268 The Smithsonian Institution 



to him that the library ought to be coextensive with the 

 limits of human knowledge." 



Senator Niles, of Connecticut, " did not think it came 

 within the purpose of the donation to establish a great na- 

 tional library. If the donor thought that the best way of 

 increasing and diffusing knowledge among men, he would 

 have enjoined the establishment of such a library." 



Mr. Tappan moved an amendment to add "$91,862 out 

 of the interest due, to the original fund, so that the invest- 

 ment should be $600,000." 



" Mr. Choate objected to this as, in effect, cutting off the 

 means for establishing a national library." 



The amendment was rejected. 



The bill was recommitted to the Committee on Library, 

 which on January 21, 1845, reported a new bill. It provided 

 for a building "for the reception of an extensive library, equal 

 to the first-class libraries in the world." 



"An annual expenditure of not less than $20,000 out of 

 the interest of the fund is authorized to be made in the pur- 

 chase of books and manuscripts for the library of the institu- 

 tion, which library is to comprehend in due proportion, with- 

 out preference or exclusion of any branch of knowledge, 

 works pertaining to all the departments of human knowledge, 

 as well as physical science, and the application of science to 

 the arts of life, as all other sciences, philosophy, history, 

 literature, and art ; and for its extent, variety, and value, said 

 library shall be worthy of the donor of the fund, and of this 

 nation and the age. The managers to employ a librarian 

 and assistants, and to fix their salaries ; also to prescribe the 

 regulations under which the library shall be kept, visited and 

 used." 



Senator Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, said he "had arrived 

 at the conclusion that the best mode of distributing this fund 

 was by the purchase of a great library." 



