The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-18
CONG RES $40 AL.
REMARKS OF MR.. ASHLEY
or ARKANSAS,

/ Mr., PAEslDEsri II will be remembered that few
ua.ys since objections were urged against the print
IN Of lhs number Of this document as reported upon
Uby the committee by the gentleman from Missouri
UINr BIEroK,l the gentleman from Connecticut
I'M NmEs,l my colleague, Mr. SEWER, and
IbeLsys some others. beg leave lQobserye That me
IConmt.se on Patents and the Patent Office reported
IA favor Of printing $1,000 copies. That report
LAYING been opposed the subject was referred TO the
ICommiIlee on Printing, and the latter reported IN
I.vor Of 1000 copies; and the senator from Con-
Iascl,c.l ms. NIlssl moved 70 amend the report BY
I,ub.ttutng 10000 copies, and subsequently,, on the
I,uggssuon Of my colleague, tMr. SEuEs,l re-
Iducsd the number 70 5000 only. 1 am truly sur
prsed, and deeply regret the formidable opposlaon
M, hss been made against the printing Of this doc
lumsal, so eagerly sought for by the great mass Of
|the community. Why Is 1t, and how does II hap
lusn that there should be such strong and Jealous
Iopposillon IN the Senate TO this small natter Are
1.-The agricnlturisIs, composing So per cent OF the
IwhoIx population to be refused the only document
That Congress prints which relates TO their peculiar
linteresta Have they no representatives IN thi'
lehamber who will step forward and advocate their
peculiar claims far more ably, and do greater jus,
luce 10 their interest," than possibly hope TO do
n noi feel bound, as Of the representatives Of
State whose eilizens are almost entirely engaged
in agricultural pursuis, TO meet the objections urged
against il, and make the best light can In matter
deem Of 30 much importance to them; and II fail
and am defeated, shall feel that 1t is not from the
weakness Of my cause, but from inability to contend
with tho weight Of talent and experience arrayed
against me.
The gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. NILES,
and nv colleague, fMr. SLuER,l have each referred
% the original organization Of the Patent Office, and
complain that by almost imPerceptbIe degrees IT has
become almost department OF the government. Sir,
do not object TO this-and should deem II good
~ IL 4. mad in he
In yeurs ago, mere clerkship attached to the State
Department Sir, the operations Of the Patent OF
Gee have become extended quite too far TO be conf
dsd TO a mere clerkship- It's duties have become far
too important TO the American people TO be in charge
| Of such subordinate officer The peculiar and APP
propriate duty of the Patent Office is to issue pat
.ns for new and useful nventions-to secure to the
inventor an exclusive right TO the use Of his inyen-
uon-o hedge in and protect the fruits Of his genius
and inventive faculty from depreciation and injury
and thus to give him the protection of law-to con
vert into property the ch fruits Of the ingenuity in
dustry, and mind OF the American people. And this
not only as matter Of justice TO the individual, bu
/ from the higher motives Of sound policy, and in &C
cordance with the injunctons of the constitution It
self, ITO promote the progress OF science and use
u artsn by encouraging them to bring forward into
public uso and for the public benefit the vast
ces of the inventive genius and mind Of the coun'
Since the establishment Of the Office, there have
been fourteen thousand FIVE hundred and twenty-six
patents granted for useful inventions and discoveries
and the payment into the Office for issuing patents
and other ses of Office amounted on the LIST of lam
uary 1886, to the large sum Of S67l ,0S4 24-from
which the salaries of the officers and contingent ex-
penses, and amount appropriated for collecting agri
cultural statistics, of the aggregate amount OF
$3.50 524 S. is to be deducted and l0S 900 appropra
ted out Of the fund by Congress towards the Patent
Office buildings; leaving on hand on the LIST of last
January the treasury, to the credit of the patent
fund, Sl62, 459 3d. and this amount has been annu
ally increasing, and has more than trebled
it, income since 1929, and amounted, in the
year ending Both June, lS45, to s4S,472 A.
and has during the last fiscal year carried net bal
ance to the credit Of the patent fund after deducng
all the expenses of salaries, contingent expenses
and the amount expended for agricultural statistics
OF Sr $50 49a result that can be shown in refer
ence to no other portion Of the vast machinery OF
this government. The expenses of all others are
paid out of the public treasury, and this, and this
only, pays money into the treasury over and above
ts expenses it is selfsusaining, and the only IN
snnce of the kind in government Not one
cent of its resources are derived from the general
taxes levied on the people. |, sir, look upon the
operations of the Patent Office as the best means Of
fostering, encouraging, and developing the genius
Of our coontry-an inventive genius that has
already shown itself equal, if not superior, to that
of any other nation in the world, and which has
conferred lasling and invaluable benefits upon our
own country, and the whole civilized world also
Let me ask you whether the genius OF Fulton, q
Whitney, or Morse, and the hundreds of others
whose inventions and discoveries have blessed
mankind, would have been properly encouraged and
protected without the aids Of Congress through her
patent laws, The wise trainers of our constitution
expressly conferred this great power upon the gen
sral government because this government alone
could exercise such authority, and properly and
suitably foster, encourage, and adequately reward
those who thus advance the progress of science and
the useful arts r, -.. .. t
Sir, we may well be proud of what our country
men have already done through the wise encour
sgement required by the constitution, which has al
ready given additional lustre to the national glory
Of our infant republic.
Mr. President, allow me to ask, is it a Just cause
Of complaint that this vastly important office has
been increased in its means Of usefulness IN pro-
portion to the immense importance OF the business
confded to III I should deem it truly surprising
had il been otherwise; and if suffered to remalt
where it was twenty-five years ago, (whie W.
have in the meantime doubled our national resour
ees as well as our populalionO 1t would have
shown sad lack of wisdom on the part Of our gov
ernment a disregard Of the best interests OF thu
country, most disgraceful to our national legsla
ton. ....
In the foregoing observation feel sure all vii
agree with me. But gentlemen especially object t.
the action Of the commissioner in collecting agrlcul
tural statistics, and alege that this is unauthor
lied by law, and that it has recently grown up into
a great abuse do not deem it necessary for my
purpose to review all the legislation on the subject
Formerly an appropriation was made annually o.
81 600 from the patent fund, for collecting agriculture
statistics and procuring and distributing seeds, ant
this appropriation was increased to $1,000 las
year out Of the same fund for the same object; and
the present commissioner was expressly author
lied and required by an act Of Congress to eoIlec
agricultural statistics, and collect and distribute
seeds, Was he not bound to report the results o
his labors' Internationally he was
The senator from Connecticut [Mr. N,LEsl say
that 'in this publication last year, consisting o
more than five hundred pages, there were but tw
pages Of agricultural statistics" Tins is truly
most extraordinary statement, and one which fee
bound not to suffer to pass unnoticed. Sir, fron
nv examination Of the same document find neuri
he phos of il devoted to agricultural statistics
nearly the whole Of it devoted to the objects con
,empiated by the act of Congress, as understan
It's meaning. Ok.
What is meant by the term statistics lunder
stand the general statistics Of country to comprt
bend "a collection Of facts respecting the state
society. the condition Of the people in nation q
country; their health, longevity, domestic eeonc