Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1910-02-03
.SaT8S0HS BEQUEST
Origin Of tie Famous SmithsO-
Hian Institution.
THE CONTROL OF ITS FUNDS.

Pfllfia-i-H ~ -aiis t-a---ita F--Ai-
lar Reialisn e. tie Government
Although tas name Of the smithso-
Man institution IS q common house
hold word 10 america and millions
Of persons have visited the great build-
lngs in Washington where are stored
the contributions Of science which
have been gathered under its auspices,
few understand the real relation Of the
Institution 10 lle national government
Most persons believe that ID IS a part
OF the government
The Smithsonian institution. sIys the
washington Times. occupies q peculiar
relation % this government. It is
part Of Il. and yet it % not part Its
moneys are ID tie United States treas
my ard can &c used only or apprO-
Er.ltiCl by congress, and set this
money does NOT belong to the govern
raut It IS 90 the government only
as tie money &c a ward Is to guard
ian
james Smlthson. who contributed
the bulk of the fund 20 the hands Of
the i1s itCtioa, was an Englishman,
tie son Of q peer Of the realm. He
was q uau who could trace his ances-
try back 10 royal blood He never Wis
tied iu America and was never known
to have any particular Partially for
Auerlca until ne wrote hts VIII in
1926. He died at Genoa IN 1879, and
when they opened his VIII this IS what
they read:
II beguad ehed the whole Of my prop
erty TO the United States Of America
20 f1U-I az washington. under the
name OF the Smithsonian Institution,
an establishment for the increase and
diTusi0n Of EnoEjedee among men,"
This property amounted 10 about
s1GG05O. which was in that day a
princelT fortune Six years after his
death the United States legation at
London WAS informed that there was
about $4,000 iu the possession Of the
aIfutalr general Of tie British court
OF chaueerr awaiting claimant
I-mc Liste.y there arose I'm America
an kinds OF opposition 20 the accept
auce OF the money. John c. Calhoun
and William e. Preston urged with
an the Ere Of their e.oqueace that It
was beneath the dignity OF this gov
eminent TO accept such a gift But
John Quincy Adams and others pre-
vailed. and Richard Rush was sent to
England TO prosecute the claim Of this
government
He was successful. and on Sept l,
1888. tie money was delivered at the
mint in Philadelphia in the shape OF
1O49G1 gold sovareigus. which were
miuteI into s5s8lS.t5 in American
money.
This sum by careful management
and 10y additions from other Charitably
inclined persons has now become about
S1,Co0,CCa which the government keeps
and pays interest upon for tie main
tenauce OF the institution.
For the first eigLt years the money
lay in the treasury while plans were
being formulated FOR the permanent
establishment described by Smithson
in his wiz Thousands Of letters were
received. and there were schemes
enough prop sea % bankrupt several
governments. Ccreressueu debated
over this fuEI repeatedly. AID han
dreis OF Ias Of the CougrcSsionai
Globe were Given up 90 IT,
Tie institution has been UOrked out
on such L- ed lines as 10 he one Of
the greatest forces in scientific re-
search ill the world.
The h0ard " regents IS composed Of
the vice president of the United states,
the chief Justice Ct the United States.
three Caited States senators. three
and six citizens Of the
United States 10 large.
The National museum. the weather
bureau tie zool sieal PARK at Wash
ingtcn. the fisheries luseau ard the
astroplr sIcaI observatory have been I
developed by rha Institution
The ob5V-ts 90 tie Institution. as
described by It's urst secretary. Joseph
Henry. have teeu adhered TO through
lle years eE IT'S existence. They are
to increase suow edge by original in .
and ,Ddy either IN sci
auee OF litaratare ARA 90 di1use knowl- 1
edge not aaiy through the United
States. lut everF where. especially BIZ
1rom0Jir- aH Interchange 0f thought .
lwou- Tlase prominent in learning In .
lN nati1us SO restriction IS made
b favor % any one branch Of kuowE
edge
The laaGi1G lectures OF The plan Of .
Professor Eeurr were in bis own