444 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



Regents, and, without participating in them, it would be difficult to 

 comprehend all its designs. The Board of Regents had endeavored in 

 good faith to carry out the law passed by Congress; and, having done 

 so, he said, let them go on; and if their affairs .should hereafter call 

 for the appointment of a select committee, appoint one when required, 

 but do not now provide the means unnecessarily of constantly bring- 

 ing on this floor, where they were so much oppressed with debate, 

 the affairs of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Mr. WHITE disclaimed all hostility to that Institution, and declared 

 his ardent desire to cooperate with the Regents. The bequest was a 

 noble one, and it should be carried out in the same spirit. The com- 

 mittee which he proposed to create, on which he did not desire to be 

 placed, would merely supervise the appropriations and review its 

 affairs, and his could not, therefore, be considered a hostile motion. 

 It was a new Institution, under the care and guardianship of Congress, 

 and such a committee might be necessary to report what was useful 

 and requisite to carry out the design of the testator, which was to 

 increase the diffusion of knowledge among men. 



Mr. C. J. INGERSOLL suggested, to save time, that the resolution 

 should be referred to the Select Committee on Rules, who could take 

 it into consideration and report thereon to the House. 



Mr. WHITE had no objection to that course. He modified his res- 

 olution accordingly, and it was referred to the select committee 

 designated. 

 December 19, 1847 House. 



The House having under consideration the Rules of the House, the 

 seventh proposed rule was read as follows: 



7. In addition to the other standing committees of the House, there shall be one 

 called the Smithsonian Committee, whose duty it shall be to superintend the affairs 

 of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Mr. C. J. INGERSOLL expressed a desire to postpone the considera- 

 tion of this rule to a future day. 



Mr. II. W. HILLIARD said he desired to occupy about ten minutes 

 of the time of the House on this subject at this time. He thought 

 this was the precise occasion on which a few words should be said. 



Mr. IXGERSOLL had no objection; but as the other rules had been 

 disposed of, he wished to defer this for the present. 



Mr. HILLIARD undertook to move the postponement to a day certain, 

 and then proceeded as follows: 



Mr. Speaker, it so happens that I am the only member of the Board 

 of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution now entitled to a seat on 

 this floor. It is important to secure the good-will of the country in 

 behalf of an enterprise so elevated one might say, so sublime. 



There exists some misconception in regard to the Institution, and 

 idle rumors are afloat which may affect it injuriously. Scientific 



