t>96 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



for they were men that made their gains oft* the people. 

 But this is not the case with the corporation that the Senator 

 now styles a wealthy corporation. No money to till the 

 coffers of that institution came from the good people of Iowa. 



Mr. GRIMES. Not until we pay them in gold $62,000 in 

 place of $3 1,000, while we pay to Iowa soldiers, as the Senator 

 from New Hampshire well said, only six dollars and a halj 

 in gold. Then it will come off my constituents. 



Mr. HENDRICKS. As I was going on to say, all the rich 

 funds of that institution came not from the people of Iowa 

 or of Indiana. It was a munificent grant from a foreigner, 

 Mr. Smithson, for the purpose of establishing in this country 

 an institution for the acquisition and diffusion of useful 

 knowledge among men. That $500,000 was ivreived, not 

 in paper, hut in gold, coming from a kind friend of this 

 country across the water. If, therefore, the institution is 

 rich, it is well for us; if it were poor, it would be a disgrace 

 to us to-day. 



Mr. GRIMES. I think the; Senator is mistaken in the 

 language used in the will; and I think that in that respect 

 the managers of it have been true to the direction of the 

 testator. It was not " useful knowledge among men," but 

 " knowledge among men." [Laughter.] 



Mr. HENDRICKS. Well, sir, whether knowledge is useful 

 or not I will not undertake to discuss now. The purpose 

 of the bequest was to establish in this country an institution 

 for the diffusion of knowledge, or useful knowledge, among 

 men. I think the language used was u useful knowledge." 

 Whether the knowledge that is diffused among men from 

 that institution be useful or not I do not care now to discuss. 

 If I were to judge from the number of applications I have 

 for the reports of that institution, [ should say it is useful 

 knowledge. 



Then, sir, if the institution is rich, it has cost his con- 

 stituents and mine nothing; but if it were poor to-day, and 

 we refused to make up the entire fund, it would cost his 

 constituents and mine something it would cost their honor. 



Now, sir, upon the leading question I do not agree with 

 the Senator from New Hampshire. This institution does 

 not belong to us; it is not the property of the United States. 

 The United States, in respect to that institution, and the 

 funds that endowed it, is but the trustee. We are not the 

 beneficiaries, in its language. The people of the world tire 

 the beneficiaries; all who can be instructed by the diffusion 

 of useful knowledge are the beneficiaries. 



The Senator from New Hampshire spoke also of a loss 



