The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-01-29
THE SMITHSONIAN 1Nsr1rur1oN

which we have not had the opportunity to
examine. 1t will not lie out of place to
remind our readers of the history and
character of this institution, which takes
Its name from Mr.. Smithson, illcgitimate
son of the Duke of NortIlumb berland, whose
family name is Smithson. lie died some
fourteen years ago, leaving his whole prop.
crty, Which amounted to about five hun
drcd thousand dollars, to the United States
OF America, " to found, ut Washington, un
der the name Of the SMITHSONIAN INsrIrU.
TON, an establishment for the increase and
diffusion of knowledge among men," The
general character of this whole provision
became, as may well be imagined, very en-
| barrassng. The lcgatcc, whole confc,ler-
acy the object, diffusion and increase of
knowledge; and the beneficiary, all men,
not only the Americans The donor must
have had in his mind the great destiny of
the United States. and must have believed
that ut some future age these United States
| would form Il fit focus TO concentrate and
radia:e the beams Of knowledge over the
earth. Still, the embarrassment resulting
from this unlimitcdncss, became so great,
and the danger that tho grant would be
'nlS''sed for party or jobbi"g purposes, was
at one time felt So severely, tl,a. we re-
member our Senator in Congress, Mr..
Preston, proposed to waive the whole
legacy, and decline receiving The sum-
This did not, however, meet with tic views
ct Congress, and the Smithsonian Insttu-
ton has been established.
1t would take too much space were we
to give an accurate account Of the whole
plan; nor has the whole plan, which has
been adopted, gone into full opperation. 1t
will suffice for readers to learn that at
IN early period, Doctor Henry, then Pro-
tessor Of Natural Philosophy at Princeton
College, Il gentleman who laI established
high reputation in America and Europc
10y most important discoveries, was ap.
pointed Secretary Of the Institution. lie
elaborated the plan which WAS ultimately
adopted, and of which the outlines arc
these: The Institution is situated at Wash
ngton, where it has a library and labora.
tories; the Institution calls, annually, n
number Of gentlemen to Washington, to
lecture on u variety Of subjects, during the
session of Congress; it publishes "Contri
buttons No paper can l,e published
wl'cl, docs not receive the favorable opin-
ion, us to It's substantial worth, of COM
n'ttce appointed for the special paper
Several volumes, containing very important
papers, have already been published.
Tie Institution also assists philosophical
inquiries, too laborious or expensive for
individual cxcrtion. 1t is, farther, the in
te"tion Of publishing annually, popular ex-
poses of all that has been done during the
past year in the different branches of knowl.
e1ge, i'll such volumes as TO enable each
person 10 possess himself of the one lie
stands i'll particular need of. in his own and
special pursuit. 1t IS also the oljec: Of The
Institution to aid in the publication of those
substantial works which arc Of the greatest
use in the promotion Of acknowledge, and vet
do not command large sale-works, which
in Europe receive the assistance of govern,
mems, which cannot he extended to them
in this country, owing to the peculiar char
acter Of Government
The government consists of Trustees, or
Regents, Of whom the Vice President is al.
ways the presiding officer, and OF whom
the members of The Cabinet are cr-o0fcio
members. The Senate, MS well as the
louse of Representatives Of the United
States elect other members, and the whole
board elect additional members in the vari
ous parts of the United Statcs.-.SouM
Caroiinian.
1he Boomerany.-Thisc curious weapon,
peculiar to the nafiva of AustraI;o To-, .r