384 
PROCEEDINGS OF 
[ 1845 . 
The National Institute is composed of private individuals, with no other bond of 
connection than their common labors as trustees of certain 'property for the public 
and the Government —a common feeling of interest in promoting scientific and 
useful information, and the bond of union bestowed upon them by Congress in their 
charter of incorporation. In effecting the designs of their association, they have 
established an extensive correspondence with influential and useful men, men of 
experience, of letters, and of distinguished scientific attainments, not only through¬ 
out the Union, but throughout the world. In every part of Europe, and of the 
American continent, in Asia, and in Africa, we find generous and enthusiastic 
friends and corresponding members; foreign Governments have evinced their in¬ 
terest by valuable contributions, and many of the most distinguished Institutions 
and Societies abroad are correspondents and contributors. An aggregate amount 
of munificence, zeal, learning, and adventitious advantage is thus possessed by the 
Institute, which has already yielded substantial results, and holds out assurances of 
the richest fruits. In further illustration of the advantages which are here imper¬ 
fectly sketched, we submit for the examination of your honorable bodies, a com¬ 
munication lately received from Paris, with accompanying documents and transac¬ 
tions, exhibiting, in a remarkable manner and degree, evidences of interest and good 
will towards Congress, towards the States, and towards the Institute, on the part of 
the Government and people of France. 
Through this wide-spread instrumentality, the Institute has labored to form an 
extensive library and museum, or collection of objects of natural history, a reper- 
torium of facts and contributions to science, documents illustrating history in 
general, but in an emphatic manner that of our own continent, and specimens of 
the fine arts, of mechanic ingenuity, valuable productions of the vegetable king¬ 
dom, and materials illustrating the moral and social condition of nations generally, 
but, in a more especial manner, of our own. From every quarter of the globe 
valuable and various contributions have been transmitted to us. The gallant offi¬ 
cers of our army and navy ; the diplomatic and consular representatives of the Go¬ 
vernment abroad, the men of learning and science every where, have entered with 
the most praiseworthy zeal in the cause, and vied with each other in the number 
and value of their contributions. 
The collection thus made is not designed for, or appropriated to, the exclusive 
use of the Institute, or of any particular class of individuals. It is opened gra¬ 
tuitously and daily to the inspection and for the benefit of all. Without cost, the 
student of natural history may here find ample means of improvement in that 
department of science to which his attention has been directed; without cost, the 
geologist and mineralogist are furnished with abundant materials for prosecuting 
their researches ; the curious may indulge their predilections, while the man of 
science is enabled to peruse the valuable contributions from learned societies and 
individuals throughout the world. 
In addition to these materials, thus accumulated by the labors of the Institute 
itself, the convenience of the Government has made it the depository and guardian 
of numerous articles of its own property, which are thus exhibited to the public 
eye without trouble to the ordinary officers in the various Departments, and with¬ 
out the consequent abstraction of their time from more peculiar and appropriate 
duties. The interesting collections of Indian portraits and curiosities formerly 
deposited in the War Department; the objects of curiosity, and various donations 
to the Government or to distinguished citizens from foreign countries, once in the 
State Department, are here shown to the public in connection with much other pub¬ 
lic property. 
The articles arising from these, and from various other sources which it would 
be tedious to enumerate, already in the custody of the Institute, are of great value, 
and they are increasing with rapidity, and accumulating to an indefinite extent. 
The real owners of these treasures are the Government and the nation. The 
individual members of the Institute contemplated no interest or property in them, 
beside their trust for the public, beyond v/hat is enjoyed by every citizen in the 
land, or indeed every stranger who may feel disposed to use them as a means of 
indulging a liberal curiosity, or gratifying his love of science. Such of the articles 
as at any time belonged to the Government, remain its absolute and exclusive pro- 
perty. They are 6imply entrusted to the Institute for safe-keeping and public exhi¬ 
bition, and may be withdrawn whenever it shall suit the wishes of the owners to 
dispose of them in any other manner. The donations by individuals and public 
