THIETY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-1855. 585 



of the funds would indeed lessen the ability of the Smithsonian Institution to accom- 

 plish its great object, which is declared by its founder to be the increase and diffusion 

 of knowledge among men, to the full extent to which they may be spent to increase 

 unduly the library. 



Moreover, American students have a just claim upon their own country for such 

 local facilities as the accumulation of books affords. 



If I am allowed, in conclusion, to state my personal impression respecting the 

 management of the Institution thus far, I would only express my concurrence with 

 the plan of active operations adopted by the Regents, which has led to the publication 

 of a series of volumes equal in scientific value to any productions of the same kind 

 issued by learned societies anywhere. 



The distribution of the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge has already car- 

 ried the name of the Institution to all parts of the civilized world and conveyed with 

 them such evidence of the intellectual activity of America as challenges everywhere 

 admiration; a result which could hardly be obtained by applying the resources of 

 the Institution to other purposes. 



3. Additional legislation. 



From what has been already said it may well be inferred that the 

 committee have been unable to see anything, either in the provisions of 

 the law or the administration of the Institution, which requires reform 

 by additional legislation. Indeed, they could not imagine on what 

 ground additional legislation could be demanded if they had not been 

 informed by the Hon. Mr. Meacham, who presented the resolution 

 under which the committee was appointed. That gentleman was invited 

 to attend the meetings of the committee, was authorized to present 

 charges and specifications upon any branch of the subject referred to 

 them, as also to direct summons for witnesses, and to conduct the 

 examination whenever he desired to do so. He pointed out only two 

 particulars as requiring additional legislation. 



The first was "that additional legislation was needed to secure im- 

 partiality toward authors who apply for the publication of their 

 researches." No instance of partiality or injustice in this respect has 

 been brought to the notice of the committee by proof or by allegation. 

 The idea seems to have been advanced for the first time by one of the 

 assistants of the Secretary, Mr. Jewett, in a communication addressed 

 to a special committee of the Regents in the year 1854. 



The argument there made by Mr. Jewett has been abbreviated by 

 Mr. Meacham, and may be stated as objecting that the power of accept- 

 ing or rejecting a memoir presented for publication is virtually in the 

 hands of one man. 



The practice of the Royal Society of London is stated as being far 

 preferable. On this point the committee would remark that the 

 same plan can not be adopted by the Institution because, as the com- 

 mittee has been informed, it has no fellows from whom an examining 

 council of twenty-one members may be selected; and if the plan 

 could be adopted, the committee do not think it is as good as the one 

 which the Regents have chosen. In the present state of knowledge 



