PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 121 
On motion of Mr. Wallach, the following resolutions were adopted: 
Resolved, That the thanks 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,sSecretary of War, General W. S. Hancock, General C. C. 
Augur, General A. B. Dyer, General Rucker, Colonel B. 5. 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. C. Richards, Chief of Police, Messrs. J. R. Elvans, J. 
Farrel, 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. 8. 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 ocea- 
sioned by the death of General Totten. 
The Secretary stated that intelligence had recently been received of the sud- 
den death of the Hon. Witutam L, Dayton, one of the Regents, while repre- 
senting our government in France; 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 employés, John Connor, who had 
been connected with the Institution for upwards of fifteen years, died suddenly 
