TWENTi'-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1843-45. 333 



bers, so chosen, to be a standing committee on the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and, together, a joint committee. 



These appointments to be made on every fourth Wednes- 

 da}^ of December, to serve for one year ; vacancies to be 

 tilled as they are in the regular committees. The other 

 seven members to serve for two years, to be chosen by joint 

 resolution of Congress every alternate fourth Wednesday 

 of December ; vacancies to be filled in like manner when- 

 ever they occur. The managers to meet on the first Mon- 

 day in May next, and fix the times of regular meetings of 

 the board. On any application of three members, the 

 superintendent shall call a meeting of the board by letter 

 to each member — five constituting a quorum. Each mem- 

 ber of the board to be paid his necessary traveling and 

 other actual expenses in attending meetings ; which shall 

 be audited and recorded by the superintendent. 



"Wlienever money is required for the purposes of the 

 institution, the superintendent, or managers, or any three, 

 may certify to the president of the board that it is so re- 

 quired; whereupon he shall submit the requisition to a 

 committee of three managers appointed for the purpose of 

 regulating the expenditures, for examination and approval; 

 and, upon their examination and approval, the president of 

 the board shall certify the same to the proper oflicer of the 

 Treasury as authority for the payment. The board to make 

 all needful rules, regulations, and by-laws for the government 

 of the institution, and the persons employed therein; and 

 shall submit to Congress, at each session, a report of the 

 operations, expenditures, and condition of the institution. 

 The bill then details the duties of the board in commenc- 

 ing operations. Among the buildings is to be one for the 

 reception of an extensive library, equal to the first-class of 

 libraries in the world. When the necessary buildings are 

 erected, all objects of natural history, plants, and geolog- 

 ical and mineralogical specimens, belonging to the United 

 States, in Washington or elsewhere, to be delivered to the 

 institution, where they shall be arranged in such order and 

 so classed as best to facilitate the examination and study of 

 them ; new acquisitions of the institution to be classed and 

 arranged in like manner. The personal effects of Mr. 

 Smithson to be kept apart and preserved separate from 

 other property of the institution. The managers to appoint 

 the superintendent of the institution, who is to be secretary 

 to the board, and professor of agriculture, horticulture, 

 and rural economy ; and he ma}', with the approbation of 

 the board, employ such gardeners, agriculturists, and labor- 



