50 REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 



documents printed in excess of the usual number, to enable me to carry 

 out the resolution ofCongiess referred to." 



And ajiain in reply to an inquiry on the part of the Public Printer, 

 the followinj^ communication was addressed to that official on Septem- 

 ber ao, 18(5*): 



" In reference to the documents not of Congress, but of the Depart 

 meuts and Bureaus of the Government, of whicli fifty copies are requin d 

 by resolution of Congress to be furnished to the Library for interna- 

 tional exchange, I have to say that all such documents as are printed 

 at the public ex]iense (with the single exception of printed instru(;tions 

 or confidential ofticial communications) are important and will ])roperly 

 be furnished. The foreign Governments with which the exchanges aie 

 made furnish us with great fnlhiess the specially printed documents they 

 print in each department of their public service, and it is desired to 

 make a return in kind." 



Owing to the failure of the Public Printer to comply with those por- 

 tions of the law relating to the second and third series of the United 

 States oflicial publications, the annual reports of the Executive De- 

 partments and Bureaus of the Government, and the memoirs, mono- 

 graphs, and special reports by the Executive Departments and Bureaus 

 of the Government, although occasionally some few of the works of 

 these classes have been received, a circular letter was addressed by 

 the Smithsonian Institution on the 15th of February, 1884, to all the 

 Departments and Bureaus of the Government, soliciting co-oi)eration, 

 in compliance with the existing laws, to enable the Institution, as 

 agent of the Government, to carry out the provisions of the Congres- 

 sional resolutions. 



Among the replies received, that of the Hon. Secretary of State 

 says : 



I have ventured to suggest to the Joint Committee on the Library 

 the desirability of a permanent provision for the printing of these re- 

 quired copies. 



Appended to the letter of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti. 

 tution of March 7, 1884, is a list of the more important documents not 

 furnished to the Smithsonian Institution although they are embraced 

 in the series intended by Congress for exchange purposes. 



Among the documents not furnished by the Public Printer maj' 

 again be mentioned the following (assuming series I, the Congressional 

 issue, to be complete as delivered, although even therein are many de- 

 ficiencies) : 



Series II. The annual reports of the Executive Departments and Bu- 

 reaus of the Government, together with the papers accompanying such 

 reports. (Section 3790, Kev. Stat., and Kesol. 72, second sess. Fortieth 

 Congr.) 



Series III. The memoirs, monographs, or special reports published by 

 the Executive Departments or Bureaus of the Government, whether 

 printed at the Government Printing Office, or elsewhere. (Section 2, 

 iiesolution No. 72, second session Fortieth Congr.) 



