The Smithsonian Library 269 



It will thus be seen that Senator Choate, who believed 

 most strongly in the establishment of a great library in the 

 United States, was a determined advocate of employing the 

 Smithson bequest in this manner. He actually succeeded in 

 having adopted by the Senate of the United States, on Jan- 

 uary 23, 1845, tne bill concerning the provision of which the 

 foregoing is a discussion, in effect, to devote the greater part 

 of the income arising from the bequest to the establishment of 

 a library. This bill failed of passage in the House, and was 

 referred to in later debates as "the library plan." 



The leading spirits in the Senate would have devoted the 

 larger part of the fund to a library. The members of the 

 House interested in the matter were opposed to this plan. 

 Mr. Robert Dale Owen, of Indiana, in a debate on April 22, 

 1846, after reviewing the discussion in the Senate, introduced 

 a bill which allowed an expenditure of $10,000 a year for books. 

 He argued against the attempt to make a general library. 

 He asserted that Smithson's tastes were scientific, and not 

 antiquarian, and that had he desired to found a great library 

 he would have said so. Mr. Ingersoll and some other mem- 

 bers of the House agreed with Mr. Owen in his objection to 

 the establishment of a great library, while Mr. Stanton, of 

 Ohio, thought "that the annual appropriation of $10,000 for 

 the gradual formation of a library might have been limited 

 to a smaller amount." " The library plan," however, had 

 friends as well as opponents in the House. Mr. George P. 

 Marsh, of Vermont, on April 23, 1846, in speaking of the pro- 

 vision for the annual expenditure of $10,000 a year for the 

 library, said: "I consider this the most valuable feature of 

 the plan, though I think the amount unwisely restricted." 

 And he proceeded to argue at great length in favor of a 

 general library. He also moved several amendments, all 

 with a view, as he said, to direct the appropriations entirely 

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