What is now known as the Congressional library at Washington, called by Thomas Jefferson, "Library of the United States", was founded in the year 1800. It has been nearly destroyed by fire twice; besides the volumes saved from these fires, it contains books purchased in 1852 by an appropriation of $85,000 from Congress; the Smithsoman Scientific Library; the Force Historical Library; and lastly, all copyrighted books published in the United States since 1870. It now has over 400,000 volumes and 150,000 pamphlets, and innumerable maps, papers, and engravings. In all probability, the appropriation of $1,500,000 for a building, postponed from the last Congress, will be enacted by the present one.
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