THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-55. 581 



accord with the will of Smithson and the law of Con- 

 gress organizing the institution. 



This is the starting point of the whole controversy. It 

 is not pretended by any one that the funds have not been 

 expended in an honest effort to increase and diffuse knowl- 

 edge, but that they have not been chiefly devoted to a library 

 .as the proper instrument to effect the desired end. 



Now, as this Government is only the trustee to carry out 

 .the will of the gentleman whose money supports the insti- 

 tution, it becomes important to examine into the nature of 

 that instrument, for the law declares its true intent to be to 

 carry out "the will of the liberal and enlightened donor." 

 Sir, what is that will ? I ask gentlemen to read it, and answer 

 whether there is anything indicating that a library was re- 

 garded as the paramount object, which, like the rod of Aaron, 

 was to swallow up everything else ? The bequest, in the 

 language of the testator, is " to found at Washington an estab- 

 lishment under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, for the 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge AMONG MEN." I submit that 

 to devote the money of Smithson to the building up of a 

 library as a paramount object would neither carry out the 

 letter nor the spirit of his will. The benefit to be derived 

 from such an expenditure would necessarily be local in its 

 character, and, instead of being useful to "men" in the com- 

 prehensive sense used by Smithson, would enure to the benefit 

 of citizens of Washington, and the privileged and fortunate 

 few who might from time to time visit the capital. Such 

 .an expenditure, in my judgment, neither accords with the 

 evident intent of the will or the character and sentiments 

 of the man who made it. He did not bequeath his fortune 

 to found a library alone, or to increase and diffuse knowledge 

 among the citizens of the United States, much less among 

 the residents and visitors of Washington, but " among 

 men " m en of all classes and everywhere, and to increase 

 and diffuse every species of human knowledge. 



James 'Smithson, Mr. Chairman, was a foreigner the 

 natural son of the Duke of Northumberland and of Eliza- 

 beth, the niece of the Duke of Somerset but he was not 

 possessed of that intolerant spirit that species of religious 

 fanaticism and sectional prejudice which, I regret to see, is 

 entertained by many of our own nation. A truly wise and 

 enlightened people should not arrogate to themselves a supe- 

 riority in all things over every other part of the world, and 

 Avrap themselves in a rigid exclusiveness like the Japanese, 

 but should rather pursue that policy which would gather 

 irom other nations their best and most valuable citizens. 



