120 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



February 24, 1855. 



An adjourned meeting of the Board of Regents was held on 

 Saturday, February 24, 1855, at 10 o'clock, a. m. 



Present, The Chancellor, Roger B. Taney, Messrs. Bache, Doug- 

 las, English, Pearce, Totten, Seaton, Treasurer, and the Secretary. 



A report entitled "Report of the Hon. James Meacham, of the 

 special committee of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, on the distribution of the income of the Smithsonian 

 fund," &c, was presented, and, on motion, laid on the table. 



On motion of Mr. English, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That three persons he appointed a committee of finance, who shall inquire 

 into the safety and propriety of the present investment of the funds of the institution, 

 not in the Treasury of the United States, and who shall have the authority to with- 

 draw the said funds from the present place of deposit, and invest them otherwise in 

 the name of the Eegents of the Institution. 



The Chancellor appointed Messrs. English, Pearce, and Mason as 

 the committee. 



The following report was read : 



The committee to whom was referred the resolution of the "Estab- 

 lishment," proposing a conference by committee with the Board of 

 Regents, for the purpose of determining the mode of communica- 

 tion between the establishment and the Board of Regents, submit 

 the following report : 



That they have met and conferred with the committee appointed for that purpose 

 by the Establishment, and have, after consultation, agreed upon the following resolu- 

 tions, to he reported by the committees to their respective constituencies, and the com- 

 mittee recommend that they be adopted by the Board of Eegents, and made a part of 

 the by-laws. 



1. The general communication between the institution and the Board of Eegents 

 shall be made through their common secretary. 



2. The secretary will regularly communicate to each body all such acts of either as 

 may concern the other respectively, or may require their joint action. 



3. When either body may desire any special communication with the other, it will 

 propose a conference by committee. 



All which is respectfully submitted. 



J. M. MASON, Chairman. 

 January, 1855. 



The report of the committee was approved. 



The following resolution was offered by Mr. Douglas, and adopted 

 by the Board : 



Resolved, That all correspondence of this institution with any person or society shall 

 be conducted by the Secretary, and no assistant or employee shall write or receive any 

 official letter or communication pertaining to the affairs of the institution, except 

 under the authority and by the direction of the Secretary, and all such correspondence- 

 shall be duly registered and recorded in such manner as the Secretary shall direct. 



The Board then adjourned to meet at the call of the Secretary. 



