a. 
FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1891-1893. 1583 
therefore to confine the exhibit from this country to such appropriate archeological, 
ethnological, and historical objects and articles as are now in the museums and 
archives of the Government, or may be contributed or loaned by private individuals. 
It may be found practicable also to include in the exhibit some portion of the collec- 
tions that are now being made by the Executive Departments of the Government for 
the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. 
At the request,ef the minister of Spain at this capital voluntary committees have 
already been formed in Washington, New York, and other States of the Union to 
promote an interest in the Spanish exposition, and to secure collections for exhibi- 
tion there. These committees have already made gratifying progress, and it is 
believed that under the direction of an experienced and competent commissioner- 
general an excellent display may be made. 
As Spain was one of the first of the foreign g governments to accept the invitation of 
the United States to participate in the proposed exposition at Chicago, it would only 
be ordinary courtesy to a friendly nation for us to do all in our power to promote the 
success of the plans she has formed to commemorate an event in which we are equally 
interested.- 
I would call your attention dighee e to the fact that the Madrid Exposition opens 
on the 12th of September next, and that early action by Congress is therefore desir- 
able. It will be necessary only to provide the means to pay the expenses of the 
commissioners, and also the expense of preparing, packing, transporting, and install- 
ing the exhibit at Madrid and its return to the United States. 
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 
JAMES G. BLAINE. 
Hon. JoHN SHERMAN, 
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate. 
May 13, 1892. . 
Urgent deficiency act for 1892. 
For the expense of representation of the United States at the Colum- 
bian Historical Exposition to be held in Madrid in 1892 in commem- 
oration of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America, 
$15,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be expended under 
the direction and in the discretion of the Secretary of State; and the 
Président is hereby authorized to appoint a commissioner-general and 
two assistant commissioners, who may, in his discretion, be selected 
from the active or retired list of the Army or Navy, and shall serve 
without other compensation than that to which they are now entitled 
by law, to represent the United States at said exposition; that it shall 
be the duty of such commissioners to select from the archives of the 
United States, from the National Museum, and from the various Execu- 
tive Departments of the Government such pictures, books, papers, 
documents, and other articles as may relate to the discovery and early 
settlement of America and the aboriginal inhabitants thereof; and 
they shall be authorized to secure the loan of similar articles from 
other museums and private collections, and arrange, classify, and 
install them as the exhibit of the United States at the said exposition; 
that the President is authorized to cause the detail of officers from the 
‘active or retired list of the Army and Navy, to serve without compen- 
sation other than that to which they are now entitled by law, as assist- 
