TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1845-47. 447 



If the plan had defects, time would develop them, and the 

 proper remedy could be applied. 



Mr. FICKLIN opposed the bill. He thought, however, 

 that the good faith of the Government required that this 

 money should be considered as being in the Treasury, and 

 that we could not excuse ourselves by saying that the. fund 

 had been loaned out to the States, and "could not now be 

 realized. 



The objections which he entertained to the bill applied 

 to all its sections ; but to the first, his objection was radical. 

 He alluded to the connection to be established between this 

 institution and the Treasury of the United States. A mil- 

 lion of dollars would be required to meet the deficiency in 

 this Smithsonian bequest. 



He was willing to expend the money for a library ; or in 

 carrying out the propositions of a substitute bill which he 

 had prepared in building a house and providing a library, 

 and for scientific apparatus. He was in favor of any sys- 

 tem, or plan, by which the fund could be disconnected from 

 the Treasury of the United States. 



Mr. OWEN desired to inquire whether the gentleman pro- 

 posed to appropriate the principal, or the interest only? 



Mr. FICKLIN said he was willing that the gentleman and 

 others who were the peculiar friends of the bill, should take 

 their own course in that respect. He (Mr. Ficklin) was will- 

 ing to apply the whole of the principal, or a part of it, to 

 keep up whatever institution might be adopted ; or he was 

 willing that the sum of $500,000 should be loaned to some 

 natural or artificial person, and that the interest alone 

 should be applied. He was indifferent on that point. The 

 great object he had in view was, he repeated, the discon- 

 nection of the fund from the public Treasury. He was for 

 any bill in preference to this. 



Mr. OWEN. Does the gentleman understand that one dol- 

 lar, except that belonging to the Smithsonian fund, is ap- 

 propriated by this bill either presently or prospectively ? 



Mr. FICKLIN. The first section of the bill connects the 

 fund with the Treasury places it in the Treasury. 



Mr. OWEN. Xot places it there ; it was placed there eight 

 years ago. 



Mr. FICKLIN. Exactly so; but this bill recognizes it there 

 by law. Then the interest is to be paid upon the money, 

 out of the Treasury. This is sucking the life-blood from 

 the Treasury. We do not want to create a perpetual debt 

 of interest upon half a million of money, to be paid whilst 

 this Government endures. We want no such polypus no 



