EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



EXCHANGE OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. 



In 1867 a proposition was made to the Institution, by the Librarian 

 of Congress, relative to establishing a system of exchange of official 

 documents between the Government of the United States and those of 

 foreign nations. 



The object in this was to secure regularly and systematically all 

 reports and other documents relative to the legislation, jurisprudence, 

 statistics, internal economy, technology, &c, of all nations, so as to 

 place the material at the command of the committees and members of 

 Congress, heads of bureaus, &c. 



In accordance with this, a circular* was addressed to the different 

 governments having relations with the United States, for the purpose 

 of ascertaining their views as to such an exchange. 



The following governments responded favorably : France, Belgium, 

 Great Britain, Switzerland, Spain, Costa Bica, Netherlands, Chili, Den- 

 mark, Argentine Confederation, United States of Colombia, Wiirtem- 

 burg, Finland, Hamburg, Baden, Sweden, Victoria. The latter gov- 

 ernment forwarded a collection of books at once, which was placed in 

 the Library of Congress. 



At the Thirty-ninth session of Congress, the following resolution was 

 adopted : 



[No. 55.] A Resolution to provide for the exchange of certain public documents. 



Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in 

 Congress assembled, That fifty copies of all documents hereafter printed by order of 

 either house of Congress, and fifty copies additional of all documents printed in excess 

 of the usual number, together with fifty copies of each publication issued by any De- 

 partment or Bureau of the Government, be placed at the disposal of the Joint Com- 

 mittee on the Library, who shall exchange the same, through the agency of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, for such works published in foreign countries, and especially by foreign 

 governments, as may be deemed by said committee an equivalent ; said works to be 

 deposited in the Library of Congress. 



Approved March 2, 1867. 



In consequence of an oversight in not ordering^the Public Printer to 

 furnish the necessary extra copies of public documents for this purpose, 

 the Library Committee could not carry out the foregoing resolution, and 

 at the ensuing session, Fortieth Congress, the following additional reso- 

 lution was adopted : 



[No. 72.] A Resolution to carry into effect the resolution approved March two, eighteen hundred and 

 sixty-seven, providing for the exchange of certain public documents. 



Besolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in 

 Congress assembled, That the Congressional Printer, whenever he shall be so directed 

 by tbe Joint Committee on the Library, be, and he hereby is, directed to print fifty 

 copies, in addition to the regular number, of all documents hereafter printed by order 

 of either house of Congress, or by order of any Department or Bureau of the Govern- 

 ment, and whenever he shall be so directed by the Joint Committee on the Library, 



* Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1867, page 71. 



