THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 339 



the Senate by the Hou. Jefteisoii Davis, that it was ajiitt whith ought 

 not to be pressed upon the institution."* 



In his report for 1851, Prof. Henry, sure of his position, spoke still 

 more boldly. " It is to be regretted," said he, "tliat ( -ougress did not 

 leave the entire choice of the plan of organization to those who weretoi 

 be intrusted with the management of the bequest." 



These plain words were called forth by the fact that the building 

 was still untinished, and that a large additional appropriation from 

 the fund was required to make it ready for occupation. 



It is worth while to remember that his previous impressions of 

 museums, or at least of recent years, had doul)tless been founded ui)on 

 the cabinet iu the National Institute, which, before Prof. Henry came 

 to Washington, had become completely torpid. Its collections, housed 

 in a hall not under its control, belonged to it only in name. The mis- 

 cellaneous assemblage of specimens in the hall of the Patent Office had 

 been well describcnl in the Smithsonian charter by the name "National 

 Cabinet of Curiosities," for it did not deserve to be called a museum. 



Prof. Henry evidently had that in mind in protesting against "a 

 l)romiscuous collecticm," but for the first time explains that he does 

 not underrate "the (scientific) importance of collections in themselves." 



The following quotation will show, however, tlmt he was not so 

 averse to the museum idea as he had formerly been, although very 

 doubtful as to the advisability of accejiting aid from Congress: 



The museum is to consist, according to the law of Congress and the 

 terms of the compromise, of "objects of art, <»f foreign and curious 

 research, and of natural history: of i»lants, and geological and min- 

 eralogical specimens." It would, however, be unwise in the Institution 

 to attemiit the formation of full collections of all these objects, or, in 

 other words, to form an establishment similar to that of the British 

 Museum. Tlie whole income devoted to this oljject would be entirely 

 inadequate. The portion of the main building appropriated to the 

 museum consists of a single room 200 teet hmg by 50 feet wide. This 

 space maybe entirely filled in the course of three years, without the 

 purchase of a single article, if the means he adoi)ted which present 

 themselves at tlie scat of Goveriunent for making collections. But 

 when this space is filled the accumulation of specimens must cease, or 

 an addition be made to the building, which, to harmonize with the 

 ju'esent edifice, would involve a large ex])enditure. The question then 

 arises, from what source is this money to be obtained ? It can not be 

 derived from the annual income of the capital, for this would crip])le 

 the more important operations. It may be said that Congress will 



* The Natioual Miiseuui, althougli the desigiiatiou proposed in Mr. Ingersoll's 

 auiendmeut to the Owen bill for the Smithsouian Institution was never legally 

 sanctioned, was understood to be under the charge of the Smithsonian from the 

 time of its incorporation. The museum clauses of the charter were so understood 

 by thetirst regents and by Prof. Henry, who, in his first programme of organization, 

 in 1847, wrote: "When the building is completed, and when iu accordance with 

 the act of Congress the cluirge of the National Museum is given to the Smithsoiiiau 

 Institution, other assistants will be ret|uiredv. " 



