672 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. No, sir; $4,000 is the usual appropri- 

 ation, and I see no reason why, in the present condition of our finances, 

 we should increase it. 



Mr. PRUYN. I withdraw my amendment; but I hope the committee 

 will agree to vote at least $6,000 for this purpose. 



Mr. LEWIS SELYE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the amendment. 

 I would like to know of what this Institution consists. I would like 

 the gentleman from New York [Mr. Pruyn] or the gentleman from 

 Vermont [Mr. Poland] to tell us how many of his constituents ever saw 

 this Institution or ever will see it or ever want to see it? It is enough 

 to make any man or woman sick to visit that Institution. No one can 

 expect to get any benefit from it. I am opposed, sir, to taxing my 

 constituents $7,000 a year to keep up any such institution. 



Mr. POLAND. In accordance with what seems to be the wish of gen- 

 tlemen around me, I modify my amendment so as to make the amount 

 $5,000. 



On the amendment of Mr. Poland as modified there were ayes 50, 

 noes 53. 



Mr. POLAND called for tellers. 



Tellers were ordered, and Mr. R. P. Spalding and Mr. L. Selye were 

 appointed. 



The committee divided, and the tellers reported ayes 40, noes 55. 



Amendment not agreed to. 



Mr. GINERY TWICHELL. I move to amend by striking out "one" 

 and inserting "four," so as to make the paragraph read: 



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

 of the Government, $4,000. 



Agreed to. 

 May 1, 1868 House. 



The Speaker (Mr. S. COLFAX) laid before the House a communica- 

 tion from the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. 



On motion of Mr. J. A. Garfield, referred to the Committee on 

 Appropriations and ordered to be printed: 



To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, etc.: 



In behalf of the Board, of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, the undersigned 

 beg leave respectfully to submit to your honorable body the following statement, and 

 to solicit such action in regard to it as may be deemed just and proper. 



The act of Congress organizing the Institution ordered the erection of a building 

 which should accommodate, on a liberal scale, besides a library and a gallery of art, 

 a museum, consisting of all the specimens of natural history, geology, and art which 

 then belonged to the Government, or which might thereafter come into its posses- 

 sion by exchange or otherwise. Although the majority of the Regents did not con- 

 sider the maintenance of these objects to be in accordance with the intention of 

 Smithson, as inferred from a strict interpretation of the terms of his will, yet in 

 obedience to the commands of Congress they proceeded to erect a building of the 

 necessary dimensions and to take charge of the Government collections. 



