184 Memorial of George Brown Goode. 



MEMORIAL OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



To the Hoyiorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 



America in Congress assembled : 



The undersigned, a committee appointed for the purpose of preparing a memorial 

 on behalf of the National Institute, to be accompanied by copies of memorials which 

 were presented to your Honorable body during the last session, beg leave to submit 

 to your consideration the annexed copies of said memorials and to invoke the friendly 

 views of your Honorable body to the prayer therein contained. 



An examination of the character of the by-laws and of the proceedings of the 

 National Institute will show that among the principal objects of its organization are 

 those of forming at the seat of the General Government an extensive museum of the 

 natural history of our country in all branches, and affording every possible facility 

 for the development of mind in its devotion to the sciences and the useful arts. 

 But the experience of a few years of our existence has satisfied the Institute that 

 individual means are inadequate to meet the expenses involved in the exhibition 

 and preservation of its already extensive and continually increasing collections, and 

 for paying the transportation charges of valuable donations daily arriving from all 

 parts of the world. 



These collections, valuable and extensive as they are, have been obtained com- 

 paratively without cost, and will evidently go without cost to the United States, 

 as by the conditions of our charter the Institute, in reference to all its collections, is 

 in reality a trustee for the United States. 



Its position and national character have enlisted the most enthusiastic feeling in 

 its favor from the institutions and the enlightened men of all countries, evinced and 

 daily evincing itself by presents of the most valuable literary works and by dona- 

 tions of specimens of natural history and the fine arts. It is to preserve and exhibit 

 these and to pay for their transportation, which exceed our ability and for which, 

 on behalf of the National Institute, we solicit the aid of your Honorable body on the 

 grounds of our position in the District of Columbia, of the national character of our 

 organization and action, and the consideration that all the property and collections 

 of the Institute must by our charter eventually become the property and collections 

 of the Government. 



The Institute will readily acquiesce to any restrictions and safeguard with which 



your Honorable body think proper to protect any aid that may be granted, only 



begging leave to call the attention of your Honorable body to the safeguard already 



established in our charter, which makes the six heads of the principal Departments 



of the Government directors of the ex officio of the board of managers of the 



Institute. 



J. J. Abkrt, Chairman, 



J. T. SUI,IvIVAN, 



T. SEwai,t„ M. D., 

 M. Thomas, M. D., 

 W. W. SeaTon, 

 J. C. Bricnt, 



Committee. 

 January 21, 1845. 



II. 



At a meeting of the National Institute, held December 9, 1844, the corresponding 

 secretary ( Mr. Markoe ) offered the following re.solution, which was, on motion, unani- 

 mously adopted: 



Resolved, That a committee of six persons be appointed by the Chair to prepare 

 a memorial to Congress in behalf of the National Institute, to be accompanied by a 

 copy of the memorials which were presented at the last session; and that the com- 



