The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-26

wish the honorable senator from Pennsylvania would
give ms attention TO twill be TO draw up some amend
neh whch VIII siop The thing, and stop Il now. There
70 no other way TO do IT, Let the honorable senator from
Maryland, who is the head of the Committee on the
Library tell us how much is necessary TO redeem The
puohc a'lh so lar as any contracts have been made
der the law, and let US pay that shall be glad
10 do ~ would pay TO stop the publication rather than
pay to have it continued because do not believe that it
oil The Intention OF the law that authorized
this expedition.
Now, sir have single word to say about the other
part oil the amendment to the cutting down OF the
appropriation for books for the Library from $4,000 TO
$4,000 There S35, 900 proposed to be off from
that source and vas 900 OF thai 60 towards
continuing the publication Of the works Of the exploring
The PRESIDENT. The Chair will state 10 the sena.
tor tina, there s motion pending. made by the senator
from Maryland, to amend that section by striking out
900 and renstang $75 O0 leave the amount
as i originally stood-$75.O 900.
Mr. HALE; ! am glad OF il but as ! am upon The
subject, will ask question. II you take the money
you have expended upon the works OF the exploring
think am not at loss TO say that you
can purchase with II the largest and most valuable libra
library the continent OF North America that may not
be boughtor one equal 10 in the value Of the works
and the number OF the workswith the sums that have
been squandered upon this exploring expedition ask,
them II is polite proper to limit the in order
10 enlarge the ohers
Having stated these objections, leave the matter 10
the senator from Pennsylvania and do hope he will
make some proposition BY which we can have an end
put to this exploring expedition:
ne Il. Inc Cnalr Will Stale again tnat
the present proposition 10 to amend the amendment by
striking out 1000 and inserting $4,000 for the Library
of Congress. which does not relate to the question
which being discussed with regard to the exploring ex
Mr.. PEARCE. I am aware sir, that the remarks Of
the senator from New Hampshire not applicable
particularly TO the proposition before the Senate but
he has INDUCED in them may be allowed lew words
of reply e ssbE asa s
beg leave 10 say that this exploring expedition was
for two objects FIRST to make surveys Of islands
and coasts, Of which were altogether and others
almost unknown, for the bensft OF whale fisheries
and the commerce on the Pacific ocean. Combined with
this purpose was another, which to advantage and
benefit science II supposed that the United States
government well as all other nations. owed debt to
the advancement OF science, and that would redeem
partly redeem, that obligation by connecting with this
exploring expedition scientific corps, whose duty il
should be to make collections in all branches OF natural
history.
The senator from New Hampshire seems to suppose
that collected in four years materials which, strangely
enough, require some ten twelve years to be reduced
that those engaged in the preparation Of these pub
LEGATIONS were not engaged in the collection OF the mate
rias. Therein he 10 entirely mistaken. Mr. Dana, for
valuable works, which have already named was with
the expedition all the time Mr. Drayton who
cened in the preparation Of the conchology OF the expe
don, with il all the time. So Mr.. Hale, the
philologist, who wrote work on ehnography. So
Mr. Pickering, who has written work the Of
men. and so were several others OF the employees.
MIR. HALE Messrs. Bailey and Gould were not with
Mr. PEARCE Messrs Bailey and Gould were not,
is true but then must be recolec,ed that there
many persons employed who good field naturass,
who were competent 10 make collections in different
branches of science but who might not be competent to
describe those collections L requires very high and
rare degree Of skill 10 describe objects in these
ehsrche sciences for 80 they We are obliged, when
obtain the materials 70 employ competent persons
prepare them for publication. The senator, presume,
would not have had incompetent persons employed We
employed the only men in the country whom could
get who were competent TO make proper descriptions Of
those objects of science and 10 discriminate them
from those which known before. The purpose was
10 write essays reatises There has been nothing
in the shape OF treatise connected with the expedition
unless II may be the work OF MIR Pickering the
OF men. Everything else published connected with the
expedition but description OF objects OF natural
history discovered BY the expeditions and in order to do
that the mnuest knowledge of the different branches Of
those sciences was absolutely requisite.
Now, as TO the time employed. stated before thai,
similar expeditions in other countries have required
greater time even than that consumed in spreading the
results of this expedition before the public; and this
pedon has accomplished more than any foreign expedi
ton which has been sent out
The amount OF money expended has been large, TO be
but such work be executed without the
pend,ure OF large amount OF money. The mere
craving OF the plates necessary 70 illustrate these objects
is the largest part OF the expense, and without them
everything else is valueess presume Congress knew
il they did not they ought TO have known-when they
passed this law that very large OF money would
be required because the experience OF all countfies was
open them, and they might have known, II they had
chosen TO examine, that the expense would be great
will not say their own ignorance-is TO blame.
Now, as to the value OF these publications, very
that no member OF the Senaie-and make odious
discrminatons entirely competent 10 venture opn
ion TO their true value Those only competent
form opinion OF their value who acquainted with
the sciences OF which they treat believe that they
worth everything which they have cost us, IL we value
these matters according TO the standard which the expe
rience OF other nations has set up
The Committee on the Library had no desire to pro-
long the execution OF the works They had every de-
sire TO hasten their completion They have taken a
deal OF troube-for which believe they have not had
due creditin order TO have the work completed within
reasonable time, and reduce the expenses much
possible.
Mr.. BRADBURY. Mr. President, when the amend
ment OF the Committee on Finance was read called for
division OF the question, in order that we might have
the OF the Senate separately upon that portion OF il
which relates to the publication OF the works OF the
ploring expedition. hope that we may have division
OF the question. But understand that the motion
ittee by striking out the proposed OF $4,000 for
the purchase OF books for the library and TO substitute
S75 900.
The PRESIDENT That is the proposition
Mr.. BRADBURY. hope that proposition will not be
adopted II appears that the Senate Committee the
Library of opinion that $40 900 all that would
be required a the present time. conversed weeks
since with very well.informed gentleman the sub
eci who told III al $50 900, in addition TO the amount
already appropriated, would be sufficient in his judg
menl, 10 purchase better library than that which we
had before and that that amount would be liberal ap
preparation at the present time Undoubtedly we shall
have make another appropriation next year, or the
year after and appears 10 that $50 900 quite as
much as we shall need for the present least We shall
sand dollars will be required for that purpose am not
,dy ised but I beleve. the q re-.