THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 299 



Regents and of an executive committee, as well as for the pay- 

 ment of money needed for conducting the institution ; also, an 

 annual report to be submitted to Congress. 



Section 4 provides for the selection of a suitable site for a 

 building. 



Section 5 provides for the erection of a building of plain and 

 durable materials, of sufficient size for rooms to contain objects 

 of natural history, including a geological and mineralogical cabi- 

 net, a chemical laboratory, a library, a gallery of art, and the neces- 

 sary lecture rooms ; also provides for the expense of this building. 



Section 6 enacts that in proportion as suitable arrangements 

 can be made for their reception all objects of art and of foreign 

 and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, 

 geological and mineralogical specimens, belonging or hereafter to 

 belong to the United States which may be in the city of Wash- 

 ington shall be arranged as best to facilitate their examination 

 and study in the building to be erected ; also new specimens to 

 be so arranged ; also minerals, books, and other property of James 

 Smithson to be preserved in the institution. 



Section 7 enacts that the Secretary of the Board of Regents 

 shall take charge of the building and contents, shall discharge the 

 duties of librarian and of keeper of the museum, and may employ 

 assistants, and provides for their compensation. 



Section 8 provides for meetings at which the President or Vice- 

 President of the United States shall preside, and appropriates a 

 sum not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars annually for the 

 formation of a library. 



Section 9 enacts that moneys accrued as interest upon the fund, 

 not herein appropriated, may be disposed of by the Board of Re- 

 gents as they direct. 



Section 10 enacts that one copy of all copyrighted books, en- 

 gravings, maps, etc., shall be sent to the Librarian of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and one to the Librarian of Congress. 



Section 11 gives to Congress the right to amend any of the 

 provisions of this act. 



This act was signed by President James K. Polk, August 10, 

 1846. It embodies the features of a national museum, a library, 

 with provisions for copyrighted books, an art gallery, and lecture 

 rooms, presumably for scientific courses though no special provi- 

 sion for them is made. It places the executive work in the hands 

 of a Secretary, and the general oversight with care of finances in 

 the power of a Board of Regents, which board includes the highest 

 officials in the Government of the United States. 



The opponents of this bill, though defeated, still endeavored to 

 change its character. Eighteen months after its passage, Andrew 

 Johnson, of Tennessee, introduced a bill to change the Smith- 



