The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-05-26
SPEECH
MARSH, OF VT,
SPEECH

MIR. MARSH, OF VT.
ON THE BILL FOR ESTABLISHING THE
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,
DELIVERED IN THE
House Of Representatives Of the U. STATES
April %, 1876.
note.
The history of the Smithsonian Fund is
briefly as follows: JAMES SMITHsoN, oil Lon
don, who died at Genoa, several years since
bequeathed the reversion oil his whole estate
10 the United States of America, 10 ''iound
at Washington. under the name of the
Smithsonian institution, an establishment for
The increase and diffusion of knowledge a.
mong men,"
The bequest was communicated TO Con-
gress, by the President, on the 18th Deem
Der, 1885, and was accepted by Congress, by
an act approved July LIST, 1886, pledging
"the faith of the United States' 10 the due
application of the fund 10 the purposes of the
bequest.
On the 1st of September. 1888, the pro-
ceeds Of the estate, amounting 10 S50S, 31S
46, were paid into the United States Mint,
and, by authority of Congress, were invest
ed in State stocks, principally of the State Of
Arkansas.
The bill reported by the SPECIAL Com
mittee, at the present session, provides for
expending the interest already accrued in
buildings and other accommodations for the
Institution, and for appropriaing the inter-
ests to accru hereafter 10 The purposes indi
Gated in the following remarks.
The House being in Committee of the
Whole, and having under consideration the
bill for establishing the Smithsonian Insttn-
ton
Mr.. MARSH, of Vermont, after some
preliminary observations, said;
The bill provides for the construction OF
buildings, with suitable apartments for
library, and for collections in the various
branches Of natural knowledge and of art,
and directs the annual expenditure OF a sum
'not exceeding an average often thousand
dollars, for The gradual formation ola libra
ry composed of valuable works pertaining to
all departments of human knowledge" AS
have already indicated, l consider this the
most valuable feature of the plan, though |
think the amount unwisely restricted and
shall confine the few observations design
10 submit respecting the bill chiefly 10 the
consideration Of this single provision. had
originally purposed 10 examine the subject
from quite a different point of view, Ut The ell
oquent remarks OF The Chairman oil the Spec
ial Committee, Mr.. OwEN,) which seem TO
be intended as an argument rather against
this provision than in favor of the bill, and
as reply 10 the able and brilliant speech
Of a distinguished member of another
branch OF Congress, upon a former occa-
sion, Mr.. CHoATE has induced n e 10 take
somewhat narrower range than should
otherwise have done. wish sir, thai Sena-
tor were here 10 rejein, in his own
proper person, 10 the beautiful speech Of the
gentleman from Indiana, who seems rather
TO admire The rhetoric, than 10 be convinced
| by the logic, Of the eloquent orator 10
| whom i refer. In that case, sir, think my
| friend from INDIANA, trenchant as are his
own weapons would feel, as many have felt
before, that the polished blade of the gentle
man. who lately did such honor to Massa-
chusettsi in the Senate of the United States,
Is not the less keen, because like Harmodus
and Aristogiton, he wraps it in sprays Of
myrtle.
1t has been objected by some, that the ap-
preparation IS 10 large for the purpose express
sed-"The gradual formation of Il library
composed OF valuable works pertaining to
all departments Of human knowledge" But
if we consider how much is embraced in
these comprehensive words, we shall arrive
at very different conclusion. The great
Libraries of Europe range from 100000 10
halt million, or perhaps even 100000
volumes. That the University or Gottingen
The most useful Of all for the purposes of gen
eral scholarship, contains about 00,000-
How long would il require 10 colect libra
ry like this, with an annual expenditure Of
ten thousand dolars2 The Library of Con.
gress is said TO have cos. about $3.50 pei
volume; but, as a whole, it has not been
economically purchased, and though com
posed chiefly OF works which do not maintain
a permanently high price, yet as large pro-
portion of the annual purchases consist o
new books from the press of London, the
dearest book market in the world, its cos
has been much higher than that Of a grea
miscellaneous library ought to be. The bes
public library inAmerica for its extent, 10000
volumes, which l am happy 10 say is that o.
the University of my native Stale, Vermont
cost but 81 so per volume. 1t can hardly be
expected, that Government, which always
pays the highest price, will be so favorabll
dealt with; and ii is scarcely TO be hoped
that it will succeed in securing the services
OF so faithful and so competent an agent as
was employed by the University Of Yer
mont
have myself been, unfortunately for my
purse. book-buyer, and have had occasion
TO procure books, not only in this country
but from all the principal book marts il
Western Europe. From my own experience
and some inquiry, am satisfied that the
whole cost of such books as a national libra
ry ought 10 consist OF, including binding and
all other charges, except The compensation
and travelling expenses of an agent, should
not exceed Two dollars per volume. lfyou
allow $4,000 for the compensation and ex-
penses of an agent, which would not be in
creased upon considerably large expeudi
ture,) you have 5000 remaining. which, a
The average cost have supposed, would pur.
chase four thousands volumes year. How
long, repeat, would it require at this rate
to accumulate a library equal in extent to
that Of Goitingen More than sevento years
In some seventy years, then, in three score
years and ten, when you, sir, and |, and al
| who hear NV voice and all the present a