708 CONGRESSIONAL PKOCEEDINGS. 



of Massachusetts, in place of Louis Agassiz, deceased; J. I). Dana, of 

 Connecticut, in place of Theodore D. Woojsey; Henry Coppee, in place 

 of W. B. Astor; and John Maclean and Peter Parker, whose terms 

 have expired, are to be reappointed. 



Mr. HORACE MAYNARD. Will the gentleman allow me to occupy one 

 moment? I introduced yesterday and had referred to this committee 

 a resolution in accordance with an idea I entertained, but had had no 

 occasion to express specially that the Smithsonian Institution, founded 

 and endowed by the munificence of a British subject "to increase and 

 diffuse knowledge among men," should be made, so far as possible, 

 national in its character. Now, in looking at the list of Regents, I 

 find that while they are all most excellent and eminent men (and I hope 

 the day is far distant when any section of our country will not have 

 eminent and distinguished men enough to more than furnish the list 

 of Regents), the appointments are at present limited geographically. 



I suggest to the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor 

 whether, as a matter of wise policy, it 'would not be well to emphasize 

 the national character of the Institution by extending geographically 

 the citizenship of the gentlemen constituting the Board of Regents. 

 With this view I have proposed, in the joint resolution introduced 

 by me yesterday, that one member of the board shall be a distinguished 

 and eminent citizen of my own State. I refer to Rev. Dr. Thomas 

 W. Humes, president of the University of East Tennessee, a citizen 

 by birth and continued residence in that State, and a gentleman of 

 great attainments and high personal character not that he is more 

 distinguished, more worthy, or in any respect superior to the gentle- 

 men who have been named. I make no such claim. But this gentle- 

 man, if appointed, will be the representative of a large region of our 

 country the great Southwest (embracing also a portion of the South 

 and of the West), whose scientific possibilities are very great whose 

 scientific resources, if I may use that expression, have been hitherto 

 very largely unconsidered and undeveloped. It has seemed to me wise 

 to include in the Board of Regents a representative from that very 

 large portion of our common country. 



I do not wish it to be understood that I would not accept as readily 

 any other distinguished name that might be suggested that would rep- 

 resent the same general region of country, but I certainly think it 

 would give greater effect and importance to the labors of that Insti- 

 tution to have its regency distributed more generally throughout the 

 country. 1 am reminded by gentlemen sitting near me that there is 

 no one on that board from either the South or the West. 



I bring this subject generally before the House. I move to substi- 

 tute the name of Thomas W. Humes, a citizen of Tennessee, for that 

 of Henry Coppee. of Pennsylvania. 



Mr. G. F. HOAR. Mr. Speaker, it may possibly interest the House 



