768 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



That every such letter or package to entitle it to pass free shall bear 

 over the words "Official business" an indorsement showing also the 

 name of the Department, and, if from a bureau or office, the names of 

 the Department and bureau or office, as the case may be, whence trans- 

 mitted. And if any person shall make use of any such official envel- 

 ope to avoid the payment of postage on his private letter, package, or 

 other matter in the mail, the person so offending shall be deemed 

 guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to a fine of three hundred dol- 

 lars, to be prosecuted in any court of competent jurisdiction. 



Sec. 6. That for the purpose of carrying this act into effect, it shall 

 be the duty of each of the Executive Departments of the United States 

 to provide for itself and its subordinate offices the necessary envel- 

 opes: and in addition to the indorsement designating the Department 

 in which they are to be used, the penalty for the unlawful use of these 

 envelopes shall be stated thereon. 



(Stat., XIX, 335.) 



(Extended to Smithsonian Institution by act of March 3, 1879.) 



FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, 1877-1879. 



NATIONAL MUSEUM — BUILDING REQUIRED FOR GOVERNMENT 



COLLECTIONS. 



October 8, 1877. 



Letter frcmi the Secretary of the Smitlisonian Institutimi to the 

 Preside7it of the United States. 



Sir: I have the honor, in behalf of the Board of Regents of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, to invite jonv attention to the propriety of 

 recommending to Congress the memorial of the Board of Regents (a 

 copy of which is herewith inclosed), asking that an appropriation be 

 made for a building to accommodate the valuable collections presented 

 to the United States through this Institution at the late international 

 exhibition in Philaclelphia. 



As explanatory of this request it may be proper to state that the 

 Smithsonian Institution was authorized by Congress to receive and 

 take charge of these collections, and that they were presented with the 

 expectation on the part of the donors that suitable provision would be 

 made for their display at the seat of government. They consist of 

 full series of articles illustrative of the economic products, the natural 

 history, and in many cases the manners, customs, and arts of the for- 

 eign countries represented at the Centennial Exhibition, and are of 

 great importance to the advancement of science, education, and manu- 

 facture. Besides these are the objects collected by the Smithsonian 



