THIRTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS, 1861-1863. 635 



remarks he has made; but as I am not yet sworn in as one of the 

 Regents I must refer him for more particular information to the gen- 

 tleman from Ohio. 



Mr. S. S. Cox. One word, sir. My friend from Indiana [Mr. Hoi- 

 man], who has been placed under my charge by the gentleman from 

 Indiana over the way [Mr. Colfax], has made an attack upon this appro- 

 priation and based his attack upon the expenditure of the Smithsonian 

 fund. He finds fault with the action of the Regents. In other words, 

 he finds fault because they have taken the interest upon the fund left 

 by that philanthropic Englishman Smithson and appropriated some 

 $6,000 of it for the salaries of officers. I submit, sir, that the gentle- 

 man has no right and that the House has no right to inquire into the 

 expenditure of that fund. 



Mr. HOLMAN. Is not the interest upon that fund appropriated by 

 Congress ? 



Mr. Cox. The expenditure of the interest upon the Smithsonian fund 

 is under the direction of the Regents and nobody else. Congress has 

 nothing to do with it. All that Congress gives is simply the small 

 amount of $4,000 to aid Smithson in his effort to diffuse useful knowl- 

 edge among men and women also. I hope the motion made by the 

 gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Colfax] will, however, prevail. I hope 

 this amount may be cut down to 'the extent of $1,000 to satisfy my 

 economical friend on my right [Mr. Holman]. I hope a small reduc- 

 tion will be made upon all these items to satisfy my friend from 

 Indiana, and I think we might spare $1,000 from this amount for that 

 purpose. 



Mr. THADDEUS STEVENS. I wish to ask the gentleman from Ohio 

 whether this is not the sum which has always been appropriated for 

 this purpose, and whether that sum has not always been found neces- 

 sary for the purpose of collecting and distributing these collections? 



Mr. Cox. I suppose the chairman of the Committee on Ways and 

 Means is perfectly familiar with these matters. I can not answer, not 

 having yet been sworn in as a Regent. 



Mr. STEVENS. I rose to ask the question, supposing that I had no 

 right to answer it myself, when one of the Regents was present. 

 If the gentleman from Ohio will give me leave to answer, I will state 

 that this sum has always been appropriated, and the officers of the Insti- 

 tution report that it is necessary for these purposes. 



Mr. COLFAX. I withdraw my amendment. 



Mr. HOLMAN. I renew the amendment. Before the question is 

 taken on it, I desire to state that the sum of $30,000 is always appro- 

 priated in payment of the interest on this Smithsonian fund, although 

 the Government itself has never received any benefit from the fund, 

 and it is only equitably liable for the interest upon it. Out of that 

 sum, as I have stated, $6,500 is paid in the shape of salaries, and if my 



