HEI'Oiri' or TIIH SF/'KKTAK'Y. IM 



Coiiiii'css; but. uiidcr tlic ;i|»]u<>|ni;iti<)ii for •• l)iiil(!iiii;s.'" t lie security 

 of tlio nuiuiuls must hv pvovulvd for witliout delay, while under "main- 

 tenance" come not only their food and warmth, but the ])rotectlon of 

 theimblic; and that in tlu'case of animals, which are helpless to ])rovide 

 tor themselves and dangerous if not liuardiMl, can not wait future action, 

 has been a pressin<i' consideration to tiuMn. 



The lie<ients think it pro])er to remark that the roads of the i)ark in 

 the vicinity of the caj^es have bi'en crowded with visitors, to the num- 

 ber of as many as 10, ()()() in a day, l)efore there was time to juake any 

 means for the permanent care of the animals, or pro\ ide proper roads 

 to get to them, even had the means for these been api)ropriated, and 

 that there is, in their Judginent, e\ery reason to expect during the com- 

 ing summer the visit of still larger throngs, composed n(»t only of adults, 

 but of children. 



The Kegents feel desirous to represent that they can not be held re- 

 s])onsiblelbr the imnn'nent danger which nuist result, ujuler the contem- 

 jilated withdrawal even of these means for })rotection which exi)erience 

 lias already shown to be absolutely insufficient. They Avould also ask 

 attention to the fact that small as the a])propriation is, it is in several 

 items, and that under no emergency is any discretion allowed them as 

 to their relative amounts, although the whole matter of exi)enditure is 

 here for a novel puri^ose, on which only experience could decide the 

 relative exigency of each part. 



if Congress intended tliat the park must be maintained on the ap- 

 l)ro])riation under which the liegents have been unable to administer it 

 t lie last year (improvemeut, $ir),0(>(); buildings, 8l'S,0U0; maintenance, 

 ><17,r)()0), they deem it reasonable to bring the attention of Congress to 

 the fact that a discretion might pro[)erly be exercised by them as to what 

 ])ro})ortion they should ap]>ly to the imminent needs of the ])ublic safety 

 and what to matters of less urgency, aiul that they should either be 

 allowed to exjiend on tlie part upon which the safety of the public and 

 the existence of the animals especially depends, that which their ex- 

 ])erience has sliown to be indispensable, or that they should be relieved 

 of responsibility for the conse(]uences. 



They .desire to add in further explanation that they do not sni)p()se 

 that with the total ap]»ropriation of $r)(),0()0, of which .si*(i,(>(K) is for 

 ''maintenance'' (mentioned in the resolution), the park can be i»ro]ierly 

 conducted, and that they beli«^ve this sum to be in fact inade(iuate for 

 such (conduct, their intent being to state to Congress the sum below, 

 which, according to their experience, it is im])ossible to undertake that 

 the i)ark shall be carried on another year, tliough not credital)l.\', yet 

 without most ])robab]e danger. 



The resolutions are as follows: 



Mahc II L'!», 1S!I2. 



Itcsuli'i-d, Tliat the lioanl of Rogcnts of tlie .Smitlisoiiiaii Tiistiditioii would rcspcct- 

 I'lilly icjire.scut to Couj^rcss flu; iiiii)o.s.sil)ility of niaiutaiuiiig tlie United States Na- 

 tional Zorijo^ical Park, ic(|nircd I>y the act of ('ouj;ies.s of April :{(), lS!tO, witli a 

 less tot;il api>ropriation than .foO.OOd. of whicii at least .t2(),()0() will he r(M|uircd for 

 iii.iinteiiancc. 



h'tsolrcd, That the Secretary of the Institution he re(|Me,sted to coniniiniic.ile tliis 

 resolution to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the Mouse, with a jJieliiMi- 

 nary st:iteMi(Mit of the reasons and considerations on which it is l)ased. 



I ha\-e thehoiioi' to be, sir, with great respect, your obedient ser\ ant, 



8. P. Lanclkv, 



iScrrctari/. 

 lion. Lkvi p. Morton, 



President of the Senate. 



