202 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



which would occupy but a few moments of the time of the 

 House. 



Mr. CRABB said if it was the universal consent of the 

 House to receive the report at that time, he had no objection 

 to give way for the purpose. But objection was made. 



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 5, 1840. 



Mr. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, from the committee to which 

 was referred the bill to provide for the disposal and man- 

 agement of the fund bequeathed by James Smithson to the 

 United States for the establishment of an institution for the 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, reported 

 an amendatory bill, accompanied by a, report, which weiv 

 committed to the Committee of the Whole on the state of 

 the Union. 



The report is as follows : 



The Select Committee, to whom was referred the bill to 

 provide for the disposal and management of tin- fund be- 

 queathed by James Smithson to the United States, for the 

 establishment of an institution for the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among men, report the same with sundry 

 amendments. 



And inasmuch as the subject of this bill, and tin- bequest 

 itself, and the institution to the establishment of which, at 

 the city of Washington, it was devoted by the testator, in- 

 volve considerations and principles other than those which 

 usually regulate the legislation of Congress; and as the 

 purposes of the bequest have, as yet, been but imperfectly 

 made known to the people of the United States, and prob- 

 ably to a large portion of the members of the House, the 

 committee submit to the indulgence of the House a stat. - 

 ment of the material facts which have hitherto occurred in 

 the tender of this fund to the United States of America, 

 and their acceptance of it, and an exposition of the motives 

 which have prevailed with the committee to propose the 

 disposal of the fund, and the provisions for its maintenance 

 and management, as they are set forth in the several sec- 

 tions of the accompanying bill. 



Mr. Adams then quotes message of President Andrew Jackson, dated 

 December 17, 1835, the correspondence of Mr. Vail and Clarke, Fynmore & 

 Fladgate, James Smithson's will, &c., and then proceeds: 



This message was referred, in the Senate, to their Com- 

 mittee on the Judiciary, which, on the 5th of January, 

 1836, presented a report favorable to the acceptance of the 



