THIRTIETH CONGRESS, 1847-1849. COMMITTEE ON THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. December 8, 1847-House. Mr. HUGH WHITE gave notice that on some subsequent day he would move to amend the rules of the House so as to provide for the appointment of a committee on the Smithsonian Institution. December 13, 1847-House. Mr. HUGH WHITE, in compliance with the notice he had given, introduced resolution. Resolved, That the rules of this House be amended by adding one to the committees, to consist of nine members, which shall be entitled a Committee on the Smithsonian Institution. It shall be the duty of the said committee to supervise the proceedings of the Board of Regents, examine accounts and the condition of the funds of the Institution, suggest such alterations or amendments of the law under which the Institution was established as may be deemed necessary, and report to the House from time to time, as the interest of the Institution may require. Mr. H. W. HILLIARD said he supposed that the resolution would, as a matter of course, lie over. The Speaker (Mr. R. C. WINTHROP) said that the resolution was now before the House. Mr. HILLIARD deemed this resolution entirely unnecessary. The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution were selected, three from the Senate and three from the House. What possible necessity, then, could there be to justify the appointment of a committee to inspect the affairs of that Institution? Besides, other departments of this Government were required to act in concert with them, and therefore there could be no reason to justify the bringing of the affairs of that Institution into this arena of debate, that its progress might be embarrassed, its harmony of action impaired, and the objects which it had undertaken be defeated. He asked the gentleman what good he proposed to accomplish by it? He would impute no sinister motive to a gentleman of his enlarged and enlightened views, but still it must be borne in mind that the bill itself encountered great difficulties in its progress through the House during the last session. Much hostility was manifested to it, and therefore he again asked, what good could be anticipated from the appointment of such a committee? Mr. HILLIARD believed they ought not to change the present relations of Congress to that Institution. A committee appointed by this House would not share in the daily deliberations of the Board of Regents, and, without participating in them, it would be difficult to comprehend all its designs. The Board of Regents had endeavored in good faith to carry out the law passed by Congress; and, having done so, he said, let them go on; and if their affairs should hereafter call for the appointment of a select committee, appoint one when required, but do not now provide the means unnecessarily of constantly bringing on this floor, where they were so much oppressed with debate, the affairs of the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. WHITE disclaimed all hostility to that Institution, and declared his ardent desire to cooperate with the Regents. The bequest was a noble one, and it should be carried out in the same spirit. The committee which he proposed to create, on which he did not desire to be placed, would merely supervise the appropriations and review its affairs, and his could not, therefore, be considered a hostile motion. It was a new Institution, under the care and guardianship of Congress, and such a committee might be necessary to report what was useful and requisite to carry out the design of the testator, which was to increase the diffusion of knowledge among men. Mr. C. J. INGERSOLL suggested, to save time, that the resolution should be referred to the Select Committee on Rules, who could take it into consideration and report thereon to the House. Mr. WHITE had no objection to that course. He modified his resolution accordingly, and it was referred to the select committee designated. December 19, 1847-House. The House having under consideration the Rules of the House, the seventh proposed rule was read as follows: 7. In addition to the other standing committees of the House, there shall be one called the Smithsonian Committee, whose duty it shall be to superintend the affairs of the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. C. J. INGERSOLL expressed a desire to postpone the consideration of this rule to a future day. Mr. H. W. HILLIARD said he desired to occupy about ten minutes. of the time of the House on this subject at this time. He thought this was the precise occasion on which a few words should be said. Mr. INGERSOLL had no objection; but as the other rules had been disposed of, he wished to defer this for the present. Mr. HILLIARD undertook to move the postponement to a day certain, and then proceeded as follows: Mr. Speaker, it so happens that I am the only member of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution now entitled to a seat on this floor. It is important to secure the good-will of the country in behalf of an enterprise so elevated-one might say, so sublime. There exists some misconception in regard to the Institution, and idle rumors are afloat which may affect it injuriously. Scientific establishments are not to go out and court popularity, but they must not be indifferent to public sentiment. Before entering upon the stormy and engrossing debates in which we shall presently be engaged, I desire by a simple statement of facts to give the House a view of the history, condition, and plans of an institution which so strongly appeals to us for protection. Mr. Smithson's bequest was a noble one. He gave his whole property to found at the city of Washington "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." America was selected as a field for so wide and beneficent a design. Young, vigorous, rapidly increasing in numbers, this country afforded the best ground upon which to rest an establishment which was designed to enlighten mankind. Entering into the spirit of this bequest Congress passed an act making the most liberal provision for carrying it into practical effect. The whole sum, with its accumulated interest, was turned over to the establishment created by the act, composed of the President and VicePresident of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster-General, the Attorney-General, the Chief Justice, and the Commissioner of the Patent Office of the United States, and the mayor of the city of Washington, during the time for which they shall hold their respective offices, and such other persons as they may elect honorary members. The sum amounted to $515,169, and a further sum of $242,129, being the accumulated interest upon that sum since it came into possession of the Government. The principal sum was forever to remain untouched; the interest was appropriated to the erection of the building and incidental expenses. The building to be erected was to meet the provisions of the act, which required it to contain suitable rooms or halls for the reception and arrangement, upon a liberal scale, of objects of natural history, including a geological and mineralogical cabinet; also a chemical laboratory, a library, a gallery of art, and the necessary lecture rooms. Another section provides that, in proportion as suitable arrangements can be made for their reception, all objects of art, and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens, belonging or hereafter to belong to the United States, which may be in the city of Washington, shall be delivered to the care of the Institution, and so classed and arranged as best to facilitate the examination and study of them in the building to be erected. This at once empties the great hall of the Patent Office, 350 feet long, of its contents. It must be at once seen that the Smithsonian building ought, if it is to accommodate these great and various objects, to be of ample dimensions. This building, too, was to be erected without delay. The site was to be selected "forthwith," "and so soon" as that was done the Board was to proceed with the erection of the building. |