50 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



documents printed in excess of the usual number, to enable me to carry 

 out the resolution of Congress referred to." 



And again in reply to an inquiry on the part of the Public Printer, 

 the following communication was addressed to that ofticial on Septem- 

 ber 30, 1809 : 



" In reference to the documents not of Congress, but of the Depart- 

 ments and Bureaus of the Government, of which fifty copies are required 

 by resolution of Congress to be furnished to the Library for interna- 

 tional exchange, I have to say that all such documents as are printed 

 at the public expense (with the single exception of printed instructions 

 or confidential ofticial communications) are important and will ])roperly 

 be furnished. The foreign Governments with which the exchanges are 

 made furnish us with great fullness the specially printed documents Ihey 

 print in each department of their [)ublic service, and it is desired to 

 make a return in kind." 



Owing to the failure of the Public Printer to comi)ly with those por- 

 tions of the law relating to the second and third series of the United 

 States official publications, the annual reports of the Executive De- 

 partments and Bureaus of the Government, and the memoirs, mono- 

 graphs, and special reports by the Executive Departments and Bureaus 

 of the Government, although occasionally some few of the works of 

 these classes have been received, a circular letter was addressed by 

 the Smithsonian Institution on the 15th of February, 1884, to all the 

 Departments and Bureaus of the Government, soliciting co-operation, 

 in compliance with the existing laws, to enable the Institution, as 

 agent of the Government, to carry out the provisions of the Congres- 

 sional resolutions. 



Among the replies received, that of the Hon. Secretary of State 

 says : 



I have ventured to suggest to the Joint Committee on the Library 

 the desirability of a permanent provision for the printing of these re- 

 quired copies. 



Appended to the letter of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti. 

 tution of March 7, 1884, is a list of the more important documents not 

 furnished to the Smithsonian Institution although they are embraced 

 in the series intended by Congress for exchange purposes. 



Among the documents not furnished by the Public Printer may 

 again be mentioned the following (assuming series I, the Congressional 

 issue, to be complete as delivered, although even therein are many de- 

 ficiencies) : 



Series II. The annual reports of the Executive Departments and Bu- 

 reaus of the Government, together with the papers accompanying such 

 reports. (Section 3796, Kev. Stat., and liesol. 72, second sess. Fortieth 

 Congr.) 



Series III. The memoirs^ monographs, or special reports published by 

 the Executive Departments or Bureaus of the Government, whether 

 printed at the Government Printing Office, or elsewhere. (Section 2, 

 Resolution No, 72, second session Fortieth Congr.) 



