REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 21 



The section of iho Revised Statutes cited by the President is tlie 

 act of foinnhition of the Smithsonian Institution, which dechires 

 tliat " whenever suitable arran^jfenienls can l)e made from time to 

 time for their rece])tion. all objects of art and of foreign and curious 

 researcli. all objects of natural history, plants, and ireological and 

 mineralogical specimens belonging to the TTnited States * * * 

 shall be delivered to such persons as may be authorized by the T'oard 

 of Kegents to receive them, and shall be so arranged and classified 

 in the building erected for the Lnstitution as l)est to facilitate the 

 examination and study of them:"' so that the hrst object of the 

 Institution, in the eyes of its founders, appears to have been to give 

 it the curatorship of the Art collections of the nation. 



During its early years this object was promoted in various ways; 

 among others. l)y tlie ac(|uisition of a very valuable collection of prints 

 and engravings belonging to the Hon. CJeorge P. ]\Iarsh. After the 

 fire in the Institution in 1805 these prints were deposited for tempo- 

 rary safe-keeping in the Library of Congress and (with other works 

 of art) in the Corcoran Gallery. 



Subsequently an appropriation was granted by Congress for mak- 

 ing a fireproof room in which these could be kept, but it was not until 

 ISIM) that the Regents provided for their recall to the Institution. In 

 the journal of the proceedings of the Board for 1800 (Smithsonian 

 Report. 1800. pp. xiii and xiv) will be found the action taken by the 

 Board jiroviding for their restoration to their own inunediate control. 

 'I'lu' following resolution offered then by Senator Graj'^ was adopted: 



Rcxiilrcil. Tlijit tbo ciuestion of the projiriety of biMnsing the works of art 

 helonginir to the Institution under the move inunediate control of the Board of 

 Regents i)e referred to the executive eonuuittee and the Secretary, with jiower 

 to act. 



In pursuance of this the Institution brought back to its own keep- 

 ing a number of prints of value, both from the Library of Congress 

 and the Corcoran Gallerv, leaving, by an amicable understanding with 

 the latter establishment, as a loan, a few of the works of art. notal)ly 

 a large picture by Ilealy. 



The old name of the collections was the ••Gallery of Art." a title 

 which seems almost too ambitious for the present collections of the 

 Institution, though it is to be hoped that this designation will lie 

 justified by their futiu'e increase. These have been placed by me in a 

 room specially fitted up for that purpose (the Art Room), under the 

 temporary charge of the librarian. 



There is now in (he courts awaiting legal interpretation a will con- 

 taining a be(iuest of a valuable collection of art objects. 



On Jamuiry :i. 100"). ;Mr. Charles L. Freer, of Detroit, ofiered under 

 certain contingencies to beipieath to the Smithsonian Institution his 

 valuable art collection, proposing at the same time to provide after 



