2 The Smithsonian Institution. 
mittee, made subsequent to the adjournment of the rd of Rege 
and the presentation of their annual Report to Congress, but a 
t of Representatives’ edition of said Eighth Annual Re 
6. The Proceedings of the Board oo at the annual meetin; 
e records, published in the Na 
tional Intelligencer of Jan. 17th, 1855. . ae. 
7. A letter of the Hon. Rufus Choate to the President of the Se 
ate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, resigning his of — 
fice of Regent of the Smithsonian Institution; and the Proceedings in 
the Senate consequent thereon. (Congressional Globe, &c. 
eport of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, to whom we 
referred the inquiry whether any, and if any, what, action of the Senate 
is hecessary and proper in regard to the Smithsonian Institution ; - 
Feb. 6, 1855. 
9. Speech of the Hon. W. H. English in the House of Repres 
tives, Feb. 27, 1855, on the Smithsonian Institution. 
10. Report of Hon. Mr. Upham, Chairman of the Select Coramit 
of the House of Representatives, to which was referred the letter of t 
Hon. Rufus Choate resigning his place as a Regent of the Smithson) 
[ustitution, with instructions to enquire and report to the House wheth 
the Smithsonian Institution bas been managed and its funds expended 
accordance with the law establishing the Institution, &c. &c. (Print 
in the Boston Daily Advertiser, March 10; the official publicatio 
yet issued. apis ica 
11. Hon. Messrs. Witte and Taylor’s Report from the same commit- 
tee. (Printed in the Boston Daily Atlas, March 16th.) ae 
and require us, after thus indicating the official documents which 
comprise the whole case, to enter at once u pon the consideration 
of the essential points of this unhappy contest. 7 
This controversy has grown ont of certain widely divergent 
views which are entertained respecting the design and functions 
of the Institution. One party, that opposed to the policy actually 
a years is “the paramount interest of the Institution,” or we 
be, “‘ had the Institution been made, as Congress intended, a mi 
