

TWENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, 1835-37. 155 



mitted, to indicate the plan or organization of the institu- 

 tion to be founded. At present, it would be entirely pre- 

 mature to do so, because the first step was to obtain the 

 funds, leaving the application of them to future legislation. 

 The bill provides that the President of the United States 

 shall appoint an agent to prosecute the claim in the Court 

 of Chancery in England, where the funds are locked up in 

 behalf of the United States, and on the receipt of them, to 

 give the proper discharge or acquittance for the same. 



Sir, the bequest of James Smithson, amounting to nearly 

 half a million of dollars, is among the most liberal benefac- 

 tions upon record. Coming, too, as it does, from a citizen 

 of Great Britain, who is not known to have visited the 

 United States, or to have had any friends residing here, it 

 may be regarded as a distinguished tribute of respect paid 

 by a foreigner and stranger to the free institutions of our 

 country. It is due to the memory and character of the 

 donor, that suitable publicity should be given to this no'ble 

 and generous act of public munificence ; it is due, also, as 

 the acknowledgment of the grateful sense of Congress, in 

 behalf of the people of the United States, for whose benefit 

 the bequest \vas made ; and it is in an especial manner neces- 

 sary, in order to call the attention of men distinguished for 

 learning and talents in all parts of the Union to the subject, 

 for the purpose of obtaining an expression of their views 

 and opinions in regard to the plan and organization of the 

 institution proposed to be established. This splendid bene- 

 faction confers immortality upon the individual by whom it 

 was bestowed, and does honor to the age in which we live. 



Mr. C. concluded by expressing the hope, that the motion 

 to print would be adopted by the House, without a dissent- 

 ing voice. 



Mr. PARKER said the House had not entirely got out of a 

 debate which had arisen upon a bill which was intended to 

 provide for their own pay, in reference to the alleged exces- 

 sive expenditures of the contingent fund of the House, for 

 the item of printing. A great deal of complaint was made 

 on the occasion alluded to, because of the number of Presi- 

 dent's Messages ordered to be printed by the House. He 

 was so case-hardened, that he would upon a like occasion, 

 do the same thing again. He was, however, not prepared 

 to vote for the proposition before the House. The report 

 was doubtless an able one, but he could see no reason why 

 five times the number which were necessary for the infor- 

 mation of the House should be printed. It would be recol- 

 lected that a report had been made in the Senate on this 



