The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-29

0cpted 70 deliver the addr, 50 az she opening o. sh8
meeting called bs The Circular of the COMMITTEE IN
4 The flrsi MONDAY 81 Agfli, 1871 %#'s#
! 9TH To make defal'ive engagements for thsz1e~
tufts OF the eetlng a April next and to sre that teY
be carried fully into elect. &
And they were unanimously agreed to.
The Chairman appointed the following persons az
COMMITTEES 20 prepare the memorial 20 congress.--
Mr. Richard s. Core, MIR Peter Force, Coionsl j.
]. Albert Mr. "A. o. Dayton, Mr. r Markoe Jr,
The Hon Mr.. Woodbury. made the following TO-
marks:
MIR WooDBuRY observed that he should accept the
honor which had been conferred him Of presentns
the memorial to the Senate for relief 70 the nsl'lule
de should do this and support The measure, y ncces
sary, for two reasons which night hnve an IN
luence with IN rs favor, who, like him. wou'i
otherwise entertain doubts loits beng cons'fuI!Yns
al. The committee just appointed 70 d aug't tbe me-
mortal might also deem IL ex edent, nong ohcr
things 10 state in il, and thus bling early y The at
t,nlion Of Conk ress such views calculated 70
obviaie any constitutional objection to relief and
hence he cTaved their indulgence, well as that OF
the other genllemen present for OBTAINING ' IN SIN
gle moment with stating those reasons. The first
ono that had operated him was that the Inst tute
vas situated ia the District Of Columbia, which
Congress possessed the power of exclusive legsia-
ton power much less limited in character than that
which il possesse over the States On this account
ch fly though strict constructions, like his fIeEd
=,
voting to incorporate this institute. But there was
another if stronger consideration, which seemed
him 70 Justify not only the ACT Of incorporation, but
appropriation for the aid TO be sked IN the propos
ed memorial. 1t was this: The Institute pub
lie body, and among other things engaged in the care
Of certain articles Of public properly; and, what
mos. gentlemen might not be aware of, the aid re-
qu.ste1 towords defraying tie expense Incurred
ny this caresT eexpenee consisted chfiy or post
ages on correspondence in relation TO those articles
and of the freight and due preservation of them. He
said those articles public property, ADD The Ins
tue public body because, so far from being pri-
vae enterprise, or s labors devoted to private
objects, the right of It's members 10 the coliec-
liens under its charge being Of private character it
public throug hout and the legal interest IN The
whole was by the charter, expressly reserved 10 the
United States. Such he knew was the intention Of
its founders and he believed ii had been fully carried
out in the act of incorporation.
There is nothing belonging to lis individual mem
bers which be inherited by heirs transferred to
creditors, sold or assigned TO purchasers, az in
of corporations for banks, bridges, insurance,
manufacturing &c
Care was taken originally to make the Institute
different from all other chartered bodies, in this
District so as to elevate it above every motive of
personal gan-dedlcating its labors exclusively 10
objects Of public character, and vestng all the pro-
pery possessed for this purpose in the Government
ITSELF and thus, by rendering it national in substance
as well as name, to obyiate any constitutional OBJ
ectons which might arise against measures in ITS
| behalf.
! When the community or Congress advert to these
| circumstances, it will at be how broad
distinction exists between assistance TO such body
and one Of private character, and where the mem
bers possess private pecunary interest.
Let gentlemen understand, then, that il is not the
liberal object Of encouragement to science and lite
nature which anmates many Of the members Of the
Institute, and has induced them to incur such perso-
nal labor and sacrifices for increasing its collections
nor the active interest excited in their behalf in many
of the civilized portions of both hemispheres which
in my view renders it strictly constitutional we'll
as proper for the Government TO aid in defrayng the
small expense incurred in making and preserving
those collections but il is that the legal interest in
the whole of them belongs by the charter to the Ge
neral Government itself, and consequently. the
whole deposited in the public buildings and
| are under the substantial controhof the officers
Of that Governm mt When we add TO these
considerations the facts that the first articles placed
in the charge Of the Institute were collected
from the War, Navy, and State Departments, in
some of which trouble and expense had before been
incurred IN taking care of them, and that many Of
the additions since from persons connected with
those Departments, and that by law the heads Of all
the Executive Departments are Q6ieio members OF
the Institute, and exc else the chief official power
its concerns, il seems reasonable, less than
constitutional for that Government assist in The
expense OF taking care of its own property. IL is
quite reasonable if al remained where por
ton Of II was orlg, IN The exclusive custody Of
several oil tie Executive Departments ana quite as
honorable reasonable when reflect that all the
interference Of others with this properly all the
vices and donations Of others connected with it have
been with view aid the Interests Of the Govern
ment rather than their private emolument, and
to advance its reputation and usefulness in the
Of science, literature and the arts, far be
done By the careful collection and preservation Of
many valuable articles Of public property, suited to
throw light on and promote those great objects.
P. s 10 order to render the whole proceedings
complete, it is proper TO state that the Hon. Mr.
WALKER has been appointed in the place Of the Hon.
Dr. LINN, deceased on the committee of June, 1882
and the Hon. Mr.. RNEs the Hon Mr. CHoATE, and
ALEX. DALLAS BAcHE Esq, Superintendent Of the
Coast Survey have been added to tho COM
mitee.