THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-1855. 489 



of the Institution. The building will be completed in a few months in fireproof 

 materials, and in a very substantial manner, and besides the money required to pay 

 the contractor there is now on hand $150,000 of accrued interest. 



This sum the Regents ask to be allowed to place in the Treasury of the United 

 States with the original bequest, and to add to it, from time to time, such other sums 

 as may come into their possession by donation or otherwise until the sum thus added 

 shall amount to $ . 



The sole object of this bequest is the permanent investment and perpetual security 

 of the accumulated fund, and when your honorable body is assured that the opera- 

 tions of the Institution have received the approbation of the wise and good in every 

 part of the world where literature and science are cultivated, the undersigned trusts 

 that the request will be granted. 



And your petitioner will ever pray, etc. 



JOSEPH HENRY, 



Secretary of Smithsonian Institution. 

 December 5, 1854 House. 



Mr. Jos. R. CHANDLER offered the following resolution: 



Resolved, That the special committee to whom, at the last session of Congress, was 

 referred the subject of the investment of the funds of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 be continued with its powers and duties. 



The Speaker (Mr. LINN BOYD). With the permission of the House, 

 the Chair would remark that all the select committees appointed at the 

 last session expired, as a matter of course, with the last session. If 

 not objected to, a general order will be entered to continue those com- 

 mittees which did not report in full at the last session. 



Mr. PETER ROWE. I object. 



The SPEAKER. The question will then be upon the resolution offered 

 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania. 



Resolution agreed to. 

 March 3, 1855 House. 



Mr. Jos. R. CHANDLER, of Pennsylvania, from the select com- 

 mittee to inquire into the expediency of withdrawing from the Treas- 

 ury of the United States the Smithsonian fund, and investing it in 

 sound stocks, reported that immediately after the appointment of a 

 committee the chairman addressed a letter to the Secretary of the 

 Treasury, inquiring into the history and present state of the Smith- 

 sonian fund. To that letter the following answer was received: 



TREASURY DEPARTMENT, March 6, 1854. 



SIR: I duly received your letter of the 4th of January last, inclosing a copy of the 

 following resolution, adopted by the House of Representatives on the 3d of that 

 month : ' 'Resolved, That a select committee, consisting of nine members, be appointed 

 and instructed to inquire into the expediency of withdrawing from the Treasury of 

 the United States the Smithsonian fund, and investing the same in sound stocks, or 

 in such other way as may be to the interest of said fund," and requesting a statement 

 of the amount of the Smithsonian fund in possession of the Department, or under its 

 control, and the amount of interest accruing thereon, with any other information 

 that may assist the committee in the discharge of the duty enjoined by said resolu- 

 tion. In compliance with your request, I have the honor to transmit herewith the 

 accompanying statements, marked A, B, C, and D. 



