SMITHSONIAN BEQUEST. 121 



acts of Congress referred to, in accordance with the con- 

 struction thus given to them by the Attorney General. 



The estimate to he submitted is for ^10,000. Of this, the 

 sum of §128.24 will be required to make good a deficiency 

 in the former appropriation. The sum of §6,848.12 will be 

 required to be adcled to the fund, on the principles laid 

 down by the Attorney General. This sum is estimated on 

 the same ratio as upon the amount produced in the United 

 States on the remittance which has been received. The bal- 

 ance, §3,023.64, will be required to pay the freight, &c., of. 

 the remittance amounting, to §2,235.63, and such expenses 

 as ma}' be incurred in disposing of the personal effects of 

 Mr. Smithson, which have been brought to the United States ; 

 for the sale of which I would suggest that provision should 

 be made by Congress. 



This report is submitted to you, in compliance with the 

 resolution of the House of Representatives, which you re- 

 ferred to this Department for the necessary information 

 that its archives would furnish in relation to the call thus 

 made upon you. 



Respectfully submitted : 



Levi "Woodbury, 

 Secretary of the Treasury, 



To the President of the United States. 



A. 



Felix G-rundy to Levi Woodbury. 



Attorney General's Office, November 16, 1838. 



Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours 

 of the 11th of October last, requesting my opinion upon 

 various points in relation to the Smithsonian legacy. A 

 separate answer to each of your inquiries is deemed un- 

 necessary, as the opinion I entertain, and am about to ex- 

 press in general terms, will be found to cover most of tlicm. 



James Smithson, of London, on the 23d of October, 1826, 

 executed his last will and testament, by which, upoii the 

 happening of certain contingencies, he bequeathed to the 

 United States of America all his property, to found at 

 Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Listitu- 

 tion, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men. The Congress of the United 

 States, by an act passed 1st of July, 1836, accepted the 

 bequest, and directed the President to appoint an agent to 



