Regents and of an executive committee, as well as for the payment of money needed for conducting the institution; also, an annual report to be submitted to Congress.
Section 4 provides for the selection of a suitable site for a building.
Section 5 provides for the erection of a building of plain and durable materials, of sufficient size for rooms to contain objects of natural history, including a geological and mineralogical cabinet, a chemical laboratory, a library, a gallery of art, and the necessary lecture rooms; also provides for the expense of this building.
Section 6 enacts that in proportion as suitable arrangements can be made for their reception all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, geological and mineralogical specimens, belonging or hereafter to belong to the United States which may be in the city of Washington shall be arranged as best to facilitate their examination and study in the building to be erected; also new specimens to be so arranged; also minerals, books, and other property of James Smithson to be preserved in the institution.
Section 7 enacts that the Secretary of the Board of Regents shall take charge of the building and contents, shall discharge the duties of librarian and of keeper of the museum, and may employ assistants, and provides for their compensation.
Section 8 provides for meetings at which the President or Vice-President of the United States shall preside, and appropriates a sum not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars annually for the formation of a library.
Section 9 enacts that moneys accrued as interest upon the fund, not herein appropriated, may be disposed of by the Board of Regents as they direct.
Section 10 enacts that one copy of all copyrighted books, engravings, maps, etc., shall be sent to the Librarian of the Smithsonian Institution, and one to the Librarian of Congress.
Section 11 gives to Congress the right to amend any of the provisions of this act.
This act was signed by President James K. Polk, August 10, 1846. It embodies the features of a national museum, a library, with provisions for copyrighted books, an art gallery, and lecture rooms, presumably for scientific courses though no special provision for them is made. It places the executive work in the hands of a Secretary, and the general oversight with care of finances in the power of a Board of Regents, which board includes the highest officials in the Government of the United States.
The opponents of this bill, though defeated, still endeavored to change its character. Eighteen months after its passage, Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, introduced a bill to change the Smith-
