THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-1855. 501 



no propriety in the amendment proposed by the gentleman from 

 Indiana [Mr. Mace]. 



The Smithsonian Institution is not part nor parcel of this Govern- 

 ment. It is a separate and distinct institution, quartered, it is true, 

 on the Treasury at the rate of thousands of dollars per annum; and 

 it should be kept, I think, as distinct as possible. There is no reason 

 for giving this Institution the peculiar privilege of franking its docu- 

 ments over the country in preference to other institutions of learning 

 in any part of the United States. And if you commence with this, 

 where are you to stop? This is to be the entering wedge here at the 

 seat of government. This is first to be made the favorite institution 

 for establishing the precedent to confer the franking privilege on all 

 the institutions, perhaps, of the country. And I will say to the gen- 

 tleman from Indiana [Mr. Mace] that, according to my understanding 

 and construction of the Post-Office laws, the member of Congress who 

 franks a document weighing over 2 ounces, published by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, violates the privilege conferred upon him under 

 the laws of Congress. 



Mr. MACE. Will the gentleman from Tennessee allow me to explain ? 



Mr. JONES yielded the floor. 



Mr. MACE. I will state to the gentleman that the documents franked 

 by me for the Smithsonian Institution were printed by order of Con- 

 gress, and I had the same right to frank them as I had the other public 

 Documents printed by order of Congress. 



Mr. JONES. If they were ordered by Congress, or by either House 

 of Congress, then they were public documents and came within the 

 law. And the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Mace] and every other 

 member had a right to frank them. . But the documents printed by 

 order of the Smithsonian Institution are not included among these 

 privileged matters which members of Congress are authorized to 

 frank; and, in my opinion, they should not be included. I now, 

 Mr. Speaker, move the previous question. 



Mr. E. A. WARREN. I move to lay the bill and amendment upon the 

 table. 



Mr. MACE. The gentleman from Massachusetts who reported the bill 

 has urgently appealed to me to withdraw the amendment which I have 

 proposed. I do now withdraw it. 



There was no objection, and it was withdrawn. 



March 3, 1855. 



Post-Office act for 1856. 



SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That all books, maps, charts, or 

 other publications, entered for copyright, and which, under the act of 

 August 10, 1846, are required to be deposited in the Library of Con- 

 gress, and in the Smithsonian Institution, may be sent through the 



