THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 47 



others, including salaries and all other general expenses con- 

 nected with the same, excepting those of the first complete 

 arrangement of all such collections and objects as now belong 

 to the United States in the museum of the institution, when 

 completed, together with one-half of the salary of the Secretary, 

 the sum of fifteen thousand dollars." 



The second and final clause of this resolution provided that 

 the remainder of the annually accruing interest should be ap- 

 plied to the other objects of the Institution, namely, researches, 

 publications, lectures, etc. It should be noted here, however, 

 that the proportional division of the income between the "two 

 principal modes of executing the act and trust," as above di- 

 rected, was subsequently changed, and that later the Govern- 

 ment began to provide for the expenses of the museum feature. 



During the year 1847, in accordance with the instructions of 

 the Board of Regents, Secretary Joseph Henry prepared a 

 Programme of Organization of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 which was presented on December 8 and provisionally adopted 

 on the 13th of the same month. This programme, divided into 

 two sections, covered the entire scope of the proposed activities 

 of the Institution. As explained by Secretary Henry: 



"The first section of the programme gives the details of the 

 plan proposed for the increase and diffusion of knowledge by 

 means of publications and original researches. The second 

 section furnishes the details, so far as they can be made out at 

 the present time, of the formation of a library, and a collection 

 of objects of nature and art. These two plans combined, em- 

 brace the general propositions adopted by the Board of Regents 

 at their last meeting, as the basis of future operations. It is 

 intended in the proposed plan to harmonize the two modes of 

 increasing and diffusing knowledge, and to give to the institu- 

 tion the widest influence compatible with its limited income. 

 That all the propositions will meet with general approval can 

 not be expected ; and that this organization is the best that could 

 be devised is neither asserted nor believed. ... It is not in- 

 tended that the details of the organization, as given in the pro- 

 gramme, should be permanently adopted without careful trial; 

 they are rather presented as suggestions to be adopted pro- 

 visionally, and to be carried into operation gradually and 



