810 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



appoint an Acting Secretary in certain cases, has directed me to report 

 the bill without amendment. I wish my colleague [Mr. Blaine] would 

 let the bill be put on its passage. It will not take more than a few 

 minutes. 



Mr. BLAINE. Very well. 



By unanimous consent the Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, 

 proceeded to consider the bill, and it was passed. 

 December 13, 1878 House. 



Referred to Committee on Library. 

 January 21, 1879 House. 



Passed. 

 January 24, 1879. 



Be it enacted, etc., That in the case of the death, resignation, sickness, or absence of 

 the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the Chancellor thereof shall be, and 

 he is hereby, authorized to appoint some person as Acting Secretary, who for the 

 time being shall be clothed with all the powers and duties which by law are devolved 

 upon the Secretary, and he shall hold said position until an election of Secretary 

 shall be duly made, or until the Secretary shall be restored to his health, or, if absent, 

 shall return and enter upon the duties of his office. 



(Stat, XX, 264.) 



PROTECTION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES. 

 June 19, 1878. 



Act to protect public libraries in the District of Columbia, etc. 



Be it enacted, etc., That any person who shall steal, wrongfully 

 deface, injure, mutilate, tear, or destroy any book, pamphlet, or man- 

 uscript, or any portion thereof, belonging to the Libraiy of Congress, 

 or to any public library in the District of Columbia, whether the 

 property of the United States or of any individual or corporation in 

 said District, or who shall steal, wrongfully deface, injure, mutilate, 

 tear, or destroy any book, pamphlet, document, manuscript, print, 

 engraving, medal, newspaper, or work of art, the property of the 

 United States, shall be held guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on convic- 

 tion thereof, shall, when the offense is not otherwise punishable by 

 some statute of the United States, be punished by a fine of not less 

 than ten dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, and by imprison- 

 ment for not less than one nor more than twelve months, or both, for 

 every such offense. 



(Stat. XX, 171.) 



SCIENTIFIC SURVEYS. 

 June 20, 1878. 



Sundry civil act for 1879. 



And the National Academy of Sciences is hereby required, at their 

 next meeting, to take into consideration the methods and expenses 



