FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1891-1893. 1631 
regents, designate their titles and the researches or investigations they shall be used 
to encourage. 
Src. 12. That in the admission and appointment of persons to places in the univer- 
sity, character and competency shall be the sole test of qualifications. 
Sec. 13. That as a means of partially providing building sites for the several depart- 
ments of the university, the following tract of land selected and appropriated by 
President Washington for the site of the national university proposed by him and in 
part actually endowed by provisions of his last will and testament, to wit, that tract 
in the city of Washington long known as ‘‘ University Square,’’ and now occupied 
by the National Observatory, is hereby granted and set apart for the use and benefit 
of the university of the United States when no longer required for observatory 
purposes, 
Sec. 14. That for the practical establishment, support, and maintenance of the 
university there is hereby appropriated and set apart one-half the net proceeds of 
the sales of the public lands, as the same shall accrue from year to year. Of this 
amount, one-half shall be held by the Treasurer of the United States for use in secur- 
ing and improving grounds for the seat of the university, for providing the necessary 
buildings and equipments, and for conducting the institution after its opening; but 
the remaining one-half shall be allowed to accumulate in the Treasury as a perma- 
nent fund, yielding interest at the rate of 5 per centum per annum as a further 
revenue, until such fund, together with the endowments from other sources, shall be 
sufficient for the support of the university, after which all the net proceeds of the 
sales of public lands so used for university purposes shall be passed to the general 
fund or otherwise used, as Congress shall determine. All moneys held by the 
Treasurer of the United States under the provisions of this act shall be subject to 
requisitions drawn, as may be necessary, by the president and secretary of the board 
of regents under its order, but with this limitation, namely, that after the first five 
years subsequent to the organization of the board not more than 10 per centum of 
the aforementioned proceeds available for the erection of buildings and providing 
equipments shall be so used in any one year. 
Sec. 15. That the board of regents shall have power to receive and administer all 
such gifts, devises, and bequests as are made for the benefit of the university; which 
gifts, devises, and bequests, if in money, shall be deposited with the Treasurer of 
the United States, who shall pay interest thereon quarterly at the rate of 5 per 
centum per annum. 
Sec. 16. That after the formal opening of the university for instruction the mem- 
bers thereof, under rules approved by the officers, subject to any regulations pre- 
scribed by Congress, shall have access to all institutions, collections, and opportunities 
for study and research under control of the Government, so far as the same can be 
accorded without detriment to the public service; and to the end that all such facili- 
ties may be utilized to the fullest extent and that the Government service may in 
turn derive the largest benefit from the work done in the university, the heads of all 
bureaus, institutions, and other organizations of the Government, whose work is of 
a sort to justify it, shall be by the executive committee of the board brought into 
such advisory and co-operative relations with the heads of corresponding departments 
of the university as such committee, with the advice of the heads of faculties, and 
the aforesaid officers of the Government shall agree upon as being advantageous. 
Sec. 17. That at the close of the fiscal year the board of regents shall make a 
report to Congress, showing the operations, condition, and wants of the university; 
one copy of which shall be transmitted free to all institutions of learning endowed 
by the Government under any act of Congress, and to all other institutions of learn- 
ing in the United States whose degrees are recognized by this university. 
Referred to Select Committee to Establish the University of the 
United States. 
