Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-19

SENATE.
THURSDAY, January IS, 1855.

1 oENAIE.
THURSDAY, January IS, 1855.
DEBATE ON MR.. cHoArE's LETTER.
! The PRESIDENT presented letter from Ru-
fus Choate, containing his resignation as one Of
the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
Mr.. PEARCE. This paper purports to be a
resignation. 1t assigns first, the inability of the
| party 10 perform the duties Of his trust Second.
that he can't concur with the majority Of the
Board Of Regents in their view Of the statute but
third, 1t Is revival of newspaper objections Then
he charges that the Regents have subverted the
plan prescribed by Congress-, and substituted their
will for that Of the National Legislature. am one
Of these Regents feel the reproach Of this let
ter, not only sensibly, but indignantly. But am
consoled by the support of such men as TASEY,
BERRIEs, RICHARDS, RUsK, and others, who coin
eide with me in opinion against the author Of this
letter. The peremptory manner In which Mr..
Choate states his views Is extremely offensive,
and is not In accordance with proper respect for
those who differ from him.
Mr.. MASON. regret very deeply that such a
| communication should have been directed TO the
United States Senate. 1t should not be allowed to
pass In silence don't like to speak about the alb
us, feel at liberty SO to do. He was trusted with
great honor as Cegent If he thought we were
wrong he should have remained at his post.
Mr.. President the soundest and ablest intellects
are characterized by modesty The tone Of this
communication is confidence. can't be wrong,
says the author Of this paper. He has made the
foundation Of his resignation the fact that he differ
ed with his associates in the Interpretation Of law
| and because there is no appeal. have known
cases where men have been misled in their judg-
ments by ceruscatons Of their intellect They could
| never be made to think they were wrong. Smith
son pursued science with devotion, and left this
legacy to the world. The high benevoence Of his
nature determined him to leave something for his
fellows and he made US the almoners of his bounty
to diffuse knowledge among men.
There are those who think public funds are for
public plunderers. ascribe no such views to Mr.
CHoArK. He is far above it, but there was q great
struggle for this fund since Congress got pos
session of it. Some thought library was the ex-
elusive mode in which the views Of the donor
should be carried out. The writer Of this COM
munication was one of those, but who is to read
the books, were that the exclusive mode adopted?
Members Of Congress can't read half what they
have. The citizens of Washington where the Ii
brnry is located are comparatively few in number.
Would this be ,diffusing knowledge among men?
1t might help booksellers book-makers, and those
engaged in the appendant trades, but save to a
very limited extent would neither conform to the
law nor carry out the objects Of the donor
Mr.. DOUGLAS regretted the necessity of bring
ing the Smithsonian Institute affairs before the
Senate in manner calculated to impair confidence
in ii. 1t had been his misfortune to differ from
the majority of the Regents upon the points at
issue. He had concurred with Nr. Choate in his
Interpretation of the organic law of the institu-
ton, and was firmly convinced that the adminis-
tration of the institution had not been in accord
ance with the law. He expressed this conviction
with all due respect for the eminent men who
composed the majority, but with the assurance
that they were governed by none other than pure
| h. L. ~~nA.., A.
ceiye the justice Of the criticism which had been
made upon Mr.. Choates letter.
He could not perceive in it a word or sentiment
wanting In respect or courtesy to the Board of Re-
gents or to the Senate. II is true that he had ex
pressed his dissent from the action of the Board in
plain and forcible language, without one word Of
censure or reproach, but on the contrary the con-
Guiding paragraph expresses his entire respect and
kind feelings towards every member of the Board
In this concur entirely with Mr. Choate con-
cur also in the Senator from Maryland upon the
eminent gentlemen composing the majority of the
Board, but cannot permit my respect for them to
control my judgment as Regent in opposition
to my firm conviction under the law. The whole
difficulty arose from difference of opinion in re-
gard to the true Interpretation of the organic law.
Perhaps my opinions were blessed by my previous
action on this subject in the House of Representa-
tives, when the institution was established All
the various and competing plans were then pre-
scented and discussed, and the result was that the
library plan was apopted on motion Of Mr.. MARSH,
of Vermont.
By the library plan ii was not understood that
the whole fund, but majority thereof was to be
applied thereto SO as to make the library the prn-
cipal, though not exclusive object. Hence the law
provided that not exceeding $4,000 out of the
$50, 900 of income should be applied to the library
and the residue TO the other purposes authorized
by the act hold that any administration OF the
institution which made the library the subordinate
object and applied the great bulk of the fund to
other purposes not named in the law, was not au-
thorized by 1t. ! shall defer my argument in sup
port of this construction until get the report Of
the committee. / am sure that Mr.. Choate and
all the parties concurring with him have been gov
erned by the purest motives, and by no other de-
sire than that of seeing the trust faithfully executed
according to the law and will of Smithson.
Mr.. BADGER thought that all the Senate had to
do was to accept the resignation. There was moth
ing else TO act upon.
Mr.. SEWARD concurred with Mr.. BADGER, and
said the reasons for the resignation offered by Mr.
Choate were derogatory to the Senate They
should have been given through the press
Mr.. BUTLER concurred with the Senator from
New York.
After a few remarks from MI WELLER in
which he proposed to offer resolution Of inquiry
into the management of the Smithsonian Institute,
the letter of Mr.. Choate was laid on the table.
The Senate then instructed its Judiciary Commit
toe 10 inquire whether any, and what action was
necessary In regard TO the Smithsonian Institute.
SENATE.
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 1855.
Mr.. WELLER introduced bill for the relief Of
VIM. b. Eaton, Of U. s. A.
Mr.. SEWARD introduced a joint resolution of
inquiry, respecting the expectancy Of erecting a
first class light house at Cape Race.
Mr.. HOUSTON presented memorial from the
Cherokee Indians, and asked It's reference 10 the
Committee on Indian Affairs
Mr.. GWIN introduced bin to establish week