[ 23 ] 148 



Washington, August 27, 1847. 



Sir : I address you as a member of the building committee of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. It will be remembered the subscriber furnished 

 apian, specification, and estimate of an edifice for the institution. 



That plan was made to suit what was believed to be the object of the 

 testator, and according to the true meaning of the act of Congress — to "be 

 of the best and most durable materials, and fire-proof." That plan was re- 

 ceived by the building committee, and taken by them to the eastern cities 

 and shown to the artists, architects, and builders, along with, and in con- 

 trast with, the plan of Dr. Owen. And as Dr. Owen was paid for his 

 plan, though not adopted, and as all the other architects that copied 

 from him were paid, surely 1 have the same if not a better right to be 

 paid than they, as both the committee and the architects had the benefit 

 of my specification and estimate for comparison, or to copy from. There- 

 fore I hope the committee will allow me the same consideration as the 

 others. 



T am, with all due respect, your obedient servant, 



WILLIAM ARCHER. 



To W. \V. Seaton, esq.. 



Buildinsr Committee Smithsonian Institution, 



"to 



Mr. Seaton was instructed to inform Mr. Archer, in reply to the above 

 communication, that he is mistaken in supposing that Dr. Owen's plan 

 was paid for ; that although the general internal arrangements of that plan 

 were substantially adopted, and though one of the present wings is a copy, 

 somewhat modified, of the original elevation submitted by him, (Dr. O.,) 

 yet that he (Dr. O.) received no remuneration whatever fur his plans, they 

 being considered, like Mr. Archer's, a voluntary offering to the institu- 

 tion ; further, that no portion whatever of Mr. Archer's design, euher of 

 its general plan or its elevation, had been adopted or copied, with or with- 

 out modifications ; and therefore, even if it be considered as submitted in 

 competition with the other plans, it stands but in the same situation as 

 many others that were returned to the respective architects without any 

 remuneration ; and finally, that the conmiittee has no authority to award 

 a premium or grant remuneration in this or any similar case. 



The chairman submitted, as a memorandum regarding the condition, 

 of the building fund, a copy of a letter yesterday addressed by him to 

 the Chancellor, as follows : 



Washington, October 17, 1S47. 



My Dear Sir: I arrived here last evening from Baltimore, and called 

 upon Mr. Seaton this morning. He showed me a letter from you, in reply 

 to a request of his for a power of attorney to draw {jt>7,5(JU of the funds of 

 the Smithsonian Institution to pay contractors, &c., for which same $7,500 

 you had previously, to wit: on the 4th instant, signed a requisition ; and 

 he requested me to write to you, and comply with your request to be fur- 

 nished with a copy of such portion of the minutes of our board as gives 

 authority to draw or apply this sum. 



I see you have forgotten how this matter of appropriation stands. Just 

 previously to the appointment of the building committee, to wit: on the 

 28th January last, the board passed resolutions that the said committee 



