286 REPORT OF NATIONAL IMUSEUM^ 1891. 



liriatiou from the National Treasury, to be expended under the direc- 

 tion of the officers of the National Institution, the president and di- 

 rectors of which were the i^rototypes of the Smithsonian Ohancelor 

 and Regents for purposes connected with the administration of the col- 

 lections such as it was not deemed proper to pay for out of the Smith- 

 sonian fund.* 



The object of the National Institution was the promotion of .science 

 and the useful arts, but the principal agency chosen for accomplishing 

 this object was a national museum of natural history, etc. 



This was stated clearly in its declaration of objects at the time of its 

 organization in 1840, as well as in its constitution.! 



The sections relating to the Museum in the proposed act of incorpora- 

 tion of the Institution of 1841 corresponded precisely to Articles XIV 

 and XVI <}f the constitution of the society, except that the provision 

 for the appointment of curators by the Institution is omitted. 



It was evidently the intention that the Board of Managers shcmld 

 control the national collections by virtue of the authority vested in 

 them in their proposed control of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The act to incorporate the National Institution did not receive the 

 approval of C(mgress until 1842,| when new proposals for the organiza- 

 tion of the Smithsonian Institution were brought forward, very similar 

 in many respects to those which had developed within the National 

 Institution. 



The idea of a national museum to be administered in connection with 



* And for the trausportatiou aurt arrangement of the same, the sum of $5,000 is 

 hereby appropriated out of the Treasury of the United States, to be expended under 

 the direction of the president and directors of the Niitional Institution. (Senate 

 Bill, No. 245, Twenty-sixth Congress, 1839-41., Section No. 4. 



t Constitution, May, 1840, January, 1841: Constitution, February, 1842: 

 Articlk XIV. The resident and corre- Article XIV. The Institution shall 

 spouding members shall exert themselves have power to appoint curators and 

 to procure specimens of natural history, others for the i»reservation and arrange- 

 etc, and the said specimens shall be raeut of its collections. The resident 

 placed in the cabinet, under the superin- aiul corresponding members shall exert 

 tendence of a board of curators to be themselves to procure specimens of nat- 

 appointed by the directors. All such ural history, etc., and the said specimens 

 specimens, etc., unless deposited spe- shall Ite placed in the cabinet under the 

 cially, shall remain in the cabinet, and in sni)erintendence of a curator or curators, 

 case of the dissolution of the Institution, All such specimens, etc., unless deposited 

 shall become the property of the United specially, shall remain in the cabinet. 

 States. and in case of a dissolution of the Insti- 



tution, shall become the property of the 

 United States. 



Artk'LK XVI. The various collections 

 of the Institution shall be placed in the 

 apartments which may be designated for 

 that purpose by a majority of the direc- 

 toi's. 

 ^Senator Preston, April 11, 1842, reintroduced lus bill of the previous year. 



