MEMOIRS OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. 789 



Conflict already germinating between two proud spirits, 

 -which bodes no good to the progress of the Coast Survey. 

 The recent act places Hassler under the control of a board 

 of officers, and the whole operation under the superintend- 

 ence of the Secretary of the Treasury. Hassler, already 

 restive under the } T oke fitting to his neck, said that the 

 work, being scientific, must be conducted on scientific prin- 

 ciples. The Potentate answered in a subdued tone of voice, 

 but with the trenchant stubbornness of authority, "the laws 

 must be obeyed." The pride of science clashed with the 

 pride of place, and I left them together. 



I had observed the same temper in Spencer yesterday 

 in talking with him about the present condition and pros- 

 pects of the Smithsonian fund. I supplicated him to take 

 -an interest in the restoration, preservation, and application 

 of the fund to the purposes of the testator. He promised 

 to make a full report to Congress on the subject, to recom- 

 mend the issue of six per cent, stock of the United States 

 to the full amount of the dilapidated funds and the invest- 

 ment of it in trustees the Chief Justice of the United 

 States, and other officers of the Government. But he 

 thought the disposal of the funds should be left entirely to 

 the trustees; and he pronounced the prejudice against my 

 plan of an astronomical observatory insurmountable, be- 

 cause I had once called observatories light-houses in the 

 skies. My words were light-houses of the skies. But Mr. 

 Spencer sees no difference between the two phrases. Mr. 

 Spencer turned up his eyes at the swindling speculation of 

 the Senator from Arkansas, and shrugged up his shoulders 

 at the prospect of ever recovering the money from that 

 State. 



JANUARY 20, 1844. 



Thomasson's amendment to Wise's resolution, and all the 

 other amendments, were rejected, and the original resolu- 

 tion to refer the notice of the Smithsonian bequest to a 

 select committee was amended by Burke's motion to refer 

 it to the Joint Committee on the Library. The committee 

 .reported, and the House adjourned. 



FEBRUARY 19, 1844. 



The report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the 

 present condition of the Smithsonian fund was sent in, of 

 which Mr. Young apprised me by a private note. I moved 

 its reference to a select committee of nine, and that, with 

 the documents, it should be printed. Burke moved its 

 reference to the Joint Committee on the Library. To this 



