his word and estimate the value of his remarks at just what he 

 himself admits them to be worth. It is enough, sir, that the men who 

 composed the first Board of Regents, of which I was not one, were 

 among the best men in the country, and that they established this Insti- 



