7G4 HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 



Desiring to coutribiite to the attainment of an object which, for this 

 country, is so important, the Governmejit of the Union issued the decree 

 of the 23d of January, 1868, "which establishes, in the national library, 

 a central bureau for the exchange of the national publications for those 

 of other American countries." 



That your government may become acquainted with the provisions 

 of said decree, the undersigned secretary of the interior and of foreign 

 relations has the honor to send your excellency a copy of the same. 



And as the executive power of the Union does not doubt that the pro- 

 ject contained in this decree will be accepted by your excellency's gov- 

 ernment, it has ordered the box containing the first collection of Colom- 

 bian publications, intended for your country, to be sent to the national 

 administrator of finance at Santa Marta, to be held by him at the dispo- 

 sal of your government, or of its librarian. A list of these publications 

 is given in the annexed note, addressed by the national librarian to the 

 librarian of the United States of America. 



The undersigned begs your excellency to obtain from the most excel- 

 lent President of your Eepublic the adoption of this project, and the 

 making of the necessary arrangements, that it may be carried out; and 

 is happy to present you the assurances of the very distinguished con- 

 sideration with which he has the honor to be, 



Your excellency's obedient servant, 

 Anto. M. Pradillo. 



[_IjicIosure. — Translation. ] 



DECREE ESTABLISHING, IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY, A CENTRAL OFFICE FOR THE 

 EXCHANGE OF THE NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS WITH THOSE OF THE OTHER COUN- 

 TRIES OF AMERICA. 



The President of the United States of Colombia, considering — 



1st. That the literary and scientific works of the nation are very little 

 known and circulated outside of the country, on account of the lack of 

 relations established for this purpose ; 



2d. That the republics of the United States of America, Bolivia, and 

 Chili have already initiated the establishment of such relations with 

 the Colombian Union, and that it is not doubtful that the other Ameri- 

 can nations will gladly welcome the organization of exchanges of pub- 

 lications which may make us better known to each other; and 



3d. That no means can more efficaciously contribute to the cause of 

 enlightenment, and towards the fraternity of the nations of America, 

 than the establishment of a literary and scientific correspondence among 

 the different peoples, which would be the result of such exchanges — 



DECREE. 



Article 1. There is established in the national library, under charge 

 of the librarian, a central office for the exchange of official publications 



