452 MEMOKIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY, 



that a portion of the fund should be devoted to meteorological 

 observations all over the Union. Mr. Franklin Knight wished the 

 whole fund applied to the establishment of a farm school. 



After a seven years' discussion of 'these and other projects and 

 combinations, the act under which the Institution was at last organ- 

 ized became a law in August, 1846. This law provided that the 

 business of the Institution should be conducted by a Board of Regents,, 

 who should choose a suitable person as Secretary of the Institution. 

 It also provided for the erection of a suitable building of plain and 

 durable materials and structure, without unnecessary ornament, for 

 the reception of objects of Natural History, a Chemical Laboratory, 

 a Library and Gallery of Art, and the necessary lecture rooms. 

 The Secretary had charge of the building and property of the Insti- 

 tution, and was also to discharge the duties of librarian and keeper 

 of the museum, and, with the consent of the Board of Regents, to 

 employ the necessary assistants. All the officers were removable 

 by the Board of Regents whenever in their judgment the interests 

 of the Institution required them to be changed. ' '^^ 



The Board of Regents created by the act immediately commenced 

 active operations. In December, 1846, a committee of the Board, 

 consisting of Mr. Robert Dale Owen, Mr. Henry N. Hilliard, 

 Professor A. D. Bache, Mr. Rufus Choate, and Mr. Pennybacker, 

 made a report on the plan of organization. Among the recommen- 

 dations of this report the qualifications desired in the Secretary are 

 of interest to us. It was pointed out as an almost necessary con- 

 dition that the Secretary should become the chief executive officer of 

 the Institution. After some general remarks respecting the qualifi- 

 cations of Secretary the report proceeds : 



"Your committee think it would be an advantage if a competent 

 Secretary could be found, combining also the qualifications of a pro- 

 fessor of the highest standing in some branch of science. If to 

 these be added efficiency as an executive officer and a knowledge of 

 the world, we may hope to see filling this distinguished post a man 

 who, when brought into communication with distinguished men and 

 societies in this and other countries, shall be capable, as representa- 

 tive of the Smithsonian Institution, to reflect honor on the office, 

 not requiring to borrow distinction from it. 



