584 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



and their prices fluctuate in the market as other articles of 

 merchandise ; one year it might be expedient to make large 

 purchases, and another less. Who is to determine? Surely 

 the Board of Regents would best know what to buy, when, 

 and in what quantities, and the law very properly confers 

 upon them such discretion. It does not require the rapid 

 accumulation of a library ; but, on the contrary, expressly 

 provides, in the eighth section, "for the gradual formation 

 of a library, composed of valuable works;" and that, sir, is 

 exactly what I understand to be the wish and design of a 

 majority of the present Board. Why, sir, the institution 

 has alre.-idy, by purchase and through the medium of ex- 

 changes, collected fourteen thousand volumes and eleven 

 thousand parts of volumes, estimated to be worth 40,000; 

 and if any regent or officer contemplates the abandonment 

 of the gradual formation of a library of valuable works, as 

 prescribed in the act of Congress, I am ignorant of the fact, 

 and believe no such disposition is entertained. 



While lam opposed to making the library tin- principal 

 and controlling feature of the institution, I regard it as one 

 of the important instruments to be used in accomplishing 

 the desired end, and hold that it ought neither to be aban- 

 doned nor neglected. This was my opinion in the begin- 

 ning. It is my decided opinion now. 



But, sir, I do not understand that even the distinguished 

 secretary of the institution, Professor Henry, who is gener- 

 ally supposed to be hostile to what is commonly called the 

 library plan especially favored by Mr. Choate and Pro- 

 fessor Jewett to differ essentially, or even materially, from 

 my position upon this subject. 



Professor Henry, in a late communication, solemnly as- 

 sures the board that, so long as. the present law of Congress 

 remains unchanged, and until other means can be afforded 

 for their support, he has no idea of proposing to dispense 

 with a library, museum, or gallery of art, He expressly 

 says, "A library such as the "institution may collect by its 

 exchanges, and judicious purchases, and a museum of -spe- 

 cial objects of research, though not absolutely necessary to 

 carry on the active operations, would form one harmonious 

 system, and could be properly supported by the present in- 

 come." 



I repeat, Mr. Chairman, that there is no disposition to 

 destroy the plan of a library such as the law contemplates, 

 but there is a disposition to prevent a library from overtop- 

 ping and destroying other measures of equal or greater im- 

 portance to the success of the institution and this is the 



