JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 69 



Mr. Hawley took the chair, and the proceedings of the last meet- 

 ing were read. 



The Secretary made a statement relative to the election of a 

 chancellor, the office being vacant by the elevation of Mr. Fillmore 

 to the Presidency of the United States. 



On motion of Mr. Davis, it was — 



Resolved, That the Board proceed to elect, by ballot, a Chancellor of the Smithso- 

 nian Institution, whose term of office shall continue until the 4th day of March, 1853. 



Tellers having been appointed, the votes were counted, and the 

 Honorable Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States, was 

 declared unanimously elected. 



The report of the Executive Committee for the year 1850, was 

 then presented, and read by Mr. Bache. 



On motion, it was laid on the table, until the Treasurer's state- 

 ment could be prepared. 



The reading of the Secretary's annual report, relative to the 

 operations of the institution for the past year, was then commenced. 



An account was given of the several memoirs presented during 

 the past year, and copies of all that had been printed during the 

 same time, were placed upon the table. 



The hour of adjournment having arrived, on motion, the Board 

 adjourned to meet ou Friday, the 10 instant, at 10 o'clock, a. m. 



January 10, 1851. 



The Board of Regents met this day at 10 o'clock. 



The Honorable Roger B. Taney appeared and took the chair, as 

 Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The following members were present, Messrs. Bache, Davis, Fitch, 

 Hawley, Hilliard, Lenox, Mason, Pearce, Rush, Totten, and Mr. 

 Seaton, Treasurer of the Institution. 



The Chancellor, on taking the chair, expressed his thanks for the 

 honor conferred upon him by his election ; his regret that on account 

 of the meetings of the Supreme Court, he had not previously been 

 able to attend the sessions of the Board, though he hoped in future 

 to be able to do so ; also the interest he felt in the institution, and 

 his gratification with reference to its present condition. 



The proceedings of the last meeting were then read. 



The Building Committee presented their annual report, includ- 

 ing a report from the architect. It was, on motion, accepted, and 

 ordered to form a part of the Regents' report to Congress. 



In connection with the report of the Building Committee, Mr. 

 Lenox made a statement relative to a proposition for the erection 



