JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



It was then- 



Resolved, That William W. Seaton be, and he is hereby, appointed chairman of said 

 Executive Committee. 



It was further — 



Resolved, That the chairman of the Executive Committee be the disbursing officer, 

 for the payment of the expenses of the Kegents, and other contingent and incidental 

 expenses of the sessions of the Board, and be authorized to receive from the proper 

 officer of the Treasury Department whatever sum may be certified by the Chancellor 

 and Secretary to be necessary for that purpose. 



It was — 



Resolved, That the Secretary be authorized to employ a recording clerk, as an assist- 

 ant in the discharge of his duties, whose compensation shall be determined by the 

 Executive Committee.* 



It was — 



Resolved, That the Secretary be authorized to procure a book, in which the proceed- 

 ings of the Board shall be recorded ; and a description of the site selected by the 

 Board, set out by metes and bounds, shall be made and signed by the Kegents present, 

 and shall have also appended the assent of the President, the Secretary of State, the 

 Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the 

 Commissioner of the Patent Office, to the same. And the Secretary shall also record 

 in the same the will of James Smithson ; the original act of Congress accepting the 

 trust ; the law establishing the existing institution ; the resolution of Congress ap- 

 pointing Regents of the Smithsonian Institution ; also, the certificates of the secre- 

 tary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives, respectively, as to the 

 Regents appointed from their respective houses. 



It was — 



Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chancellor, from the mem- 

 bers of the Board, to digest a plan to carry out the provisions of the act to establish 

 the Smithsonian Institution, and that they report the same to the next meeting of the 

 Board. 



Whereupon, the Chancellor appointed Mr. Owen, Mr. Hilliard, 

 and Mr. Bache said committee. 



The following preamble and resolution were offered and agreed to : 



Whereas the act to establish the Smithsonian Institution prescribes an appropria- 

 tion, not exceeding an average of twenty-five thousand dollars annually, for the 

 gradual formation of a library, composed of valuable works pertaining to all depart- 

 ments of human knowledge : Therefore— 



Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed, to prepare a report upon the sub- 

 ject of the formation of such a library, indicating its general character and the modes 

 of proceeding to accumulate it, and to present such a report at the next regular meeting 

 of the Board. 



Whereupon, the Chancellor appointed Mr. Choate, Mr. Hawley, 

 and Mr. Rush said committee. 



Adjournedto 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. 



September 9, 1846. 

 The Board met pursuant to adjournment. 

 Present, the same Regents as yesterday. 

 Mr. Owen presented to the Board, in behalf of David Dale Owen, 



* In compliance with the seventh section of the act of Congress establishing the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, and with this resolution, the Secretary appointed Benjamin B. French, Esq., Assistant Sec- 

 rotary and Recording Clerk of the institution. 



