122 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



Mr. Seaton, Treasurer, presented the statement of receipts and 

 expenditures for the year 1855, which was referred to the Executive 

 Committee. 



The Secretary presented and read his report of the condition and 

 operations of the Institution for the past year, which was accepted. 



It being announced by the Secretary that the Hon. J. Macphcr- 

 son Berrien, one of the Regents, had departed this life since the 

 last annual session of the Board, Mr. Mason offered the following 

 resolutions, accompanying them with remarks suitable to the occa- 

 sion : 



Resolved, That the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution have heard, with deep 

 and sincere regret, that since their last annual meeting, the Hon. J. Macpherson Ber- 

 rien, late one of their associates, has departed this life: 



Resolved, That whilst deploring the severance of so enlightened and ahle a coadju- 

 tor from the trust committed to the Regents of the Institution, they sympathize with 

 the country in the loss it has sustained hy the death of an eminent and virtuous citi- 

 zen. 



Resolved, That, in testimony of their high respect for the memory of their late 

 associate, the members of this Board will wear the customary badge of mourning for 

 the period of thirty days. 



Resolved, That these resolutions bo entered upon the journal, and a copy of them 

 be transmitted to the family of the deceased. 



The Board then adjourned till Saturday, March 8, at 11 o'clock, 

 a. m. 



March 8, 1856. 



The Board of Regents met at 11 o'clock a. m. 



Present, The Chancellor, Hon. R. B. Taney, and Messrs. Pearce, 

 English, Warner, Totten, and the Secretary. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and adopted. 



Mr. English presented the report of the Building Committee for 

 the year 1855; which was read and adopted. 



Mr. Pearce presented the annual report of the Executive Commit- 

 tee, containing an account of the finances, the receipts and expendi- 

 tures during the year 1855, the estimates for appropriations for 

 185G, &c, which was read and adopted. 



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



Resolved, That, in order to give sufficient time to make up the accounts for the year, 

 the annual meeting of the Board shall hereafter be held on the third Wednesday of 

 January, instead of the first. 



The Secretary presented a letter from Joseph II. Patton, Esq., of 

 New York, relative to the Wynn estate; which, after several docu- 

 ments relating to the subject had been read, was referred to Mr. 

 Mason, to whom former communications on this business had been 

 submitted. 



It was stated by the Secretary that Messrs. Corcoran & Riggs 



