FORTIETH CONGRESS, 1867-1869. 671 



b} r the destructive and ruinous fire that occurred there in 1865. It 

 seems to me there can be no question but what the appropriation for 

 this purpose should be at least $6,000. 



Mr. CHARLES UPSON. Who has the disbursing of this money, and 

 what account is ever rendered to anyone of the manner in which it 

 was expended? 



Mr. POLAND. It is disbursed under the care of Professor Henry, 

 one of the most prudent men in the country, and it is all reviewed by 

 the Board of Regents. 



Mr. E. B. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. The Committee on Appropria- 

 tions thought that $1,000 a year was about as much as the people of 

 this country desire to pay to preserve the collections of the exploring 

 and surveying expeditions of the Government. The amount appro- 

 priated heretofore has been much larger, as the gentleman from Ver- 

 mont [Mr. Poland] has. said. I had a conversation this morning with 

 Professor Henry, who stated to me how this appropriation was to be 

 used. From what he told me I am willing to admit that there should 

 be appropriated a much larger sum than the committee have reported 

 in this bill, though not so much as $6,000, as the gentleman from Ver- 

 mont has proposed. The Professor himself expressed himself satisfied 

 with $4,000, the usual annual appropriation for this purpose. 



Mr. POLAND. It may be true that Professor Henry did not desire to 

 have the friends of the Smithsonian Institution to get into a contro- 

 versy with the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Washburne], for he knew 

 too well how much was involved in that; and "to buy his peace," as 

 lawyers say, he agreed to take $4,000 instead of asking for $6,000. He , 

 tells me, and I have no doubt tells the gentleman, that $6,000 is needed, 

 and that he ought to have it. 



Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I understood that he would be entirely 

 satisfied with $4,000; and I will say that instead of losing anything 

 by any controversy with me he would certainly obtain an additional 

 amount here by getting into any such controversy. Will the gentle- 

 man from Vermont [Mr. Poland] consent to modify the amendment 

 by making the amount $4,000? 



Mr. POLAND. No, sir. 



Mr. J. V. L. PRUYN. Mr. Chairman, I move pro forma to amend 

 the amendment by making the amount $7,500. I am prepared to cor- 

 roborate in all substantial particulars the statement made by the gen- 

 tleman from Vermont [Mr. Poland]. It is quite impossible that these 

 collections can be taken care of for a less silm than five or six thousand 

 dollars. They occupy the large hall of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 the best part of the whole building. The rent of such a room anywhere 

 else in this city would cost as much as the appropriation asked for. 

 If the gentleman from Illinois will agree to an appropriation of $5,000, 

 I will modify my amendment so as to name that sum. 



