818 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY — ESTIMATES. 



February 28, 1879— House. 



The Speaker (Mr. S. J. Randall) laid before the House the follow- 

 ing letter from the Secretary of the Interior, Hon. C. Schiirz, dated 

 February 21, 1879: 



Among the estimates submitted to Congress l)y this Department for the ensuing 

 fiscal year is the following item (see page 167, Book of Estimates) : Prosecution of 

 researches in North American ethnology, $20,000. 



Inasmuch as this line of inquiry is not contemplated as an element of the pro- 

 posed consolidation of the scientific surveys, and as the work has heretofore been 

 well advanced under the direction of its projector, Prof. J. W. Powell, and at his 

 request (see copy of his letter herwith) , I have the honor to respectfully recommend 

 that the appropriation for this work be placed under the direction of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



Referred to Committee on Appropriations. 



AMERICAN ethnology — APPROPRIATIONS. 

 March 3, 1879. 



Sundry civil act for 1880. , 



For completing and preparing for publication the contributions 

 to North American Ethnology, under the Smithsonian Institution, 

 $20,000: Provided^ That all the archives, records, and materials relat- 

 ing to the Indians of North America, collected by the Geographical 

 and Geological Surve}" of the Rock}^ Mountain Region, shall be turned 

 over to the Smithsonian Institution, that the work ma}^ be completed 

 and prepared for publication under its direction; Provided^ That it 

 shall meet the approval of the Secretary of the Interior and of the 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. $20,000. 



(Stat., XX, 397.) 



free postage. 



March 3, 1879. 



Post-Office Act for 1880. 



Sec. 20. That mailable matter of the fourth class shall embrace all 

 matter not embraced in the first, second, or third class, which is not in 

 its form or nature liable to destroy, deface, or otherwise damage the 

 contents of the mail bag, or harm the person of anyone engaged in 

 the postal service, and is not above the weight provided h\ law, which 

 is hereby declared to be not exceeding four pounds for each package 

 thereof, except in case of single books weighing in excess of that 

 amount, and except for books and documents published or circulated 

 by order of Congress, or oiBcial matter emanating from any of the 

 Departments of the Government or from the Smithsonian Institution, 

 or which is not declared nonmailable under the provision of sec- 



