THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS, 1859-61. 667 



pied so large a space that the Government could not afford 

 the room. They needed the room, and had no place to put 

 them in. The Smithsonian Institution happened to have- 

 vacant space; but these collections were not connected with 

 the objects of that institution. The institution was willing 

 to give them the room free of rent. They were willing to 

 take charge of the collection, if the annual expenses of the 

 burden thus imposed was borne by the Government. It was- 

 accepted as a great favor by the Government. I do think r 

 if they are worthy of our encouragement, we ought to pay 

 the actual expenses, no more, of taking charge of these ob- 

 jects of curiosity. Probably there is no object of greater 

 curiosity to the visitor and the stranger who comes to YVash- 

 ino-ton, than this museum thus collected; and inasmuch a* 

 they would be an attraction to the institution, they were 

 wil'lino- to accept them; but the objects themselves belonged 

 to theGovernment. The Smithsonian Institution is giving 

 the Government a place in which to keep them. I think, 

 therefore, that we are bound by every consideration ot pub- 

 lic policy and duty to make this appropriation. I will not 

 occupy time, for I believe it will be voted almost unam- 



r. I must say a word in reply to what ha* 

 been said by the Senator from Maine and the Senator froni 

 Illinois I do not believe that they have studied this sub- 

 iectsowell as they usually study questions^ It occurs 

 my mind that all this labor which we have imposed upon 

 the Smithsonian Institution they have invited 

 ber when this exploring expedition came in, it was said 

 specimens were brought home that would ^valueless to 

 the country, unless we put them in the Patent Othce. After 

 a while omebody came, and asked that they should be 

 tiven to the Smithsonian Institution because, it was said, 

 ft would be an attraction to that bui ding, take people there 

 make it a credit to the country ; and we voted tor it. Alter 

 Awhile they asked us to give them a certain number of 

 books which scientific persons had written, and we had 

 i for the printing of. The rule used to be that all those 

 & were S P e t to Congress, and distributed by members 

 of Confess; but gentlemen here said we ought not to dis- 

 tribute them we should give them to the Department of 

 thelnteK Then we gave them to the Patent Omce ; ami 

 L to he Sniithsonian Institution; and now these gentle- 

 menlskttoiay them for distributing those very thing. 

 which they invited us to give them. 



