766 HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 



accordance with the prescriptions of the executive decree of the 21st 

 instant, providing for the proper "arrangement of the national library." 



Given at Bogota, January 23, 1868. 



Santos Acosta, 



President 

 OIrlos Maetin, 



Secretary of the Interior and of Foreign Relations. 



[The National Library of Colombia to tbe Smithsonian Institution.] 

 [Translation.] 



United States of Colombia, National Library, 

 Central Office of Exchanges, 



Bogota, November 17, 1869. 

 Prof. Joseph Henry, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington : 



In the month of November, 1867, the Hon. General Sullivan, who was 

 then minister resident of the Union near our government, communicated 

 to the latter the law passed by Congress authorizing the exchange of 

 official publications for those of other countries, under the direction of 

 the Smithsonian Institution. The Government of Colombia accepted, 

 and furnished to the minister all the data which he had thought proper 

 to ask, at the same time conferring on me the honor of designating me for 

 the management of everything relating to the subject. 



Subsequently, the national executive drew up the decree of the 23d 

 of January, 1868, " establishing in the national library a central office 

 of exchanges of the national i^ublications for those of the other countries 

 of America;" an authenticated copy of which decree I have the honor 

 of herewith transmitting. 



Authorized, therefore, as well by the commission received from the 

 government on the occasion n amed, as by the decree which I inclose, I take 

 the liberty of addressing myself to you, now that the central bureau of 

 exchanges is beginning to operate with all desirable regularity, having 

 overcome the- embarrassments and impediments incident to every office 

 recently created, and which have hitherto delayed the official invitation 

 which I have now the honor of submitting to you. 



It is quite time that populations should be brought into contact, and 

 that, for their mutual advancement, they should come to know one 

 another by the initiation of literary relations. But, that this end might 

 be satisfied and not remain a simple project, it was necessary that in- 

 troductory measures should be taken by the government, giving at the 

 same time greater security to the exchanges and encouraging private 

 individuals to furnish their productions under the guarantee thus pro- 

 vided that they will be duly forwarded. 



The noble object of the Smithsonian Institution absolves me from the 

 necessity of troubling you with considerations relating to the utility and 



