240 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



On motion of Mr. Wallach, the following resolutions were adopted : 



Resolved, That the thauks of the Board of Regents are hereby tendered to 

 all who assisted in any way in endeavoring to save the property of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, or to extinguish the fire which lately destroyed a part of its 

 building. 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Board of Regents are hereby tendered to 

 Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, General W. S. Hancock, General 0. 0. 

 Augur, General A. B. Dyer, General Rucker, Colonel B. S. Alexander, Colonel 

 Giles, and others connected with the military department of government, for 

 services rendered in saving the property, or in facilities granted for its protection. 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Board are hereby tendered to the military 

 and civil fire departments, and to Mr. E. S. Smith, superintendent of Harnden 

 Express Company, A. 0. Richards, Chief of Police, Messrs. J. R. Elvans, J. 

 Parrel, M. Tiffany, G. Gibbs, and many others who rendered valuable services 

 at the time of the fire. 



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



Wednesday, March 1, 1865. 



A meeting of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution was held 

 this day in the room of the Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, 

 at the United States Capitol, at 10 o'clock a. m. Present : Hon. L. Trumbull, 

 Hon. G. Davis, Hon. S. S. Cox, Hon. J. W. Patterson, Hon. R. Wallach, and 

 the Secretary, Professor Henry. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



In the absence of the Chancellor, Mr. Trumbull was called to the chair. 



The Secretary announced the election of General Richard Delafield, United 

 States army, by joint resolution of the United States Senate and House of 

 Representatives, as a Regent for the term of six years, to fill the vacancy occa- 

 sioned by the death of General Totten. 



The Secretary stated that intelligence had recently been received of the sud- 

 den death of the Hon. Williaji L. Dayton, one of the Regents, while repre- 

 senting our government in Prance; that, although Mr. Dayton had not been 

 able to be present at the meetings of the Board, he had rendered good services 

 to the Institution by attention to its interests abroad. 



On motion of Mr. Cox, it was 



Resolved, That the Hon. J. W. Patterson be requested to prepare a eulogy 

 on Mr. Dayton ; that Hon. Henry Winter Davis be requested to prepare a 

 eulogy on Chief Justice Taney; and Professor Henry one on General Totten, 

 to be presented at the next meeting of the Board. 



The Secretary mentioned the death of Mr. John Varden, for many years the 

 curator of the government museum while it was in the Patent Office, and who, 

 since its removal to the Institution, had assisted in the care of the specimens. 

 He was a very worthy citizen, and faithfully discharged his duties in connexion 

 with this establishment. 



The Secretary also stated that one of the employe's, John Connor, who had 

 been connected with the Institution for upwards of fifteen years, died suddenly 



