322 Memorial of George Bnnvn Goode. 



These publications have had their influence for good in many ways, 

 but, in addition to this, a hbrary much more than equal in value to the 

 outlay has, through their buying power, come into the possession of the 

 nation. 



In addition to all this, a large amount of material has been acquired 

 for the Museum by direct expenditure from the private fund of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. The value of the collections thus acquired is 

 estimated to be more than equal to the whole amount of the Smithsonian 

 bequest. 



The early history of the Museum was much like that of the library. 

 It was not until 1S58 that it became the authorized depository of the 

 scientific collections of the Government, and it was not until after 1876 

 that it was officially recognized as the Natioual Museum of the United 

 States. 



But for the provident forethought of the organizers of the vSmithso- 

 nian Institution the United States would probably still be without even 

 a reputable nucleus for a national nuiseum or a scientific library. 



For nearly half a century the Institution has been the object of the 

 watchful care of many of America's most enlightened public men. Vice- 

 Presidents Fillmore and Dallas, and Roger B. Taney, Salmon P. Chase, 

 Morrison R. Waite, and Melville W. Fuller, Chief Justices of the United 

 States, have in succession occupied the Chancellor's chair. George Ban- 

 croft, John C. Breckinridge, Lewis Cass, Rufus Choate, Samuel S. Cox, 

 Schuyler Colfax, Garrett Davis, Jefferson Davis, Stephen A. Douglas, 

 William H. English, Wilham P. Fessenden, James A. Garfield, Hanni- 

 bal Hamlin, Henry W. Hilliard, George P. Marsh, James M. Mason, 

 Justin S. Morrill, Robert Dale Owen, James A. Pearce, Wilham C. 

 Preston, Richard Rush, General W. T. Sherman, Lyman Trumbull, and 

 William A. Wheeler have been at various times leaders in the delibera- 

 tions of the Board of Regents. 



The representatives of science on the Board, Professor Agassiz, Pro- 

 fessor Bache, Professor Coppee, Professor Dana, General Delafield, Pro- 

 fessor P'elton, Professor Gray, Professor McLean, General Meigs, Presi- 

 dent Porter, General Totten, and Dr. Welling, have usually held office 

 for long periods of years, and have given to its affairs the most careful 

 attention and thought. 



The relation of the vSmithsonian Institution to the Government has 

 l)een unique and iniparalleled elsewhere. No one will question the a.sser- 

 tion that the results of its work have been far wider than those which its 

 annual reports have ever attempted to show forth. 



During the administration of Van Buren and the succeeding ones, 

 governmental science, stimulated by Bache, Henry, and Maury, scien- 

 tific administrators of a new and more vigorous type than had been pre- 

 viously known in Washington, rajndly advanced, and prior to 1861 the 

 institutions then existing had made material progress. 



