170 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



Washington be, and hereby are, authorized to prepare and report a plan o 

 an institution, to be called the Smithsonian Institution, to be founded 01 

 the bequest of Mr. James Smithson, of London, and to report the same t 

 the Senate at the next session of Congress. 



SENATE, March 1, 1839. 



The Senate proceeded to consider the motion submittec 

 yesterday by Mr. Bobbins respecting a Smithsonian Institu 

 tion; and, on motion by Mr. CLAY, of Alabama, ordere( 

 that it lie on the table. 



PKOCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 5, 1838. 

 On motion of Mr. CHILDS, 



Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this Hous 

 (if the same can be done without prejudice to the public service) all th 

 documents and information in his possession relative to the prosecution o 

 the claim to the Smithsonian bequest ; also, what duty has been performed 

 and remains to be performed, by the agent employed at London, in refer 

 ence to said claim, and how the money heretofore appropriated by Congres 

 has been applied. 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Jane 28, 1838. 



Mr. RENCHER, on leave, submitted the following resolu 

 tion ; which was agreed to : 



^Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means inquire into the expe 

 diency of authorizing a temporary investment of the Smithsonian legacy 

 as soon as it shall be received by the President of the United States. 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 2, 1838. 



Mr. CAMBRELENG, from the Committee of Ways anc 

 Means, reported the following bill : 



[H. R. No. 863.] 



A BILL to provide for the investment of money received under the will o 



th,e late James Smithson, of London. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Unitec 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That all money arising from the 

 bequest of the late James Smithson, of London, for the purpose of found- 

 ing at Washington, in this District, an institution to be denominated the 

 Smithsonian Institution, shall be paid into the Treasury, and invested bj 

 the^Secretary of the Treasury, with the approbation of the President of the 

 United States, in stock of the United States, to be created for that purpose, 

 bearing interest at the rate of six per centum per annum, payable annually; 

 that the certificates for said stock shall be issued by the Secretary of the 

 Treasury to the President, who shall hold the same in trust for the uses 

 specified in the last will and testament of said Smithson, until provision is 

 made by law for carrying the purpose of said bequest into effect; and thai 

 the annual interest accruing on the stock aforesaid shall be in like manner 

 invested for the benefit of said institution. 



