MEMOIRS OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. 795 



of the magnetic observations. Much, too much, loose and 

 desultory conversation besides, to be very much restricted 

 hereafter. Mr. Bancroft professes great zeal to make some- 

 thing of his Department. I heartily wish he may. He in- 

 tends to be a hard-working man. Practice should follow 

 and realize theory. Drop the anchor, Hope ! 



APRIL 30, 1845. 



Between one and two, afternoon, Mr. McClintock Young, 

 chief clerk of the Treasury Department, sent me word that 

 the Secretary was in his office, and would see me. I went 

 immediately, and found the anteroom and the entry before 

 his door crowded with persons waiting for admission four 

 out of five, if not all, place-hunters. The doorkeeper 

 opened the door for me, and Mr. Walker received me with 

 civility. I had about half an hour's conversation with him 

 concerning the Smithsonian bequest, and gave him my rea- 

 sons for arresting in the House of Representatives, on the 

 last night of the session, the bill which had passed the 

 Senate. I mentioned to him my objection to the organiza- 

 tion of the board of managers, qualified as a committee of 

 Congress, but a majority of whom, though elected as mem- 

 bers, three from the Senate by their President and three 

 from the House by their Speaker, would be no longer mem- 

 bers when called to act as members of the Institution. I 

 told him of the absurd amendment proposed in the House 

 to the bill from the Senate, by Robert Dale Owen, of Indi- 

 ana, and the desperate plunges made by him, and by Burke,, 

 of New Hampshire, to force the bill upon the House in its- 

 last agonies, and the selfish purpose transparent through 

 their motions Burke's, made close upon the midnight 

 hour, to take it out of committee in ten minutes. 



Mr. Walker, after referring to his agency heretofore as a 

 member of the National Institute, which was unsuccessful, 

 said that his preference for the employment of the fund was, 

 first, for an astronomical observatory on my plan ; and, sec- 

 ondly, for a large library, chiefly of such books as are not 

 to be found in other public libraries. He would cheerfully 

 co-operate, as far as he might be able, to carry such a pur- 

 pose into effect. He agreed with me that a corporation, 

 and not a committee of ex-members of Congress, was the 

 proper organization for the management of the fund, and 

 that measures should be taken for redeeming the principal 

 and interest from the State of Arkansas. I left him with a* 

 lingering hope that something may be done for the disposal 

 of the bequest at the next session of Congress. 



