276 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



under the appropriations herein made shall be held and authorized by the Secretary 

 of the Treasury, subject to the approbation of the President of the United States. 



SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That there shall be a board of visitors, to be 

 annually appointed, consisting of nine members; two of whom to be commissioned 

 officers of the Army, to be appointed by the Secretary of War; two commissioned 

 officers of the Navy, to be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy; the mayors for 

 the time being of the cities of Alexandria and of Georgetown, within the District of 

 Columbia; and one citizen of each of the cities of Washington, Alexandria, and 

 Georgetown, to be appointed by the President of the United States; who shall meet 

 on the first Monday of February, at eleven o'clock, before noon, at the said astro- 

 nomical observatory, and visit and inspect the condition of the said observatory and 

 of the Smithsonian Institution generally. They shall choose among themselves a 

 chairman, and shall make report to the President of the United States of the said 

 condition of the Institution, specifically indicating in what respect the Institution 

 has, during the preceding year, contributed to the purpose of the founder the 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. To this board the astronomical 

 observator shall make a report to the same effect, so far as regards the astronomical 

 branch of the Institution, which report shall be annexed to that of the board to the 

 President of the United States, who shall communicate the said reports to Congress. 

 The services of the members of the said board shall be gratuitous. 



SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That there is reserved to Congress the right of 

 altering, amending, adding to, or repealing any of the provisions of this act which 

 shall be found inconvenient upon experience: Provided, That no contract or individ- 

 ual right, made or acquired under such provisions, shall thereby be impaired or 

 divested. 



SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That for any other moneys which have accrued, 

 or may hereafter accrue, upon the said Smithsonian fund, not herein appropriated, 

 the board of trustees are hereby authorized to make such disposal as they shall deem 

 necessary for the promotion of the purpose of the testator "the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge among men " unless the same shall be otherwise disposed of 

 by law. 



Committed to Committee of the Whole. 

 June 14, 1844 House. 



Mr. EDMUND DEBERRY, from the Committee on Agriculture, made 

 an adverse report upon the petition of citizens of the State of Massa- 

 chusetts in relation to the appropriation of the Smithsonian bequest 

 for the purposes of agricultural education. 

 December 12, 1844 Senate. 



Mr. Benj. TAP PAN introduced bill S. 18. Referred to the Commit- 

 tee on the Library. 



A bill to establish the Smithsonian Institution, for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 



men. 



Whereas James Smithson, esquire, of London, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, 

 by his last will and testament did give the whole of his property to the United States 

 of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men; and 

 whereas Congress have heretofore received said property and accepted said trust; 

 therefore, that the same may be executed in good faith, and according to the will of 

 the liberal and enlightened donor: 



Beit enacted, etc., That so much of the property of the said James Smithson as 

 has been received in money and paid into the Treasury of the United States, being 

 the sum of $508, 318, be loaned to the United States Treasury, at six per cent per 



