TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-47. 411 



events, now beyond our control, and no portion of it has 

 been yet applied to the noble ends of the bequest. The 

 difficulties which have thus far prevented the application of 

 the fund to its proper uses still exist, and are of a character 

 not likely to be removed. Our Government has no depart- 

 ment which can be conveniently charged with the adminis- 

 tration of the charity, and must, therefore, begin with the 

 organization of one for that special purpose. In this incip- 

 ient step, we meet with obstacles at every corner. Questions 

 are at once raised that are not yet solved, and are certainly 

 in themselves of no easy solution. How far can, how far 



ought ^ Congress to act in the direct control of the charity 



how far should it make specific what the will of the testator 

 has left general ? If Congress shall direct the particular 

 uses to which the fund shall be applied, what shall those 

 uses be ? Or shall we, on the other hand, delegate the 

 trust ; and, if so, shall we impose its duties on departments 

 already too heavily burdened with official responsibilities, 

 or shall we create a corporation or other special agency for 

 the purpose ? Is there not danger that the institution will 

 be abused for party ends, and merely serve to swell the 

 already overgrown patronage of the Executive ? A previ- 

 ous suggestion of these difficulties might well have led us 

 to hesitate, before we contracted obligations of so delicate 

 a character, and I fear they are yet destined for some time 

 longer to impede the satisfactory action of Congress. 



But it is now quite time that we apply ourselves in earn- 

 est to the work of redeeming our country from the reproach 

 of infidelity in the discharge of so high and solemn a trust, 

 and that at the earliest practicable period, and before the 

 subject shall become an element in our party dissensions, 

 we strive to make available to our fellow-citizens, and to all 

 men, a gift as splendid as its purposes are noble. 



The delay, long and unwarrantable as it is, has not been 

 without its issues. It has afforded abundant time for the 

 collection, comparison, and concentration of opinion ; able 

 men in every walk of scholastic and professional life have 

 been consulted ; many of the wisest American statesmen 

 have brought the energies of their intellects to the exami- 

 nation of the subject; it has been largely discussed in both 

 branches of the National Legislature ; numerous studiously 

 considered plans have been suggested, providing in different 

 ways for every interest which can be supposed to be em- 

 braced within the views of the testator, and the bill now 

 before us is a compilation, an anthology, so to speak, from 

 all these, though possessing original features valuable 



