Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-02
The Smithsonian Fund.

IL will be remembered that some ten years since Con-
sres' formally accepted fund.- amounting toupwads hall
million Of dollars, bequca,hcd the United States by Mr.
James Smithson. eccentric Enshmsn who, in his last
WILL declared the purpose Of th devise somewhat vague
y. 10 be "he increase and diffusion OF knowledge among
men," The money. with the exception OF n very small
sum, was invested Arkansas State bonds five hundred
which, OF $1,000 each, the treasury Of the u
States Upon these bonds Of interest Ia. been
paid since the investment made. Immediately after the
reception OF the British gold !" and although they have
not yet been formally repudated by the Legislature Of Ar
kansas il very Questionable her that honor abe body
Will consent to tax their constituents for the purpose
paying even the principal IL be generally admit
ted however, that the United States the trustee OF Mr..
smi,hson is bound mske good the default Of the State
Of Arkansas to which improvidenty loaned the money
aud TO apply in good aih the principal and interest now
amounting to about $780, the benevolent purpose
contemplated by the testatorand it is upon this presumu
ton that the bill has been passed BY House. which will
we hope, recevethe sanction Of tue Senate likewise be-
fore the close OF the session We have little sympathy with
that morbid PRIDE evnced some OF the members of the
House. which revots at the idea OF accepting beques from
foregner-and still less for the ridiculous constitutional
scruples expressed by Others who after the lapse Of ten
years since the reception Of the fund.- without word Of
dissent at the time by authority Of of Congress ap
proved by strie eonstrseOnst as Gen Jackson are
now disposed to question the power of Congress accept
US trustee, th. money and their anxiety to restore
il TO Smithson's heirs.
The great difficulty in the of the trust hereto
fore hiss been in devising plan acceptable msority Of
Congress Some have been in favor Of the establishment
OF University at Washington a large scale; others
have proposed The collection Of Library such
might rival similar collections in Europe Others have
been in favor OF instutng series Of Scenuc and Popu
lar Lectures every winter WSshington and Mr. Adams
time advised the appropriation the fund to the errc
ton OF lighthouses in the Skies" ian idea however,
which he has renqushed since democratic" Congress
has discovered, that. though had power
to erect an Observatory by that nsme might whip
devil round the stump, by building "a Depot for Charts
and supplying it with the necessary astronomical insru
menO We have not been able ascertain provisions
OF the bill which has just received the sanction of the House
but'he adoption OF airy scheme calculated truly
and diiuse knowledge" is preferable failure to carry
into effect the benevolent design of the tesiator
The difficulty Of ascertainne the true meaning Of Mr.
Smthson's indefinite furnishes powerful iustra
on in addition 10 tina, orcbe presented BY the
almost total waste OF the splendid Grard fund
tor like noble purposes the city OF Philadelphia OF the
folly OF leaving TO executors and trustees the performance
OF task which might be much better done in the life
time OF him who contemplaes giving this direction to his
ample resources "O the noble Grad fund.- quarters
of million says Mr. Owen in his admirable speech on the
Smithsonian bequest,) lost forever and though hall
generation has passed away since the Phlade
phan died. child has yet reaped benefit OF hi,
munifcent beques temple has indeed arisen that out
shines Greece and her Parhenon; its umpuous Cornthau
pillars, each one costing that would have endowed
Proessorshp the admiration OF beboders and the boast
OF the Quaker city but years yet eapse before the
first son OF indgenee ascend the steps of prncey
Portieo aud sit down within those marble halls receive
the education for which simple and foun
der sought to provdeand for which he would have pro-
vded so efficiently had he executed himself work. in
stead OF devovine upon others feeling less edu
eating the poor than in embellshing city,