416 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



On the 3d of March, 1855, Hon. Charles W. Upham, chairman 

 of the select committee, submitted to the House what must be 

 regarded as a minority report; declaring "No doubt we think 

 can be entertained that the framers and enactors of the law expected 

 that about 200,000 dollars would be expended 'for the formation 

 of a library composed of valuable works pertaining to all depart- 

 ments of knowledge/ in eight years. " After criticising the system 

 approved by the Regents, of devoting a large portion of the Smith- 

 sonian income to the promotion of original research, the report 

 states : "At the same time they do not cast blame or censure of any 

 sort upon those who suggested and have labored to carry out that 

 system. The design was in itself commendable and elevated. It 

 has unquestionably been pursued with zeal, sincerity, integrity, and 

 high motives and aims : but it is we think necessarily surrounded 

 with very great difficulties. - - - But a few words are needed 

 to do justice to the value of a great universal library at the metrop- 

 olis of the Union :" &c. - - - The report concludes with the 

 judgment that as a measure of mutual concession, "the compromise 

 adopted at an early day by the Board of Regents, ought to be 

 restored, and that all desirable ends may be ultimately secured by 

 dividing the income equally between the library and museum on 

 one part, and the active operations on the other." This report was 

 signed by the chairman, Mr. Upham, alone ; two of the commit- 

 tee (Messrs. William H. Witte and Nathaniel G. Taylor) presenting 

 a dissenting report, and the remaining two (Messrs. Richard C. 

 Puryear and Daniel Wells) declining to sign either. The report 

 submitted by Mr. Witte (no less elaborate than that by the chair- 

 man) concluded: "They believe that the Regents and the Secretary 

 have managed the affairs of the Institution wisely, faithfully, and 

 judiciously; that there is no necessity for further legislation on the 

 subject; and that if the Institution be allowed to continue the plan 

 which has been adopted and so far pursued with unquestionable 

 success, it will satisfy all the requirements of the law, and the pur- 

 poses of Smithson's Will, by ' increasing and diffusing knowledge 

 among men/ " * Upon these conflicting and balanced reports no 

 action was taken by the House. 



Simultaneously in the Senate, Hon. John M. Clayton, January 

 17, 1855, introduced a resolution "that the Committee on the 

 Judiciary inquire whether any, and if any what action of the 

 Senate is necessary and proper in regard to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution?" On the 6th of February, 1855, Hon. Andrew P. Butler, 

 chairman of the Judiciary Committee, submitted to the Senate a 

 report completely vindicating the course pursued by the Regents; 



* The Smithsonian Institution. By W. J. Rhees, pp. 589-628. 



