The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-17

~ iiss,rsf,e appeadis By T. q squier, A. NJ 1850 pp
Bessrpton Of Ancisat Works IN Ohio By Charles Whit
Catalogue Of Portraits Of North American Indians with
Contributions % the Physical Geography Of the United
States Part lon the Physical Geography Of the his
ppi Valley with suggestions for the improvement OF the
navigation Of the Ohio and other rivers by Charles Eiet
On he Vocal Sounds az Laura Bridgeman Blind Deaf
Mute Boston compared with the elements OF phonetic
language BY Dr.. Francis Lieber
A Grammar and Dictionary OF the Dakotah language
Collected by the members Of the Dakotah Mission edited by
Rev s. r. Riggs, A. NJ. Missionary Of the American Board
Of Commissioners for Foreign Missions:
Vocabulary Of the Iagqn Trade Lsngaage Of Oregon
By Or: D. Rush Mitchell q s. Nj with additions BY Pro-
Nicroscopical Science.
icroscopioal Examination Of soundings made BY the
United States Survey OF the Atlantic Coast Of the
Microscopcal Observations made in South Carolina Geo
sia and Florida BY Professor j. W Bailey ..
ganisms BY Professor J. w. Bailey.
A Flora and Fauna within Living Animals BY Joseph
Leidy, NJ d. April 1853.
Zoology and Physology.
The Classification chronological Data BY
Catalogue Of the Described Coeopera of United States
By Frederick Ernst Mesheimer NJ H. Revised by $. Sal
Synopsis of the Marine Invertebrates Of Grand Manan or
the region about the mouth the Bay OF fnnd New Bruins
Contributions the Natural History Of the Fresh Water
Fishes of North America BY Charles Girard.
Jeffries Wyman, NJ D.
Catalogue Of North American Reptiles, in the Of
the Smithsonian Institution. Part l-Serpentsi BY y r.
Baird and G. Girard.
Panta Wrightiana Texano Neo Mexicana BY Asa Gray,
;" p La Wrghti lar ' feaauo Seo Mexican Part
An account Of collection plants made by Charles Wright
1851 and BY Gray, ~ D., Pp 100, and plates
Neeis Boreai Americana or Contributions to History OF
the Marine Alga of North America. Part lMeanosper-
mese. BY William Henry Harvey, NJ. d. NJ r. !. A.; PIP,
1852, and II colored plates.
of the Marine Aga Of North America, Part IlRhodes-
sperInea BY William II, Harvey, NJ. D., MR.. T. A., PIP.
Plants Fremontian or descriptions plants collected
By Colonel G. FRI mont in California By John Torrey F.
osser sJns p on tie ana Of nnaus By John
On the Darlingonia Cai.jornca a new pitcher plant from
Northern California BY John Torrey F. L. $.
Pa,qoatotoqy.
Memoir on Mosaaanras and the three allied new genera
Hotcodus oonoaa,vps, and Amphorose"s; BY Robert W.
Gibbes, NJ d.
Memoir upon the Extinct Species OF Fossil Ok BY Joseph
The Ancient Fauna of Nebraska! description of
Terres of Nebraska By Joseph Ledy NJ d.; ia, and
20 plates.
photography
photography Of American Natural History, the year
Notices Of Public Libraries in the United States By Prof
G. C. Jewett.
directions ffestrV1ng ana Transporting
Specimens Of Natural History Prepared the use of the
Smithsonian Institution. Two editions.
These works distributed gratuitousy to most of the
Incorporated colleges and libraries in the United States
and the leading literary institutions of other countries
They are not copyrighted and are sold by the trade
low rate.
1t may be contended that researches and pubca-
tons Of character purely scientific are not calcu-
lated directly to difuse knowledge among the great mass
of mankind.
This is no doubt to certain extent true and shall
q the inefit IA
plain and practical the nature Of the subjects will
nit but il should not be forgotten that the grand object
of the institution add to the total Of the know
edge now existing in the world and to diuse it among
men, rather than to scatter that widely which is al
ready accessible in greater or less degree 10 all
Scientific researches say committee of the Board of
Regents often supposed by the uniformed to be of
little real Importance and, indeed are frequently
ridcued as barren Of all practical utility But nothing
mistaken than this The most valuable and product
i've of the arts of life the most important and wonder
working inventions of modern times their being and
value to scientific investigations BY these have been dis
covered physical truths and laws Intelligent application
OF which to practical inventions has given immense benefits
to the world The germs Of these valuable improvements
and inventions have been found developed by scientific
research the original forms of which have seemed to
the many to be idle and useless they were curious
proposition relating to the pendulum which for many
remained only curious theoretical relation ult-
maey furnished unit for the standard measures of States
and nations. The discovery that magnetic needle could
be moved by n galvanc current seemed for long time
curious than useful and yet it contained the germ
all that afterwards developed in the telegraph 1t has
been well remarked that applications and inven-
tons always result from the discovery Of scientific pn-
cipe that there many Fuons for every Franklin
Besides this it must be recollected that Smhson re-
ricted his bequest to particular branch of knowledge
He considered all intimately connected with the improve
ment and happiness OF the human family and
TO whatever be said against the character of the pub
locations of the Institution il may be stated that they
late to precisely the subjects those which occupied
the lie Of Smithson himself
Now, sir, will proceed TO state what conceive to be
the true origin of all the difficulties that existed in the
Institution They have grown out Of the question whether
the income should be used to build up library the para
mount object whether they should be applied not only
for library but for such other purposes ao increase and
gents best accord with the will Of Smtson and the law
of Congress organizing the Institution
This the starting point of the whole controversy II
not pretended by that the funds have been
pended in an honest effort to increase duse knowl-
edge but that they have not been chiefly devoted to Ii
brary as The proper instrument TO effect the desired end
Now as this government is only the carry
the VIII OF the gentleman whose money supports the lnsti
uon IL becomes important examine into the nature OF
that instrument for the law declares its true intent to be
to carry out "the will of the liberal and enlightened do
nor Sir what is that will ask gentlemen to read
it and answer whether there is anything indicating
that library regarded the paramount object
which, like the rod of Aaron, TO swallow up every
thing eseY The beques in the language of the estaor
Qf The Smsoaidn Institution, the increase and diffusion
ef kaoriedge MEN. | submit that to devote the
money of Smithson to the building mp OF a library as
object would neither carry the letter nor
the spirit of his will The benefit be derived from such
expenditure would necessarily be local character
and instead OF being useful tn mH in the comprehensive
sense used by Smthson would mare the benefit Of
M