The (icncsis of tJic United States National Miiseu))i. 1 13 



the substitute which was proposed only a few hours before the final 

 action, and that when the election of the first Secretary was held, Francis 

 Markoe, jr., who had been for six years Secretary of the National Insti- 

 tution and was more than anj-one else perhaps identified with its inter- 

 ests, received four votes against seven cast for Professor Henry. Doctor 

 Charles Pickering-, the Curator of the National Institution, also received 

 one vote. 



The term ' ' curator, ' ' as applied to an officer in charge of the national 

 collections, then came into use for the first time. 



THE NATIONAL CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. 



The formation of a ' ' national nuiseum ' ' was one of the professed 

 objects of Poinsett and his associates in the National Institution, ])ut it 

 does not appear that they ever dignified with that name their collections, 

 which were usually niodestl}' referred to as constituting the "cabinet'" 

 of the Institution, both in the constitution and in the proceedings of the 

 society. 



In the Hough bill for the organization of tlie vSmithsonian Institution 

 in 1846, the collection in the Patent Office was officially designated as the 

 National Cabinet of Curiosities, a name which, though never in general 

 use, is very appropriate and convenient for use in designating t le assem- 

 blage of miscellaneous objects for a time exhi1)ited in the Patent Office 

 building. 



From 1847 to 1851, however, there was no use of the term National 

 Museum, the collections of natural history which were accunuilaling 

 under the care of Professor Baird constituting for the time being the 

 " Museum of the Smithsonian Institution." 



The National Cabinet of Curiosities, carrying with it a certain official 

 atmosphere, as w^ell as an annual appropriation, was, however, one of the 

 parents of the greater establishment yoS. to come. Of its marriage with 

 the Smithsonian Museum, the National Museum of the United States was 

 the offspring. 



The Smithsonian cabinet of minerals and meteorites was, as we have 

 seen, the first scientific collection which belonged to the United vStates, 

 coming into the custody of Mr. Rush in June, 1838. 



'In 1790 a law was passed by Congress "to promote the progress of science and 

 the useful arts by securing for limited limes to authors and inventors the exchisive 

 right to their respective writings and discoveries." [Sec. viii, par. viii.] 



In this was gathered a collection of models, which was sometimes bv courtesy 

 called " The American Museum of Arts," but which had no title to the name either 

 by law or by courtesy. This was destroyed by fire December 15, 1836. 



In "An act to promote the progress of the useful arts, etc.," approved July 4, 1836, 

 provision was made for the preservation and displa}^, under the charge of the Com- 

 missioner of Patents, not only of models, but of "specimens of compositions and of 

 fabrics and other manufactures and works of art." [Sec. XX.] 



NAT MUS 97, PT 2 8 



