112 Moiioi'ial of George Brozvn Goode. 



structure, and to connect it with the hall then containing the National 

 Cabinet, so as to constitute that hall in whole or in part the depository 

 of the cabinet of the institution. 



This was discretionary, however, with the Regents, who fortunately 

 did not look upon the plan with favor. 



Reference has been made to the marked similarity between the plans 

 of organization of the National and Smithsonian institutions. In addi- 

 tion to the feature of museum custody, which has already been discussed, 

 there were others no less significant. 



The National Institution, like the Smithsonian Institution, had a 

 superior board of officers, composed of the President of the United States 

 and the members of his Cabinet. It had also a board of directors, which 

 included in its membership delegates from the Senate and House of Rep- 

 resentatives, corresponding in function to the Smithsonian Board of 

 Regents. In other respects, still more markedly than in the constitution 

 of its governing board, the Smithsonian seems to have been organized 

 with the plan of the National Institution in view. The objects, as defined 

 in the Congressional act of establishment (sections 5 and 6), correspond 

 very closely to those announced in the early publications of the National 

 Institution. 



The Institution at its foundation divided its members into eight classes, 

 as follows: 



I. Astronomy, Geography, and Natural Philosophy; 

 II. Natural History; 



III. Geology and Mineralogy; 



IV. Chemistry; 



V. The Application of Science to the Useful Arts; 

 VI. Agriculture; 



VII. American History and Antiquities; 

 VIII. Literature and Fine Arts; 

 and in all these clas.ses, except the fourth, made plans for the collection 

 of museum material. Ethnography was grouped by Mr. Poinsett with 

 geography, with which he states that it is "intimately connected, and 

 indeed forming a part of it until it was lately erected into a separate 

 science. ' ' 



It is worthy of remark that the term ' ' manager, '"to designate a 

 member of the governing board, was employed in every bill, except in 



^ The term regent was undoubtedly suggested by the organization of the University 

 of the State of New York, a term peculiar to Mr. Hough, the mover of the substi- 

 tute, who was a Representative from that State and who in all probability had been 

 one of the board of regents of that university. 



The Hon. W. J. Hough was the first Secretary of the Institution. Having been 

 elected to that office September 7, 1846, he served until the election of Professor 

 Henry, on December 3. Mr. B. B. French was elected assistant secretary, and 

 appears to have served until the election of C. C. Jewett, and at a meeting of the 

 board in December submitted a report for the Secretary. 



