1518 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
ous. Besides, we are not so free as we were, and there are some new demands upon 
us. We had practice in economy in the old days at the Smithsonian. My father 
refused to take more than a certain salary, which was not adequate to the demands 
upon it, and he gave all his great discoveries outside the Smithsonian freely to the 
world. Our rooms were constantly filled with the most distinguished of our own and 
other Jands; no stranger of distinction came to the country without a letter to our 
father. These all had to be entertained, but we had to do it very simply. One rule 
alone our father gave for his household, ‘‘ Live within the income; pay as you go;”’ 
and he died owing no man anything, but with the whole world owing him a great 
debt, not only for these light-house matters, not only for other Government services, 
but for the great discoveries which are at the foundation of all the most useful devel- 
opment of practical electricity. 
Since I saw you I have been several times to the Light-House Board. I wished, of 
course, to be accurate as to what 1 claimed for my father. The savings effected by 
the experiments, which resulted in the change of oil, are greater than I had thought 
them. How great they are! This year over $420,000 saved—since 1867 upward of 
four millions. If nothing comes of the bill I am glad to have them stand under the 
eyes of Congress—these figures which mean so much money in the United States 
Treasury through these last experiments of my father. And these savings are noth- 
ing to the great system of harbor and river lighting, the result also of these experi- 
ments. 
If it would be pleasant to be a little more free to indulge in pleasant things, this 
would not have brought me to the point of coming to you. It was the absolute 
necessity of the expensive scientific assistance needed in the work of securing and 
publishing what is valuable in my father’s unprinted papers that made me come. 
I have written a long letter, but perhaps this will save time when you are so kind 
as to see me again. 
Yours, with true thanks, Mary A. Henry. 
Referred to Committee on Finance (to accompany S. 3359). 
April 10, 1890—Senate. 
Mr. JoHN SHERMAN, from Committee on Finance, submitted report 
(S. 650) on S. 3359. 
That the services of Joseph Henry to the Government of the United 
States can scarcely be measured by money. Since the organization of 
the Smithsonian Institution, August 5, 1846, he held the office of Sec- 
retary and had the general charge and management of its varied duties 
until his death. He received a moderate salary from the funds of that 
Institution. He served for twenty-five years and eight months as a 
member of the Light-House Board, and for a large portion of the time 
as its chairman, and never received any compensation from the Goy- 
ernment of the United States. After his death Congress allowed his 
heirs, as a token of his services, the sum of $10,000, which, with vol- 
untary contributions by scientific associations and individuals, is the 
only means for the support of his three daughters, all accomplished 
ladies, one of whom, the petitioner in this case, rendered, without 
compensation, valuable public services in aid of Professor Henry. 
The nature and character of the services rendered by Professor 
Henry are fairly set out in her petition (hereto attached and made a 
part of this report), showing from official statements that his inven- 
tions and discoveries, voluntarily rendered, have saved the Govern- 
