74 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



finances; which were, on motion, referred to the Executive Com- 

 mittee. 



The Secretary called the attention of the Board to the fact that a 

 resolution had been adopted by the House of Representatives, appoint- 

 ing a Committee of nine to inquire into the expediency of withdrawing 

 the Smithsonian fund from the Treasury of the United States, and in- 

 vesting it in some safe stocks. 



On motion of Mr. Mason, the consideration of the subject was post- 

 poned until the Secretary should be called upon by the Committee of 

 the House for information, and his report was presented to the Board. 



The Secretary presented his report of the operations of the Institu- 

 tion for the year 1853, which was in part read. 



On motion of Mr. Maury, it was 

 * Resolved, That the vacancy existing in the Building Committee be 

 filled by nomination of the Chair. * 



Whereupon, Mr. Wm. H. English was appointed. 



The Board then adjourned to meet on Saturday, January 28, at 

 10 o'clock, a. m- 



Washington, January 28, 1854. 



An adjourned meeting of the Board of Regents was held on Satur- 

 day, January 28, 1854, at 10 o'clock, a. m. Present : Messrs. Bache, 

 English, Maur}', Meacham, Pearce, Stuart, Taney, Totten of the board, 

 W. W. Seaton, esq., treasurer, and the Secretary: 



The Chancellor took the chair. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



The Secretary stated to the board that honorable Joseph R. Chan- 

 dler had offered to present to the House of Representatives, the peti- 

 tion of the board relative to funding the $150,000 of surplus income 

 in the treasury of the United States, and to move that it might be re- 

 lerred to the committee which had been appointed by the House rela- 

 tive to the Smithsonian fund. 



Whereupon, on motion of Mr. Pearce, the original memorial of the 

 board to Congi'ess was referred to the Executive Committee, with in- 

 structions to make such modifications in the wording of it as m their 

 judgment nuglit be rendered necessary by present circumstances. 



A petition was presented from Gilbert Cameron, the contractor of 

 the building, requesting the payment of the money due him, which 

 had been kept back on account of a law suit between himself and one 

 of the sub-contractors. 



In reference to the same, Mr. Maury, on behalf of the Building Com- 

 mittee, presented a letter from J. M. Carlisle, esquire, attorne}^ of the 

 board, stating that the suit had been dismissed, and that the court had 

 decided that the Board of Regents could not be sued. Mr. Maury also 

 presented, on the part of the Building Committee, a letter from Joseph 

 H. Bradley, esquire, requesting that the money be retained by the 

 Board until the before mentioned law suit was finally decided. 



On motion of Mr. Pearce, the subject was referred to a committee, 



