The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-02
THE SMITHSONIAN BEaUEsT.

THE SMITHSONIAN BEQUEsT.
Our attention has been called to this subject
by the late interesting speech in the Senate by
the venerable Mr.. ROBBINS, and commune
cation which VIC subjoin, from one of the most
learned and excellent Doctors of Divinity in
New England. 1t has been before Select
Committees Of both Houses of Congress for
some weeks past, but seems to have elected
very little discussion.
1t may not be embarrassing to refer to some
particulars concerning it.
Mr.. Richard Rush, who was sent to Eng
land, in 1886, to recover the bequest OF Mr..
James Smithson made to the United States,
for the purpose of founding at the Capital of
our Government, an institution for the diffiI-
sion of knowledge amongst mankind, returned
to this country in August, 1888, bringing
with him the amount of the bequest in gold,
and deposited the same in the Mint at Phila-
delphia on the lst Of September. The nett
amount Of the money thus paid into the Trea-
sury of the United States, was five hundred
and eight thousand three hundred and eighteen
dollars forty six cents, ($5os,3ls 46.) To
was deducted from the amount received in
England, TO pay expenses. The proceeds Of
some personal effects yet to be sold, is also to
be added.
Of this legacy the sum of $499,50o has
been expended by the Secretary of the Trea-
sury, in the purchase Of FIVE hundred bonds
Of the State of Arkansas, for $1,000 each,
bearing six per cent. interest, payable semi
annually. The further sum of $s,27O has
been invested in eight Michigan bonds, bear
ing six per cent. interest, payable semi-an-
nually. The sum of $547, remains to be in
vested.
In the congressional documents before US
we do not find the will of the testator, nor
any clue in the correspondence of Mr.. Rush
o the particular plan of institution designed
by Mr.. Smithson, except that it should be the
" Smithsonian Institution for the Increase and
Diffusion of Knowledge among Men,
Something, perhaps, may be inferred from the
character of the man himself, which we have
not seen alluded to. Mr.. Rush seems not to
have been very successful in his inquiries on
this point. He says, however, that what he
heard and confdes in, amounts to this:
"That Mr.. Smithson was in fact, the natural
son of the Duke of Northumberland that his mother
was Mrs. Macie of an ancient family in Wiltshire
of the name of Hungerford; that he was. educated
at Oxford, where he took an honorary degree in
at ba 1uan und he Of
Mace until within few years after he had LETT the
university when he took that of Smhson, ever after
signing only James Smithson, as in his will; that
he does not appear to have had any liked home,
living in lodgings when in London, and occasional
ly staying year or two at time in cities on the
continent as Paris, Berlin, Florence, Genoa, at
which last he died; and that the ample provision
made for him by the Duke of Northumberland, with
retired and simple habits, enabled him to accumu-
late the fortune which now passes to the United
States have inquired if his political opinions or
bias were supposed 10 be OF nature that led him TO
select the United States the great trustee OF his
enlarged and philanthropic views. The reply has
been, that his opinions far as known or inferred,
were thought to favor monarchica rather than popu-
lar institutions but that he interested himself little
in questions of government being devoted to science,
and chiefly chemistry; that this had introduced him
to the society of Cavendish Wollaston, and others
advantageousy known to the Royal Society in Lon
don, of which body he was a member, and to the
archives of which he made contributions; and that
ne also became acQud1nleu, his VISITS 10 tue
continent with eminent chemists in France, Italy,
and Germany. Finally, that he was gentleman OF
feeble health, but always of courteous though re-
served manners and conversation.
This is but meagre account Of some of
the characteristics of man, whose name will
be cherished by posterity as of one Of the
greatest benefactors Of his race.
We are not aware that the committees
have yet determined, in what manner the will
of the testator is to be carried out. We have
seen no particular plan proposed, except a
private memorial for an agricultural establish
ment, and some brief hints in the speech OF
Mr. Senator Robbins; nor do we think the
public entertain any definite idea of the plan
ofthe institution contemplated by the testator,
or of any one, proper to be projected upon the
foundation which his benefcence has supplied.
But when the means, the opportunity, and the
national wants are considered, the subject
presents itself as one of almost infinite impor-
lance, both in reference to the present and flu
ture interests of the human mind on this con-
tinent, and the glory Of our National Repub-
lie. In the hands Of such gentlemen as the
chairmen of the committees Of the Senate and
House, respectively, viz : Hon. ASHER ROB-
BINS and Hon. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, it will