FORTY-TUIRD CONGRESS, 1873-75. 735 



an opportunity to suggest names; but there seemed to bo 

 reasons for prompt action upon the subject, and the com- 

 mittee, therefore, instructed me to report at once a joint 

 resolution namino; certain gentlemen to fill these vacancies. 



The resolution now reported by the committee is identical 

 with that which was introduced by the gentleman from Ohio, 

 [Mr. Garfield,] one of the regents of the institution, with 

 the exception that in a single name we propose a change, 

 which, it is thought, would perhaps, on the whole, more 

 fairly distribute the appointments and meet better certain 

 interests which were cleemed by the committee to be of 

 great importance. The highest esteem and respect were 

 felt by the committee for all the gentlemen whose names 

 have been suggested : but, on the whole, the arrangement 

 proposed in the resolution which I now report seemed to 

 the committee to be the best they could make. 



The joint resolution provides that the existing vacancies in 

 the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, of the 

 class other than members of Congress, shall be filled by the 

 appointment of Asa Gray, of Massachusetts, in place of 

 Louis Agassiz, deceased ; J. D. Dana, of Connecticut, in 

 place of Theodore D. Woolsey; Henry Coppee, in place of 

 W. B. Astor ; and John Maclean and Peter Parker, whose 

 terms have expired, are to be reappointed. 



Mr. Maynard. Will the gentleman allow me to occupy 

 one moment? I introduced yesterday and had referred to 

 this committee a resolution in accordance with an idea I 

 entertained, but had had no occasion to express specially, 

 that the Smithsonitui Institution, founded and endowed by 

 the munificence of a British subject " to increase and diffuse 

 knowledge among men," should be made, so far as possible, 

 national in its character. Now, in looking at the list of 

 regents, I find that while they are all most excellent and 

 eminent men, (and I hope the day is fixr distant when any 

 section of our country will not have eminent and distin- 

 guished men enough to more than furnish the list of regents,) 

 the appointments are at present limited geographically. 



I suggest to the chairman of the Committee on Education 

 and Labor whether, as a matter of wise policy, it would not 

 be well to emphasize the national character of the institu- 

 tion b}' extending geographically the citizenship of the gen- 

 tlemen constituting the Board of Regents. With this view 

 I have proposed, in the joint resolution introduced by me yes- 

 terday, that one member of the board shall be a distinguished 

 and eminent citizen of my own State. I refer to Rev. Dr. 

 Thomas W. Humes, president of the University of East 



