Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-01-23
TiIIKTy-TmIlD C0NCRgss-sd SESSION
THURSDAY, JANUARY Is, lS3J.
,sI-> >'Il'


,,,,..,,, ,vo. received from the President, trans
,r;,,;u letter from the Secretary Of War on the In
dian host.lit,rs, representing that vigorous measures
and more m"l will be required II once. o protect emil
grants on IN" overland rpu'" 10 'HuEh't,Nhu act!!'N
| along the routc.
Mr. tiyin.--I am clad the President ;akmg,
/ prompt measures upon this s"hlcrt. y great In"ny
rIai-rau,s lnvc been robbed aud nur!cr" the par:
| year aun- tho route t" California a. understands
! lin. President proposes 10 call out 3n'n volunteers.
mounted men. These ,!uud bc INTO the field Gt
/ once, and cla--e ia" Indians. Th"-c Indians call
On trains i"r contributions. II we can have such
body un,, tho command q" such officers Is ar" accN-
TONED 10 border warfare. the evil Will hc c!cctuay
! rh.rkrd ! have prepared u m-Ts:r. tn get rapid
route overland To- California, and hope ts'sc troops
will hc called "i at and restore safety and secu-
/ riry 10 our pro pc alnn- The route.
hlr. Wc!lrr.A~ I.!riubrr 81 The military commit
ter shall cudravur {" 90, "ar!y action upon the re-
c"marnati"n o: tho President. Ii Congress carries
on; his views at once they will do only thn: which
! ought IN havc been ,uIr !"ng ago.
Mr. ku,k.--i Eupc the movement will also include
those who .rrr ni hrir hoIner by dcprc,laons from
those udiaii-. Referred 10 the committee "n militia
! rs aiE:.ii-.
The President presented letter from Rut,- Choatr,
continuing his resignation one nt The regents ~ ll:
! Smithsonian Institute.
Mr. Pra,cc.-'rhiS paper rurpnr:s 10 be re-iGnn-
ton. Il i.-i-lls first The inability o; The party L"
perform t!, duties "t h- trust Second that he can
concur with majority of the boar! al regents III
/
"i the newspaper "irc6m.. Then he CHARGES tiiht
III" regents have sabvcrth the plan prescribed 10y
Congress, aud substituted their will Tor that o' me
National Legislature Am "n" at th9Hc regents.
fee, tn. rpruic!I of this letter no: only sesIhIy mn
| Indignantly. But ] cum>"cd by tlc Snpp"rt "i
| such men a. rancy. l5,rrirn. richards, kiak and
others, who concid with III" III "pin'oI against me
author "G this letter. TIL" prrci"p'ory lnainer r. III
hi,lI Mr. ChH;c .:a- :- views IL extremely oiicn-
,iy. md j. moi i'm ;rrur,i.Icr wh proper respect
! for those wlI" differ from h;Ii.
Mr. MaSon.-I regret very deeply that such COM
muniratiom shUuh! have been directed l" 'hc me"
States S,n;, Il .lol not bc allowed to pa,s III 81
I.ucr don't like speak about the aISrnt; but as
rh,. writer of this letter has challenged uS, feel
n; Ehrrtv - fu I". lie was trusted with great
Lnr,r a. rrc,.,,t II he thought were wrong, hc
,hnuld have remained Mt his post Mr.. President the
souudcs and abIc~t intclccis are ctnrartrrised by
modc7.v. The ton" Of this communication IA conf
dnr"r. 81 cant be wrnng, says the author ot this
ruu.r He has made the foundation OF his resignation
i, tnc that he differed from his a--"ciatrs III the in
t.ri,r,arun ni the law, and because there is ~ ap
peal. have known cases where men hay: been mis-
led IN their Judgments by coruscatlons their INTEL
lrri. They could never be made To think they were
wrong. Smtson pIilsucd science with devotion. and
lett Il lar., legacy 10 the world. The high bcnevo-
i.ncc u. his nltirc determined him To- leave some
i!r. for his t!low- aud he made the almoncrs Of
hs bnnnry t" dn'u~c knowledge among men.
There irr those who think pwb!Ic funds arc for
rubl;r pundcrrTs. | nscrbc no such views to hlr.
Choair He is far above il. bit there was arra;
struggle for i- fund since Congress got posses
sion "f it, Som" thought Irary "ns the exclusive
mode IN which III" views "i the donor should be car
ricI ont, The writer of this communication was one
Of those bnt who il 10 read III" books. that the
exclusive rnndc adopted, Members of Congress can't
read hal! what they have. The citizens III wash
n.,ton where the library is located are comparative
lv lew in number Would this hc d!tfusliIG know
c,l.c among men, II might help booksellers, book
makers. gni those engaged in the appcmdnnt trades,
but save tn a very liHcl extent, w0uI! neither
conform TO the law carry out the objects OF the
donor.
Mr.. Dou-Ias regretted the NECESSITY Of bringing the
Smithsonian Institutes affair before the Senate in
manner calculated to impair confidence in il. 1t ind
been his misfortune to differ from Tie majority of the
regents upon the points al issue lie had c"ncurref
with Mr. Choa;c in hs Interpretation "i the organic
law Oc the institution and firmly convinced TINT
the administration Of the institution had not been in
accordance with that law. He expressed this convc-
ton with all due respect for the eminent men who
composed the majority but with the tulI assurance
ha; hcv we're governed by none other than pure and
honorable motives lie was unable 10 perceive the
in-;ic" uf the criticism which Ind been made upon
Mr.. Choa.e'- letter. He could not perceive i'll II
word of sentiment wanting III respect or courtesy !"
the Board Of Regents "r 10 the Senate. Il Is true
that he had expressed his dissent from the action u;
hr board II plain unt fo:ci5lc language, without on"
word of ccnsurc or reproach hut on the contrary,
the concluding para-ra h cSpre>sc- hS entire respect
and kind feelings towars ever" member "t the
board. In iIl> chHcf c'lircIy WIFI 'iT AiloHlt.
concur ai>o IN c high uUloI u;n which has been pro-
nounccd hy the Senator from Maryland upon the
eminent gentlemen composing the ia;iorIty OF the
hoard but cannot permit my respect Tor them Y
control my Judgment, "a regent. in opposition V
inv firm conviction under, the law. The whole dll-
Guilty arose from difference of opinion in regard TO
thc true Interpretation ot the organic law.
Perhaps M opinions were biased by MY previous
action on hi. subject il the House Of Representa-
trc.. When the institution '"a- established hii ths
a.srcy
Diseased. and th- rcsu!: that the iIorarT Ps..
wus adopted on the motion of Mr.. Marsh Of ". ps
the library plan not understood tiai ,Ts
fund, huta majority thereof was I" be applet ~
So rs 10 make the Ebra-y the principal 'hotsa ~.
exclusive object. Hence the law p:"'i't ZIG. ,'s
exceeding S5:iD0O out of th- $-o"U3 81 '.e Meo"e
should be applied 10 the library ana W" ~ ~
to the ohsr purposes %uio:sSG by oi ,s the ns institution
- - - ~, Thrnrv The subordinate object and
oop~d the great baI OF lhe fant 10 othe; purpose,
n,t named in the law wns not authorized by It, and
shall doter my argument IN 'HppHr OF 'h'a con'ruc