734 COTSTGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



states \vhicli are rising into intellectual and industrial and political greatness in the 

 farthest isles and continent; from states which are younger than ourselves and bring 

 their contributions as a congratulatory offering to their elder brother. 



We have deemed it our duty to lay these facts and reflections before both Houses of 

 Congress and to represent to them that, if they, in their wisdom, think that this 

 unequaled accumulation of natural specimens and works interesting to science, the 

 evidence of the good will to us that exists among men, should 1)6 placed where it can 

 be seen and studied by the people of our own land and by travelers from abroad, it 

 will be necessary to make an appropriation for the immediate erection of a spacious 

 building. Careful inquiries have been instituted to ascertain the smallest sum which 

 would be adequate to that purpose; and the plan of a convenient structure has been 

 made by General Meigs, the Quartermaster-General, United States Army. We beg 

 leave further to represent that to accomplish the purpose there would be need of an 

 appropriation of $250,000. This amount is required not as a first installment, to be 

 followed by others, but as sufficient entirely to complete the edifice. 



Should this appropriation be made at an early day the building could ])e ready for 

 the reception of articles before the next session of Congress. 



M. K. Waite, 

 T. W. Ferry, 

 H. Hamlin, 

 J. W. Stevenson, 

 A. A. Sargent, 



HiESTER ClYMEK, 



Benj. H. Hill, 

 Geo. W. McCrary, 

 Peter Parker, 

 Asa Gray, 

 Geo. Bancroft, 

 Regents of Smithsonian Jnst'dution. 

 Washington, February 5, 1877. 



Mr. J. S. Morrill. I desire to say to the Senate that the Com- 

 mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds have already had the subject 

 before them and would have made a report before this time, but we 

 understood that the same subject was before a committee of the House, 

 where it was being favoral)!}^ considered. A.s 1 have stated in years 

 past, it has seemed to be a necessity that we should provide for a 

 National Mu.seum. It has been the opinion of the Committee on 

 Public Buildings and Grounds on the part of the Senate, I believe 

 unanimously, for some years, that we ought to take all of the squares 

 next east of the public grounds, throughout the length and breadth 

 on the north and south range of one square, taking one square in depth 

 and the whole length, for the purpose of a National Museum and Con- 

 gressional Library; and evidently this matter should be provided for 

 at once. The National Armor3^ I understand, is alreadj^ filled from 

 basement to top. 



Mr. A. A. Sargent. With boxes without any opportunity for 

 displa3^ 



Mr. Morrill. With boxes without any opportunity of displajnng 

 their contents; and there are at this time, as T am informed, at least 

 fifty carloads of articles that have been given to us by foreign gov- 



