The daily union., 1846-04-28

set apart for the support Of schools. When II
government was disposed TO do justice TO Arkansa
he people Of that State would be better enabled
meet their obligations The assets Of the ban
were equal to the payment Of all the debts.
He would not, however, pledge his State to pa
for the default Of the bank. When the bonds ha
become due, and the bank was found unable TO pa.
them then the State might be called upon.
Mr.. ADAMS said the United States had nothinI
TO do with the bank. The State Of Arkansas gaV'
bonds for the money, and they were In the ueasui,
now. The money was paid TO an agent, and TN
United States had nothing TO do with the inVeS'meh
M M. YELL said the State of Arkansas made
hank They issued bonds and invested them In the
Real Estate Bank.
Mr ADAMS. Sir, | had heard before that the
State OF Arkansas never received any benefit from
mi, money. But il was paid TO their authorized
agents Il was received in the name OF the State,
.ed not Of the bank. As to the argument that the
money was invested in the bank, and the bank was
broken, he would leave that to such operation as II
might have upon this committee, and let il 60 for
What II was worth. He would say nothing TO the
Encouragement Of the State Of Arkansas, or OF the
rosernmsnt of the United States on account Of this
contract But, II the five hundred thousand dollars,
IN British sovereigns, was sent by an agent, TO the
sovereign State Of Arkansas, il was matter OF no
concern to the government Of the United States
whether the money was flehed on the way.
Mr.. YELL here asked if the gentleman intimatsd
that the money was msapplied by any agent or
agents Of the State ofArkansasl
Mr. ADAMS had not said word (he said) inti-
mating any such thing. He had stated the fact
He repeated that the United States had nothing to
do with the concerns Of the bank which the gentle
man had said was broken, and upon which fact the
gentleman had argued that the State was not bound
90 pay the money
Mr., A. was very sorry [he said) that this question
had been brought on. He had made no reflection
on the State Of Arkansas, or on the bank, or on
the agent. He still expressed the hope that the
State Of Arkansas, after an appeal to her sense Of
Justice and honor, would pay the principal and in
tersst Of the debt, as il became due.
As 10 the State Of Michigan, that portion OF the
substitute which applied TO II he should strike out
That State had made provision for the payment
Of the money due by her.
Mr.. ANDREW JOHNSON wished 10 ask one
or two questions on this subject Of the honorable
chairman who reported the bill
Was the money appropriated by the bill ac-
Mr.. OWEN said it wonld take a lawyer to
snswer such question. Half of the interest had
been paid, and half not.
Mr.. A. JOHNSON. Then | understand that
more than two hundred thousand dollars for the
buildings DC. are to be paid not out of the funds OF
the institution but out Of the treasury. He wished
thi, to be understood by the people.
Mr.. OWEN said the gentleman might so con-
slider it but he did not wish him to construe what
he had said into an admission that he Mr.. j.. was
correct.
Mr. ANDREW JOHNSON said ho would now
propose question TO the learned chairman of the
Committee on the Judiciary. The first section Of
the bill proposed to lend money to the treasury
Suppose we had loaned the fund to the United
States Bank, when it was in existence, and the
bank had failed, would the government be bound to
make good the fund.-
Mr. RATHBUN had no objection to answer, as
he sald and, as lawyer, he would say, that trus-
tee investing money in execution of trust and in |
good faith, would not be bound 10 return it if il
should be lost. But government protesting to be
the first IN the world, ought not, in his opinion,
to avail itself Of legal and technical excuse but
should proceed to see the trust faithfully executed
Mr.. ANDREW JOHNSON contended that the
same moral reasons applied in both cases. The
bill itself, he proceeded to show, did not hold the
government to be responsible, if it acted in good |
faith; for 1t provided that all the investments on ac-
count Of the fund be pledged TO refund the money |
10 the treasury. This proved that the bill did not
appropriate money in the treasury, and it was not |
bound for the money
There was something little farcical and amusing |
in this system Of normal instruction, which was to
would IKE to zee young man educated at the !
Smithsonian institution, and brought up in all the
extravagance, folly, aristocracy, and corruption of
Washington, go out into the country to teach the
little boys and girls to read and write Those
yourg men, so educated, would steal before they
would play the little pethfogger. Ninetynine out
a hundred ofthose who received the benefit Of this
lnstitutlon would hang about law ofice-get a
pack of drones, instead of school
masters. Washington city was not place for such
an institution. He believed that it would result in
an injury to the country, instead OF benefit.
Mr.. OWEN asked if the gentleman was aware
that the will ofMr. Smlthson designated Washing
ton city as the place for the establishment of the
Mr.. A. JOHNSON objected, he said, to the
entire scheme.
Mr. DAVIS asked whether the gentleman
would send the money back to the court Of chan
cery'
Mr. A. JOHNSON replied that he objected to
the whole principle Of the measure, and that he
would send the money back to the source from
whence it came.
Mr.. J. DAVIS followed with some remarks in
support Of the measure. The government, was
bound after solemny accepting the trust to execute
it faithfully.
Mr.. BELL spoke on the same side of the ques-
hon Ii was eight years since the United States (he
sad) had accepted this trust, which was one of del
lcate and important character. The question was
IN what manner the trust should be discharged He
held that the United States was responsible for the
fund.- and ought to appropriate it for its object. He
hoped that Arkansas would one day pay the money
but he feared it would be a distant day. 1t was
necessary to act now. He did not wholly approve
Of the bill reported, but he would take it rather
than do nothing.
Mr.. HOUGH sent to the chair substitute for the
'lll, which he gave notice he would oer and was
'esd.
The committee then rose, and reported progress.
THE PUBLIC PRINTING.
Mr.. HENLEY gave notice of motion for leave
to bring in bill to provide for the disposal of the
public printing by contract.
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE.
On motion Of Mr.. HOPKINS, land under the
operation Of the previous question: resolution was
adopted, providing that all debate on this bill lin
eommlttee) should cease in one hour after it shall
again have been taken up.
And the House adjourned.
lhe following messages were, yesterday received
rom the President Of the United States, by James
Walker, his private secretary. The first mes
sage was read as follows:
To The House Of Representatives:
l transmit herewith report and accompanying
papers from the Secretary of War, in reply to the