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

he would be governed in his vote upon the
question; after which the question was taken, and
resulted-yeas % nays 20.
So the bill was passed.
And then the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The journal of yesterday read and approved.
THE SECRET SERVICE FUND.
The SPEAKER announced the following mem
bers as composing the select committee yesterday
| ordered TO be appointed on so much ofthe resolu-
ton in relation to the secret service fund as was
offered by Mr.. ScHENcK:
Messrs. ScHENcK, DoBsM, McILyAmE, thur
MAN, and JoHs A. ROCKWELL.
Mr.. THURMAN said that he was under the
necessity Of leaving the city tomorrow, or next
day at farthest, for some time; and, ,on that &C.
count, as well as account Of his health he asked
to be excused from serving on the said commit
mittee.
Mr.. T. was excused,
And Mr.. STANTON appointed in his place.
And the following members were announced as
composing the select committee on so much of the
resolution as was offered by Mr.. PErrIr:
Messrs. PERTH, VMroN, JEFFERSON DAVIS,
ID. p. KING, and WMMor
L. The SPEAKER announced the special order Of
the dayto be the bill to provide for the establishment
OF the Smithsonian Institution for the increase and
diffusion OF knowledge amongst men.
INSTITUTION FOR THE BLIND.
Mr.. GILES, on leave given, offered the following
resolution; which was adopted without a diyi-
sion:
blind pupils belonging to the institutions oBoston Phils
depha and virginia, for exhibition this afternoon after
the adjournment OF the House.
PuRLoMED TREAsuRY NOTES.
Mr.. J. r. INGERSOLL made an earnest but in
efectual appeal to the House TO take up the bill to
he Of
at New Orleans, &c.
The sMIrHsoNIAN INSTITUTION.
On motion Of Mr.. OWEN, the House resolved
itself into Committee of the Whole on the state of
the Union, Mr.. Burr Of South Carolina in the
char,) and resumed the consideration Of the bill to
provide for the establishment Of the Smithsonian
institution for the increase and diffusion of knowl.
edge amongst men; and the amendments thereto
pending.
Mr.. A. d. SIMS said that before entering on the
consideration ofthe main question before the COM
mltee he desired to invite attention to the con-
slderaton Of the Smithsonian fund.- and to express
his views upon what he considered to be the true
light IN which that fund should be regarded
Under the will Of the late James Smithson the be.
quest made by him was paid over to the United
States I he money, under the action of Congress,
was loaned out to certain States No matter for
what purpose that fund might be dedicated, the
faith and the honor Of the country by the action of
Congress, were pledged to regard it at all times as
being in the treasury of the United Sates and the
United States was IN fact itself creditor of the
States to whom the money was loaned; so that the
Arkansas, or Michigan, or Illinois bonds or securi-
ues-or the securities of any State to which this
money had been loaned-were in fact debts due to
the general government and the fund itself must be
regarded as IN the treasury Of the United States.
Mr.. McCLELLAND here rose to explain; and
(Mr. SIMS yielding) Mr.. McC. said that a misappre-
henson prevailed IN the committee as to the pay
ment of the interest by the State of Michigan on that
portion Of the Smithsonian fund invested in the
bonds Of that State. He considered this interest
paid; and from the report Of the Secretary of the
Treasury, it appeared that the amount claimed to be
due on the LIST of January last was S1sl OF; and
this had, in all probability been than paid by
the application of the five per cent. fund IN to this
period. In June, lS45, the then auditor general of
the State of Michigan endeavorcd to obtain state
ment OF this account, and the five per cent fund
In order 10 make provision for the payment of any
balance that might be found due, but failed On the
ith or November last he wrote and requested him
(Mr. McC.) to make the necessary inquiries with
the same view; and soon after his arrival at the
commencement OF this session, he wrote the proper
department for the required informaton but did not
receive any reply until the 9th of February. and
then he was advised that the small amount before
stated was due This statament he had forwarded
to the present auditor general. He (Mr McC had
no doubt provision would be made for the prompt
payment of the interest hereafter to accrue if the
tive per cent. fund was found TO be insufficient
Whilst up, he would state that the authorities of
Michigan had consented to the application of the
five per cent. fund to the payment Of this interest,
and that the resolution passed by the last Congress-
directing this application, was shown to him by the
chalrmas OF the Committee Of Ways and Means
Mr.. MckAI before it was offered and was fully
approved Of by him, and was supported by the en-
tire delegation from Michigan in both houses. In
conclusion, he would say that he believed the State
would make every effort to pay all lust claims
against it; and in regard to this fund, would at all
times pay the interest fairly and honorably.
Mr.. SIMS continued. He had not intended (he
sa,d) by any remark he had made, to nculpate any
state to which this fund might have been loaned
lie merely wished to show what the duty and the
obligation Of the government were in regard to the
fund itself. Whatever disposition might finally be
made ofit-whether an institution such as was con-
templated should be established; whether the fund
should be returned to the British chancery; or
whether 1t should be distributed among the heirs of
Smlthson-no difficulty ought to arise as TO the
fact OF the fund itself having been loaned out by the
government; and that for all honorable, practical
and proper purposes it must be regarded in good
faith as in the treasury of the United States TO be
devoted to whatever purpose might be thought
proper For his own part, he had no apprehension |
or rear but what each Of the States would in good
une snu IN good faith redeem their obligations and
reiuhu every dollar that had been loaned to them
ne now approached the main question. Much |
had been seid IN praise Of the munhcent and splen-
dld hoerall,y OF James Smithson. Il had been said
that, animated by spirit Of beneyolence To his
race, he had made his WILL constituted the eovern- |
ment Of the United States his trustee to carry ON,
his intentions, and had dedicated to the noble pur-
pose Of the increase and diffusion of knowledg.
among men an entire estate, under the msnseementI
OF the government Of the United States Il was not
his Mr.. 81 disposition, nor was II his wont nor
would Il become him, to speak in terms of reprAcbl
OF one who now slept under the sod. But he must
be permitted to say, that none Of these feelings Of