oy0 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



Even in a trifle like this wo may trace the utilitarian sim- 

 plicity and practical benevolence of James Smithson. 



The will determines the name of the institution, and ren- 

 ders imperative its location at Washington. It decides also, 

 that a Smithsonian Institution shall have two distinct objects : 

 one to increase the sum of human knowledge, the other to 

 aid in its diffusion : for we cannot imagine the terms to have 

 been employed as synonymous. From the character of the 

 testator's pursuits, we may fairly infer, further, that a Smith- 

 sonian bill, framed in accordance with the evident intentions 

 of Smithson himself, must include the natural sciences, and 

 especially chemistry, together with their application to the 

 useful arts of life, among the branches of knowledge to 

 be increased and diffused. And, as his own habits were 

 frugal and unostentatious, so, in all its details, should be 

 the institution that bears his name. 



Suffer me now briefly to pass in review the hiMory of our 

 legislative proceedings in this matter. 



The money was paid into the United States Treasury on 

 the 1st of September, lS:)s. o n the Hth of December, of 

 the same year, President Van Buren sent a message to Con- 

 gress, informing that body, that he had in July, 1838, direc- 

 ted the Secretary of State " to apply to persons versed in 

 science, and familiar with the subject of public education, 

 as to the mode of disposing of the fund best calculated to 

 meet the intentions of the testator, and prove most benefi- 

 cial to mankind." 



From the wording of this message we may infer that Mr. 

 Van Buren considered the advancement of science and of 

 public education the proper object of a Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. 



He communicated to Congress the replies received. A 

 brief abstract of the more important of these may be use- 

 ful and interesting at this time. 



Professor Way land proposed a university of a high grade 

 to teach Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and the Oriental languages, 

 together with a long list of other branches, including rhet- 

 oric and poetry, intellectual philosophy, the law of nations, 

 Ac. A bill substantially based upon this recommendation, 

 was introduced in 1839, into the Senate: and, on the 25th 

 of February of that year, after full debate, was laid on the 

 table by a vote of twenty to fifteen. 



Dr. Cooper proposed a university, to be opened only to 

 graduates of other colleges, to teach the higher branches of 

 mathematics, including its application to astronomy, chem- 

 istry, &c.; also, the principles of botany and agriculture. 



