THIRTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS, 1861-1863. 633 



chusetts. bo, and he is hereby, appointed a member of the said board 

 to fill the vacancy occasioned by the expulsion of Mr. Badger. 

 (Stat., XII, 825.) 



CARE OF GOVERNMENT COLLECTIONS. 



January 8, 1862 House. 



Mr. W. S. HOLMAN. I move to amend by striking out the following 

 clause [from appropriation bill]: 



For preservation of the collections of the exploring and surveying expeditions of 

 the Government, $4,000. 



I understand this to be an appropriation for the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution nothing more and nothing less. It is an appropriation of 

 $4,000 for the purpose of assisting in keeping up the museum con- 

 nected with that establishment. I find in the last report of the Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution a clause which I will ask to have 

 read in order to indicate how this money is applied. 



The extract was read by the Clerk. It states that the annual appropriation of 

 $4,000 made by Congress for keeping the collections of the exploring and surveying 

 expeditions of the United States has been expended, under the direction of the Sec- 

 retary of the Interior, in assisting to pay the extra expenses of assistants and the cost 

 of arranging and preserving the specimens. This has served to diminish the cost to 

 the Smithsonian fund for the maintenance and exhibition of the museum, but is by 

 no means sufficient to defray all the expenses of that object. 



Mr. HOLMAN. I submit the amendment to strike out the clause; and 

 I desire to say, in addition to the explanation contained in the extract 

 just read, that according to the last report made b} T the Secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution there seems to be on hand, of the appro- 

 priations for the last few years, the sum of $55,148.09. This amount 

 of money is under the control of that Institution $30,910.14 being 

 annually paid out of the Treasury of the United States for its main- 

 tenance. It is very true that this is interest on money which the Gov- 

 ernment assumed to pay money which seems to have been loaned 

 out many years ago, and lost. Still it is a direct charge on the 

 Treasury. 



Now it seems to me that one of the most desirable features in con 

 nection with the Smithsonian Institution, and that which gives to it 

 any degree of popularity, is the museum for the preservation of which 

 this appropriation is designed to be made; and it seems to me that, 

 with so large a fund as that Institution now has in its hands, and inas- 

 much as its object is the diffusion of knowledge among mankind, and 

 as the museum is as effectual in accomplishing that purpose as any 

 other, this $4,000 can very well be paid for such an object out of the 

 annual appropriation. I therefore make the motion that this entire 

 section be stricken out. 



