30 COLUMBIAN INSTITUTE FOR THE 



any, further action was taken, has not been learned, but the bill did 

 not pass. The report of the Committee was as follows : 



24th Congress, 2d Session. Report No. 226. 

 House of Representatives. 



Columbian Institute. 

 (To accompany bill H. R. No. 934.) 



February 14, 1837.' 



Mr. Ward, from the Committee on the Public Buildings, made the following 



Report : 



The Committee on the Public Buildings, to which was referred the memorial 

 of the Columbian Institute of the city of Washington, respectfully report: 



That, about fifteen years ago, the Congress of the United States granted to 

 the Columbian Institute a part of the public ground west of the Capitol, for 

 the use of said Institute, till wanted by Government ; that, during the last year, 

 a considerable portion of the ground thus granted was required to enlarge the 

 Capitol square on the west front ; that during the occupancy of said ground by 

 the Columbian Institute, they had it well drained, fenced in, planted with 

 shrubs and trees, and several gravel walks made, at an expense of $1,500. The 

 memorialists pray that Congress will return the said sum of $1,500, to be ex- 

 pended in erecting a building in which to hold their meetings, and for the 

 exhibition of the works of American artists in sculpture and painting. 



The committee are of opinion that the prayer of the memorialists is reason- 

 able, and therefore report a bill for their benefit. 



MANAGEMENT AND OFFICERS. 



The constitution of 1816 provided that the officers for managing 

 the general concerns of the Institute should consist of a president, 

 four vice presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and four curators. A 

 general committee was also constituted, composed of 14 members, 

 two to serve, respectively, as chairman and secretary, the remainder 

 being formed into four departments or subcommittees of three mem- 

 bers each. The officers were, ex officio, additional members of the 

 general committee, the subdivisions of which were as follows: 



A corresponding committee, the duty of which shall be to corre- 

 spond with naturalists or other persons in the different sections of 

 the United States, to solicit and receive all specimens and communi- 

 cations embraced in the objects of the Institute; to correspond with 

 the amateurs of botany, natural history, agriculture, etc., of other 

 countries; and. unless otherwise ordered by the Institute, to conduct 

 all correspondence. 



