110 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



exchange at half that sum annually, and suppose an appropriation in money of equal 

 amount for the purchase of books, the growth of the library will be quite as rapid as 

 was that of the library of Congress during the twenty-five years prior to the late fire, 

 and its annual increase in value more than double that of the Congressional Library 

 before the period mentioned. For several years before 1825, the ordinary appropria- 

 tions of Congress for their library were not more than $2^000 per annum. Since that 

 period they have been $5,000. 



The Committee of Organization, in their report submitted in 1847, recommended 

 such a selection of books as would " make the Smithsonian Library chiefly a supple- 

 mental one," and " to purchase for the most part valuable works which are not to be 

 found elsewhere in the Union." 



Of course, this was not to be a universal rule, and not to exclude standard works 

 of authority and reference. They particularly desired to see the library so supplied 

 with important works on bibliography, so that it might become the centre of literary 

 and bibliographical reference for the whole country. This desire has always been, 

 entertained by the Regents, and much has already been done towards this object. 

 The collection of printed and manuscript catalogues has already been commenced 

 with this view, and should be steadily followed up. It is believed that the appropri- 

 ations suggested, together with the exchanges and occasional special appropriations, 

 will, in a reasonable time, not only secure this object, but make the library the most 

 important collection of valuable books, pertaining to all departments of knowledge, 

 to be found in our country. 



Suggestions have been made to the committee of certain alterations, in the organi- 

 zation of the institution, which your committee think not warranted by the letter and 

 spirit of the law, and in conflict with the seventh section, which defines the duties 

 and powers of the Secretary. That section admits of only one interpretation. Its 

 terms are direct and explicit, and its objects are expressly and pointedly set forth. 

 The entire property of the institution is placed by it in the Secretary's hands, and he 

 is distinctly constituted the responsible agent of the Board of Regents. He is "to 

 make a fair and accurate record of all their proceedings, to take charge of the build- 

 ing and property of the institution," to discharge the duties of librarian and keeper 

 of the museum. This language clearly shows the intention of the framers of the law 

 to secure unity of action, to admit of no separate and independent departments, as is 

 often the case in other institutions. All the duties enumerated are devolved solely 

 on the Secretary, and though other persons may be employed, they are merely his as- 

 sistants, the offices being emphatically one. The Secretary alone is authorized to act ; 

 and if the business of the institution demanded no more than the mind and labor of 

 one man might bo competent to perform, there would be no occasion for the employ- 

 ment of anyone else. 



The law is declaratory and positive in charging the Secretary with the enumerated 

 duties, and therefore invests him, and him alone, with the corresponding powers. 

 But as it must have been manifest that no Secretary could be able of himself to per- 

 form personally everything required for the discharge of his enumerated duties, pro- 

 vision is made for aid to him, in the clause which says that he " may, with the consent 

 of the Board, employ assistants," &c. 



The positions of the persons so employed arc determined by the word which desig- 

 nates them in the clause authorizing their employment. They are called " assistants." 

 To whom? Not to the Regents, but to the Secretary. Their position is necessarily 

 subordinate and as their duties are those of assistants to their principal, they can no 

 more be independent of him than they can be superior to him. This construction is 

 so manifestly proper, that it would seem to require no argument to justify it. But if 

 anything further were wanted, it may be found in the fact that the Secretary is to 

 employ them in and about that very business with which he is charged and for which 

 he alone is responsible. The character of this part of the section is permissive. He 

 is not required to employ any one, but is permitted to employ persons to assist him, 

 provided he satisfy the Board that their services are necessary as aids to him. 



In another part of the same section provision is made for the payment, and if need 

 be the removal, of the Secretary and his assistants, and in this connection they are 

 spoken of as officers; but by no ingenuity of construction can that word, in this con- 

 nection, be held to assign them special duties or confer any separate authority. 



Thus careful has Congress been to provide an efficient system of operations which 

 can only come from harmony of purpose and unity of action. 



This view of the intention of Congress, so cleaidy expressed in the law, would be 

 directly contradicted by the plan which has been suggested, of organizing the institu- 

 tion definitely into several departments, placing at the head of these departments 

 different assistants, establishing their relative positions, prescribing distinct duties for 



