1064 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
Professor Baird’s services as Fish Commissioner were entirely unremunerated. 
When he knew he was dying, looking to the position of his family and the slender 
provision that the sacrifice of all opportunities for private gain had left, he only told 
them that he could not but think that Congress, in view of these sixteen years of 
unrequited service to his country, might be trusted to see that justice was done. 
I am, sir, yours, very respectfully, 
S. P. LANGLEY. 
Hon. James B. BEcx, 
U. S. Senate. 
July 27, 1888—Senate. 
The sundry civil bill being under consideration, an amendment was 
offered to insert, on page 49, after line 19: 
To enable the Secretary of the Treasury to pay Mrs. Mary H.C. Baird, widow of 
the late Spencer F. Baird, $50,000, in full compensation for the services and expenses 
of the said Spencer F. Baird during his administration of the office of Commissioner 
of Fish and Fisheries, from February 25, 1871, to the time of his death, in August, 
1887. 
Mr. James H. Berry. I would like to inquire of the Senator from 
Iowa how itis that, although Professor ‘Baird was to receive no salary, 
this full sum is now due for the entire time of his service? My recol- 
lection of the law is that the Fish Commission should be appointed 
from employees of the Government and was to receive no additional 
salary. This appropriation of $50,000 is for the entire time that Pro- 
fessor Baird was in office, from 1871 to the date of his death. I would 
like to inquire how this comes. | 
Mr. Auuison. If the Senator from Arkansas will take the report of 
the committee (Report No. 1814), and will turn to page 100 of that 
report, and read carefully the statement made there respecting the 
services of Professor Baird in this regard, and his relations to the 
Government as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, I think he 
will be convinced that this is a just and proper appropriation for the 
eminent services of Professor Baird during the long period of his sery- 
ice as Chief of the Fish Commission. And in order to give Senators an 
opportunity to make an examination of this testimony and statement, 
I will ask that this amendment may be passed over until the bill is gone 
through with, or at least until Senators may have an opportunity of 
examining the report. 
The Presipinc Orricer. That will be agreed to if there be no 
objection. 
July 28, 1888—Senate. 
The sundry civil bill was considered as in Committee of the Whole. 
Mr. James H. Berry. When the amendment now under considera- 
tion was reached yesterday I asked the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Alli- 
son] to state why the salary of Professor Baird had not been previ- 
ously paid. He referred me to the report of- the committee, and 
especially to a statement made by the Senator from Vermont [Mr. 
OE EEE eee 
