XLIV ~ JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



in Ihc view oftlie Jicgeiits, the strongest giouiids for his appoiiitmeiil. 

 AVithout nuikiiig coiiii)arisoiis, be \vas eminently worthy to sncceefl our 

 earlier and illustrious scientist and Secretary'. 



Earnest, courteous, painstaking and exact, be allowed the Institution 

 to sulier no detriment at his hands. It is specially signiticant of his 

 unremitting care for it, that, last year when be was suffering from nerv- 

 ous prostration, in his eagerness to provide for its future welfare he 

 asked the Board to appoint an assistant, who should aid him in bis 

 onerous labors, and who, in the event of bis permanent disability or 

 death, should assume the government of the Institution until the Board 

 of Regents could take action. 



Sir, the sad necessity came far too soon. It has called us together 

 to-day to mourn his loss, recall his virtues and merits, and fill his 

 vacant place. 



The Smithsonian Institution, which bad but one Secretary before 

 bim, will in the flight of time have many. Let me conclude by express- 

 ing my conviction that among tbeui there will not be a more excellent 

 Secretary than be, nor a nobler character than that of Spencer Fuller- 

 ton Baird. 



The resolutions were then unanimously adopted by arising vote. 



The second of the foregoing resolutions was then adopted, and im- 

 mediately thereupon Senator Morrill renewed the nomination of Pro- 

 fessor Langley as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The motion was seconded by Dr. Welling. 



In rising to second the motion. Dr. Welling said that he bad it in 

 charge from Professor Langley to make to the Board on bis behalf a 

 certain representation which seemed to him (Professor Langley) to be 

 due in order that the pending question might be considered with entire 

 candor audfreedom on all sides. Dr. Welling said that it was well under- 

 stood that Professor Langley bad been nominated by the late Secretary 

 as an assistant secretary of the Institution because of the eminent 

 ability be bad shown and the distinguished reputation be bad already 

 gained as an original investigator in an imi^ortant branch of physical 

 science. The achievements which Professor Langley bad made in astro- 

 nomical physics were of a nature to shed luster on bis name and do high 

 honor to American science. It would be a great loss to the cause of 

 science and a great loss to the best interests of this Institution if the 

 capacity for original researcb thus demonstrated by Professor Langley 

 should be smothered by the mere drudgery of official cares and admin- 

 istrative detaibs. It might be proper to state that Professor Langley 

 bad brought himself to entertain the proposition now i)ending before 

 the Board only after much misgiving on his own part, and after much ear- 

 nest remonstrance on the part of the friends who knew him best as a 

 scientific worker, and who feared that in accepting this office, dignified 

 and inviting as it is, he might be making a mistake for the interests of 

 science and for himself by sacrificing even higher duties and foregoing 



