58 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



the sum of $8000, and this amount his widow placed at the 

 disposal of the National Academy as a fund " to promote the 

 study of meteoric bodies." As indicated by the discussion of 

 the subject in an earlier year, the-Academy was in doubt as to its 

 power under the Act of Incorporation to accept and administer 

 trust funds. Although a clause had been added to the constitu- 

 tion in 1872 to the effect that "bequests and trusts having 

 for their object the advancement of science may be accepted and 

 administered by the Academy," the organic act still contained 

 no distinct provision of this character. A committee of six was 

 appointed in 1878 " to procure from Congress an addition to the 

 Act of Incorporation of the Academy, which will enable it to 

 accept and administer trust funds." 



No progress appears to have been made in this matter, how- 

 ever, until 1884, when, as the result of a special effort, the neces- 

 sary amendment was secured in the following form : 



" An act to authorize the National Academy of Sciences to receive and hold 

 trust funds for the promotion of science, and for other purposes. 



" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That the National Academy of Sciences, 

 incorporated by the act of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred 

 and sixty-three, and its several supplements, be, and the same is hereby, authorized 

 and empowered to receive bequests and donations, and hold the same in trust, to 

 be applied by the said Academy in aid of scientific investigations and according 

 to the will of the donors. 



" Approved, June 20, 1884." 42 



The deed of trust transferring Mrs. Smith's donation to the 

 Academy for the establishment of the J. Lawrence Smith Fund 

 was signed on May 6, 1884. In his report for that year the 

 President remarked: " The object of this memorial gift was to 



^Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. i, p. 136. 



a Stat. at Large, vol. 23, 1885, chap. 107, p. 50, 48th Congress, ist Session. 



The bill was introduced in the House by Mr. Cox of New York, on May 9, 1884, referred 

 to the Committee on the Library, and ordered printed. The committee reported favorably 

 on May 20, and the report was ordered printed. The bill was brought up in the House 

 by Mr. Singleton on June 7, and passed without discussion. In the Senate the same bill 

 was referred to the Committee on the Library on June 9. It was brought up by Senator 

 Sherman on June n and passed without discussion. 



