JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. XVII 
The whole subject had been carefully considered by the Executive 
Committee and was now submitted to the Board without recommenda- 
tion. 
After some discussion and inquiries by members of the Board of the 
Secretary and Chairman of the Executive Committee as to the value 
of the articles as works of art and the desirability of their acquisition 
for the Institution, it was— 
Resolved, That the memorial of Doulton & Co. be re-referred to the 
Secretary with power to act. 
The Secretary stated that he had been authorized by the President, 
the Vice-President, the Chief-Justice, and other members of the Estab- 
lishment to ask for legislation the effect of which would be to modify 
the organic act so that the “ Establishment” would consist of these high 
officials and of all the heads of Departments. 
The proposed change . . . is covered by the following words: 
Be it enacted, etc., That “ An act to establish the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men,” ap- 
proved August 10, 1846, Revised Statutes, Title Lxxu1, be, and the 
same is hereby, amended in section 5579 of said act, by striking out 
the words, “the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster-General, 
the Attorney-General, the Commissioner of the Patent-Office, and the 
Governor of the District of Columbia, and such other persons as they 
may elect honorary members,” and inserting the words, ‘the heads of 
Executive Departments,” so that the section will read: 
Sc. 5579. The President, the Vice-President, the Chief-Justice, 
and the heads of Executive Departments are hereby constituted an 
establishment by the name of the “Smithsonian Institution” for the 
increase and diffusion of knowledge among men; and by that name 
shall be known and have perpetual succession, with the powers, limi- 
tations, and restrictions hereinafter contained, and no other. 
The Secretary stated that in accordance with the instructions given 
him at the last meeting of the Board he had prepared the following 
memoranda relative to the re-imbursement of money expended by the 
Institution for the Governmental system of exchanges. 
[Memorandum relative to the re-imbursement of the Smithsonian fund for expendi- 
tures on account of Government exchanges. | 
At a meeting of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 
on January 8, 1890, it was 
Resolved, That the Regents instruct the Secretary to ask of Congress 
legislation for the repayment to the Institution of the amount advanced 
from the Smithsonian fund for Governmental service in carrying on the 
exchanges. 
In pursuance of this instruction the Secretary has the honor to sub- 
mit the following statement: 
Under the act of Congress accepting a donation from James Smith- 
son for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men,” and giv- 
ing effect to this trust by the foundation of the Smithsonian Institution, 
the Board of Regents in 1851 established a system of international ex- 
H, Mis, 334, pt. 1——1 
