346 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



eating house ! Now, as to the formation of a society for the- 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge, that was well enough ; 

 but he did not want to see these things take a literary and 

 scientific name for the purpose of thrusting their hands 

 into the Treasury. He did not want to see corporations or 

 men under high sounding titles, and professing beneficial 

 objects, formed in this capital with a view to enter into the 

 control of the public funds. He saw no reason why AVO 

 should not give the control of this fund to some literary in- 

 stitution in "Philadelphia or Boston, with as much propriety 

 as to the National Institute. 



The constitution did not give us charge of the mind and 

 genius of the American people. It was the privilege of a 

 despot, not of a free government, to control the mind and 

 direct the genius of the people; and he wished to see no 

 institution for that purpose established in the capital of the 

 United States, by which the American people are to think, 

 and read, and speak. Gentlemen were mistaken if they 

 imagined that, because such institutions exist in France 

 and other parts of Europe, they were doing a service to the 

 American people in undertaking to pursue the same course 

 in this country, or under our Government. Our Govern- 

 ment is the creature of the public mind, and not the creator. 

 In Europe, where monarchies, crowns, and thrones sustain 

 themselves by controlling the thoughts of the people, it is- 

 different; but our Government stands upon the thoughts of 

 the people, and is controlled by them. We have no right 

 to presume that the people are so ignorant that we ought to 

 legislate for enlightening them. We are here to receive 

 their instructions, not to impart instruction to them. It is 

 no part of our duty to do so. It is presumption in us to 

 assume the duty. 



On these grounds, and others which Mr. A. enforced with 

 great ^ energy, he not only opposed the amendment, but 

 signified his intention of voting against the whole project. 



Mr. WALKER said that, on this occasion, he was likely to 

 be placed in a small minority. In relation to the denunci- 

 ation which the Senate had just heard upon this floor of the 

 National Institute, and the charge that it commenced out 

 of a desire to monopolize the Smithsonian fund, he need 

 only to say that it commenced long before that fund was 

 received. It originated with a distinguished member of 

 the cabinet of Mr. Van Buren, now in honorable retire- 

 ment; and from no individual did it receive more encour- 

 agement, or stronger marks of approbation, than from ex- 

 President Van Buren himself, by numerous valuable pres- 



