9 [ 211 ] 



Baltimore, November 28, 1846. 

 Dear Sir : I regret that it will not be in my power to attend the 

 meeting of the regents of the Smithsonian Institution on Monday next. 

 The circuit court for the district of Maryland has been in session since 

 the beginning of this month, and must continue in session all of next 

 week, in order to dispose of the business before it. Be good enough to 

 mention to the board the cause of my absence, and believe me to be, 

 with great respect, your obedient servant, 



R. B. TANEY; 

 George M. Dallas, 



Vice President of the United States, Washington. 



Mr. Breese presented sundry letters and recommendations relative to 

 applications for office, agencies for the purchase of books, &c., which 

 were placed on file for- future consideration. . 



Mr. Rush, from the committee appointed to ascertain whether Madam 

 De la Batut still survives, and if not, what steps are necessary to obtain 

 the remainder of the Smithsonian fund reverting to the United States 

 at her death, and if she is still living, what steps are necessary to obtain 

 the fund at her death, made a report thereon in part, stating that he had 

 written to Messrs. Clarke, Fynmore, and Fladgate, solicitors, residing in. 

 London, making the proper inquiries, but had received no answer. 



Mr. Owen, from the Committee on the Organization of the Institution, 

 made a report, accompanied by a series of resolutions, which were read. 



The board proceeded to the consideration of the resolution pending 

 yesterday when the board adjourned. 



Mr. Seaton proposed that the same be amended, by inserting after the 

 word " Potomac^' the following : 



" Intending- to authorize the erection of a tnonument to George Wash- 

 ington^ by the Washington Monument Association, on a part of the said 

 site, which ties between Fourteenth street and the river." 



Mr. Evans moved that the said amendment be amended by substitu- 

 ting therefor the following : " subject to the power of Congress to grant 

 any portion of the same west of Fourteenth street to the Washington 

 Monument Society, for the purpose of erecting a monument thereon ;" 

 which Mr. Seaton accepted. 



The amendment was then agreed to, and the resolution, as amended, 

 was agreed to. 



And so it was 



Resolved, That the regents of the Smithsonian Institution do select 

 and adopt, as the site for their buildings, so much of the Mall, in the 

 city of Washington, as lies between Seventh street and the river Potomac, 

 subject to the power of Congress to grant any portion of the same west 

 of Fourteenth street to the Washington Monument Society, for the pur- 

 pose of erecting a monument thereon, if the consent of the persons 

 named in the fourth section of the act to establish the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men be ob- 

 tained thereto ; and that, upon such consent being obtained in due form, 

 the Secretary is hereby instructed to cause the said ground so selected to 

 be set out by proper metes and bounds. 

 On motion of Mr. Evans, 



Ordered, That the committee on the selection of a site be instructed 



