THE GENESIS OF THE NATIONAL MU.SEUM. 321 



Cominissiouer of Patents. To this uiiexi>e<'te(l reply to my letter lean 

 not believe the Hon. Secretary of War has given Lis a|>i)r(»va]. 



Permit me to refer the Committee to the Act of -Uily, "Mk reorganiz- 

 ing the Patent Ofliee. The tirst section gives the Commissioner of 

 I'atents the care of the models of Patents, recoids, books, &c., &c. 



The 20th section establishes a " National Gallery," in which the Com- 

 missioner of Patents is bonnd to exhibit not only models but fabrics, 

 mannfactnres, &c. 



To carry out the design of this law cases have been erected at great 

 exia'nse and many articles collected, while additions are daily made. 



It is trne that the Xational Institnte did seek to obtain the entire 

 control of the large room in the Patent Otiice. A refusal was given be- 

 cause the Patent Office building was by hiw placed nnder the care of 

 1 he Commissioner of Patents and because the room was needed, at least 

 in i)art, by the office. 



The law of Angust 26th, '42, to which yon refer, simply enacts: 



" That until other provisions be made by law for the safe keeping and 

 arrangement of such objects of natnral history as may be in possession 

 of (lovernment, the same shall be deposited and arranged in the npi)er 

 room of the Patent Office under the care of such ])erson as may be ap- 

 ])ointcd by the -loint Committee of the Library." The act evidently 

 did not contemplate the exclusive control of the ro(»m, but a supervision 

 of tlie articles entrusted to tlie care of said Library Committee. 



This Committee on advisement with the War and Navy Department 

 appointed Dr. C. Pickering, who enjoyed the use of the Hall in common 

 with the Patent Office in a manner 1 had supposed entirely satisfactory 

 to all conceiiied. 



To relieve this l^ureau from care and responsibility I propose to the 

 lion. Secretary of State to transfer to J)r. Pickering the custody of the 

 ar(;hives, jewels, et<'., received from the Department, but the Secretary 

 declined, observing the Commissioner of Patents was a branch of the 

 State Dej)aitment, and he could not consent to [>lace the articles con- 

 fided to him under care of a corporation or a stranger over whom he had 

 no control. 



In July last Dr. Pickering resigned his trust. The Joint Committee 

 of the Library, upon whom alone devolved the right of tilling the va- 

 cancy, entirely unexpected to myself, conferred tlie aj)pointmenton the 

 Commissioner of Patents. Of course the Commissioner of Patents has 

 now by law the custody of the large Hall, which in all official corre- 

 spondence has been called the " National Gallery." 



I will remark that the Hon. Secretary of State expressed a wish in 

 the letter giving directions as to the large hall that the National Insti- 

 tute might be permitted to occupy any ''empty cases" so long as this 

 C(Uild l)e done without inconvenience to the Patent Office. In this re- 

 quest I most heartily acquiesced, and have ])ermitted the Institute to 

 enjoy from time to time a very considerable portion of the upper and 

 lower stories. And while the Commissicmer of Patents has the sole 

 custody of the building the Institute may be assured that the articles 

 deposited by them will receive the same care and watchfulness as those 

 belonging to the Patent Office or those received from the Government. 



It has given me pleasure to try to accommodate all parties, hoping 

 that Congress would Jiiake further provisions as api)eared to be neces- 

 nary. The time has now arrived when the wants of the Patent Office 

 imperiously recpiire more of the large hall, and it remains for the Na- 

 tional Legislature to determine wlio sball be ac9oinm0fl9te4T7il^IltlieFfi 

 i& not J'ooni for all. 



