76 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



Mr. Pearce was called to the chair. 



The Secretary announced the election, hy joint resolution of the 

 Senate and House ofEepresentatives, of the Hon. George E. Badger, 

 of North Carolina, and Professor Cornelius C. Felton, of Massa- 

 chusetts, as Regents to fill the vacancies occasioned by the death of the 

 Hon. John Macpherson Berrien, and the resignation of the Hon. 

 EuFus Choate. 



Also, the appointment, by the Speaker of the House ofEepresenta- 

 tives, of the Plon. W. H. English, of Indiana, Hon. H. Warner, 

 of Georgia, and the Hon. B. Stanton, of Ohio, as Regents on the part 

 of the House. 



Mr. Seaton, Treasurer, presented the statement of receipts and ex- 

 penditures for the year 1855, which was referred to the Executive 

 Committee. 



The Secretary presented and read his report of the condition and 

 operations of tlie Institution for the past year, which was accepted. 



It being announced by the Secretary that the Hon. J. MACPHERSOif 

 Berrien, one of the Regents, had departed this life since the last an- 

 nual session of the Board, Mr. Mason offered the following resolutions, 

 accompanying them with remarks suitable to the occasion: 



Resolved, That the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution have 

 heard, with deep and sincere regret, that since their last annual meet- 

 ing, the Hon. J. Macpherson Berrien, late one of their associates, has 

 departed this life. 



liesolved, That whilst deploring the severance of so enlightened 

 and able a coadjutor from the trust committed to the Regents of the 

 Institution, they sympathize with the country in the loss it has sus- 

 tained by the death of an eminent and virtuous citizen. 



Ilesolved, That, in testimony of their high respect for the memory 

 of their late associate, the members of this Board will wear the custom- 

 ary badge of mourning for the period of thirty days. 



Resolved, That these resolutions be entered upon the journal, and 

 a copy of them be transmitted to the family of the deceased. 



The Board thenadjourned till Saturday, March 8th, at 11 o'clocka. m, 



SATURDAY, March 8, 1856. 



The Board of Regents met at 11 o'clock a. m. 



Present : The Chancellor, Hon. R. B. Taney, and Messrs. Pearce, 

 English, Warner, Totten, and the Secretary. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and adopted. 



Mr. English presented the report of the Building Committee for 

 the year 1855; which was read and adopted. 



Mr. Pearce presented the annual report of the Executive Commit- 

 tee, containing an account of the finances, the receipts and expendi- 

 tures during the year 1855, the estimates for appropriations for 1856, 

 &c. ; which was read and adopted. 



On motion of Mr. Pearce, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That, in order to give sufficient time to make up the 

 accounts for the year, the annual meeting of the Board shall hereafter 

 be held on the third Wednesday of January, instead of the first. 



