No. 216.] 389 



pretence would prevail. We should ask in vain for $30,000 out ot 

 $30,000,000 of our own treasury. Paltry politicians would cant 

 about economy. Demagogues would demand credit for the vigilance 

 with which they guarded the treasury from all but speculator. Pat- 

 riotic statesmen would stand ready to defend the constitution with 

 their hearts best blood, from the horrible violation of doing good. 

 Fortunately all this is estopped. The government has accepted the 

 trust; and it is too late to urge that it is unconstitutional to fulfil its 

 engagements. 



FUND NOT INSUFFICIENT. 



It may be thought that the income would be insufficient. By no 

 means, if we may have the whole. $700,000, yielding an income 

 of $42,000, would allow, in round numbers: for the Editorial Bu- 

 reau, $10,000; for stereotyping and engraving, $25,000; and for 

 contingencies — expenses of regents, books, correspondence, light and 

 fire, etc., $7,000. This is enough for the present. A portion of 

 this formidable amount would go to American scholars, a portion to 

 American artists, and a portion to American mechanics — all would 

 go to reward talent and learning, labor and skill: and sad to say — ■ 

 nothing to the political parasite. This evil must be patiently en- 

 dured. When useful things are to be done, useful men must be em- 

 ployed: as to the rest, they must content themselves with the mill- 

 ions of the treasury. Forty thousand dollars per annum is a mere 

 bagatelle in the mass of party spoils; but it is a very great deal to 

 be expended in good faith for the benefit of the people. Let it be 

 appropriated in the way here indicated, and it will do us more good, 

 more a great deal, than we now derive from all the national reven- 

 ues. This fund is most sacredly ours. Let not our rulers covet it, 

 let them extort no black mail — nor fritter away the funds upon use- 

 less projects and hungry politicians. Let the funds be charged sim- 

 ply with the erection of a small plain building requiring no heavy 

 expenditures for repairs and attendance — with the salaries of the 

 officers constituting the Editorial Bureau — the production of the 

 plates — and the necessary contingencies; let this course be honestly 

 pursued, and I repeat the averment — the Smithsonian Institution 

 will do the country more good, than all the millions of the treasury. 



GOVERNMENT TO DO NOTHING BUT TO ORGANISE IT, AND THEN 

 LET IT ALONE. 



It may be thought that this would make the government a kind 

 of publishing house. It is that now; and expends much money in 



