- FIFTIETH CONGRESS, 1887-1889. 1087 
one, and $11,000 was therefore given, or paid—call it what you like— 
to Professor Henry, together with $500 a year while he was a member 
of the Light-House Board. 1 have not time to state even half of what 
I know in regard to the great services rendered to the people of the 
- United States by Professor Baird, though it would perhaps be proper 
todoso. From my knowledge of him and his work I could tell of 
hundreds of things of immense benefit to the country which he did 
that no amount of money can repay. 
He made a practical survey of the bottom of the ocean from the' 
coast of New England to the bank of the Gulf Stream. He took great 
interest in establishing many of the scientific things, such as the elec- 
tric sounding bell, or whatever it is called. Whatever he did he threw 
open for the benefit of the world. I never heard of his securing a 
patent for anything; and I have no more doubt than that I am standing 
on this floor that but for his determination to make this great work a 
success, but for the overwork he did, he would have been a living man 
to-day. I believe he killed himself by overwork and overzeal in the 
service of the United States, and left his wife and daughter dependent, 
measurably at least, instead of being supported by him in affluence as 
they would have been, for his own wants were few and his tastes sim- 
ple, but for the fact that he was the victim of overwork in the public 
interest. That adds very largely, in my mind, to our obligation, and 
that is one of the reasons why I propose to vote for the full amount 
asked for in this amendment. 
Mr. Berry. Mr. President, I wish to submit a few remarks in 
response to those made by the Senator from Kentucky [Mr. Beck]. 
The Senator has raised the point that this is not a donation, but that 
it is a private claim against the Government of the United States. 
The Senator from Kentucky is a member of the Committee on Appro- 
priations. That committee have made a report, and they have adopted 
as their report the statement made by the Senator from Vermont [Mr. 
Edmunds] as to the character of this claim, and I wish to read to the 
‘Senate the opinion of the Senator from Vermont, which the committee 
of which the Senator from Kentucky is a member have adopted and 
made to the Senate. | 
In response to the question by the chairman of the committee, ‘‘ You 
want to have whatever we do put on this bill,” Mr. Edmunds said: 
Yes; that is exactly what I want, and it is perfectly suitable and proper, if it is 
right to do it at all, because it is not a private claim, but is a miscellaneous donation 
that under the circumstances it is proper for Congress to make, if you think so. 
Now, Mr. President, if this is a claim for house rent, and if it is a 
claim for salary which can be enforced against the Government of the 
United States, the Senator from Kentucky well knows that it has no 
place upon this general appropriation bill: The rule read by the Sen- 
ator from Texas [Mr. Reagan] absolutely prohibits the attaching of 
