The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-28

pride and admiration which seemed 10 glow in the
bosoms Of some gentlemen, IN contemplating the
will OF Mr.. Smithson, found an echo IN his (Mr,
S.'s) heart. He saw in the will Of that individual
what he had seen in the wills Of many other men.
Afler having grped through their hyes every shil-
ling that came into their hands, and, animated at last
by some posthumous vanity, they sought TO build
up name which should live after them; and such,
rather than any feeling for humanity so much laud-
ed, was the motive that guided them. In the pres
ent case he saw abundant evidence Of this DISPOSE
ton IN the appointment OF the government OF the
United States as trustee TO carry out this splendid
vanity.
Mr.. s. then proceeded to contend that the govern
ment not instituted for any such purposes as the
administration of charities. There was no grant OF
power in the constitution admitting such an exercise
And as there was such power, and as this fund
was still under our CONTROL and as the trust had not
been executed il became Congress to pause and to
reIace 30 far as possible the il had already
committed. There was but one power in the con-
stituton under which this charity could be admins
tered, and that was as local legislature for the
District Of Columbia. But that would not fall
within the intention and design Of the testator. 1t
was not intended that this fund should be applied TO
the exclusive purpose of the Of the District of
Columbia. The only true course would be to re-
ect all these plans, including the substitute which
had been offered by the gentleman from Massachu-
sets, Mr. ADAMS And # this were DONE he (Mr.
s pledged himself that, should no other member
do so, he would introduce bill repeating all laws
heretofore enacted this subject, and giving au-
thority and direction for the restoration OF the
money to the British chancery Ii could then be
devoted 10 purposes in England similar to those
which had been contemplated in the city Of Wash
ington. The only difference would be in the loca-
ton Of Tia Institution.
Mr.. ADAMS said, in this matter he was in favor
Of carrying out the principle ofthe ancient proyerb-
o.. "A. q. -
very s<1ah Mon Of these funds was now in the
treasury; and the. bill proposed to take from the
treasury the money Of the people Of the U. s.,
raised by taxation TO the amount Of seven or eight
hundred thousand dollars, to be expended in lieu OF
the fund Of the late Mr. Smithson, which was not In
our power at present. The gentleman from South
Carolina tMr. SrMsl said that this money was to be
considered il it was in the treasury Of the United
States Mr.. A. would be very glad # he could so
consider Il.
Mr., SIMS said in the report which the gentleman
from Massachusetts, made TO this House few years
ago, he took the identical ground that this money
ought to be considered in the treasury and that Ar
kansas, and the other States in whose bonds this
fund invested, were debtors of the general gov
eminent.
Mr.. ADAMS replied, that if any report made by
him three or four years ago stated that this money
was TO be considered in the treasury Of the United
States he would inform the gentleman and the com
mtee that he had had some experience Ence that time
that convinced him very perfectly that it was not in
the treasury Of the United States
IL was the office ofthe amendment which he propos-
ed TO try TO get II back into the treasury TO enable the
Congress Of the United Safes to redeem the pledge
which they gave, by the acceptance Of this fund.- to
this nation, to the memory Of the testator and the
civilized world, that It should be faithfully applied
according to the intentions Of the donor The money
not in the treasury, and could not, without a
violation Of all reaAOn he Stasr,d in
The question whether the treasury Of the United
States, the people Of the United States were re-
sponsbe for this money and for its application
cordng to the intent Of the testator, Mr. A. was I'M
derstood TO say, was another question. IL il were
necessary now, in order to redeem the pghted faith
Of the nation, he was ready to vote appropriation
Of that amount, or Of ten times that amount, 70 be
raised by a tax upon the people. But he did not
think the contingency had arisen and especially that
it had not arisen for the application OF the money to
any Of the purposes proposed in this bill.
He had heard with great delight the learned and
ingenious remarks of the gentleman from Vermont
MIR. MARSH a few days since; and especially that
portion which advocated the application Of that
fund ultimately to the only purpose of erecting
great and magnificent library instead Of the paltry
application of IS, 900 year out Of the more than
SO, 600 which this sum ought to give US. There
was no other object to which it could be more
worthiy applied to promote the object Of the tes-
tator.
To the main object proposed by the bill-vz: the
application Of large portion Of the fund to the edu-
cation Of teachers of normal schools-Mr A. ex-
pressed his decided opposition. He would rather
have the whole money thrown into the Potomac
than to appropriate one dollar for that purpose
Mr.. A. alluded to some facts in the history Of
this fund, showing his own connexion with il, the
circumstances under which it was received, the in
vestment, three days after it received, Of $780,
900 in Arkansas bonds, and the remainder in bonds
Of Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio; the payment by
Ohio Of her interest and the failure on the part of
Arkansas to pay a cent of her interest, &C.
Mr.. THURMAN (Mr. A.. yielding) inquired for
information of Mr. ADAMS whether this investment
in the bonds of Arkansas was made without any
warrant or authority Of law
Mr.. ADAMS. The fact is directly the reverse
Mr.. A. stated the circumstances under which the
legaized investment was made. On q bill for the
support Of the West Point Academy a provision
engrahed (he said) that this fund should be in
vested in State stocks. He commented upon the in
congrulty OF the two subjects in terms which excl
ted the merriment of the committee
He next reviewed the legislative history of this sub
Ject during the four Congresses which have elapsed
since the receipt OF the fund eight ears SINCE giving
minute account OF the various propositions made
in reports to both houses Of Congress, and their
respective fates-none Of them having received the
sanction of both houses. When it first came before
Congress-, and he believed this money was in the
treasury OF the United States, he was of opinion
among the sciences the pursuit of which was recon-
mended by the testator, that of astronomy was the
first to which portion of the interest should be
applied.
In the administration Of this fund there were two
or three principles that should be pursued. One
was that 1t should never cost the people Of the
United States dolar-that it should support itself
Another, that no part should ever be applied to the
ordinary purposes Of education of children He
felt that SU beCt ,bo fo,l;n IF ~,
teman from Michigan, Mr.. CHrpMAu,] that j,
was unworthy the people of the United States, to
receive foreign aid for the education of their
children 1t was their own duty to do it for them
selves, and not to depend on any eleemosynary be-
quest for il. There was no way in which the
States could more degrade themselves by relying
on foreign aid or on the general government for the
education Of their children. He differed with him
on other points, however, and thought it highly
proper that it should be received to carry out the
intent of the testaor for the increase and diffusion
of knowledge among menu
Mr.. SIMS, Of South Carolina, inquired of the
gentleman from Massachusetts the power under the
constitution by which Congress was authorized to
acceDt and al this G,nd2