State journal & flag., 1846-12-11

And the regents to be selected as aforesaid,
shall be appointed Immediately after the passage
of this act-the members of the Senate by the
President thereof, the members OF the House
by the Speaker thereof, and the six other per-
sons by joint resolution of the Senate and House
of Representatives and the members of the
House so appointed shall serve until the fourth
Wednesday in December, the second next af
ter the passage Of this act and then, biennially
thereafter, on every alternate fourth Wednes-
day of December, like number shall be appoint
ed in the same manner, to serve until the fourth
"Wednesday in December, the second succeed
ing their appointment. And the senators SO
appointed shall serve during the term for which
they snail bold. without reelection, their Office
as Senators. And vacancies, Occasoned by
death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled
as vacancies in committees are filled-and the
Of her six members aforesaid shall serve, two
for two years, two for four years, and two for six
years the terms of service, in the first place,
to be determined by lot but after the first
term, then their regular term of service shall
be SIX years and new elections thereof shall
be made by joint resolutions of Congress and
vacancies occasioned by death, resignation or
otherwise, may be filled IN like manner, by joint
resolution of Congress. And the SAID regents
shall meet in the city Of Washington on the
first Monday of September next after the pas
sage ofthis act, and organize by the election of
one of their number as chancellor, who shall be
the presiding officer Of said board of regents, by
the name of the Chancellor of the "Smilhs onlan
Institution" and a suitable person as secretary
Of said institution, who shall also be the secIeta-
ry OF said board ofregents said board shall also
elect three of their own body as an executive
committee, and said regents shall then fix on
the time for the regular meetings OF said board
and Oh application Of any three of the regents
to the secretary of the said institution, it shall
be his duty to appoint special meeting of the
board of regents, of which he shall give notice
by letter to each of the Members; and at any
meeting of said board, five shall constitute a
quorum to do business And each member of
said board shall be paid his necessary travels
ling and other actual expenses in attending
meetings of the board, which shall be audited
by the executive committee, and recorded by
the secretary of said board; but his service as
regent shall be gratultous. And whenever mo.
ney is required for the payment OF the debts or
performance of the contracts of the institution,
incurred or entered into in conformity with the
provisions of this act, or for making the pur
chases and executing The objects authorized by
this act, the board of regents or the executive
lor and secretary OF the board, that such sum of
money is required whereupon they shal ex>
anime the same and, if they shall approve
thereof, shall certify the same to the proper Of,
icer of the Treasury for payment, And The said
board shall submit to Congress, at each session
thereof a report of the operations, expenditures,
and condition of the institution.
SEC. A. And be il further enacted, That, ats
ter the board of regents shall have net and be-
come organized, it shall hn their dnty forthwith
10 proceed TO select suitable site for such
building as may be necessary for the institutions;
which ground may be taken and appropriated
out Of that part o. the public ground IN the city
OF Washington lying between the Patent Office
and Seventh street; Provided, The President
of the United States, the Secretery of State,
the Secretary of the Treasury. the Secretary of
War the Secretary OF the Navy, and the Com
missioner of the Patent Office. shall consent to
the same but, if The persons last named shall
not consent, then such location may be made
upon any other of the public grounds within the
city of Washington, belonging to the United
States, which said regents may select, by and
with the consent of the persons herein named
and the said ground so selected shall be set out
by proper metes and bounds and q description
of the game shall be made and recorded in
book to be provided for that purpose, and sign
ed by the said regents, or SO many OF them as
may be convened at the time of their said
organization !; and such record, or copy
thereof, certified by the chancellor and sec-
rotary OF the board of regents, shall be recei-
we'd in evidence in all courts of the extent and
boundaries of the lands appropriated to the said
institution I; and upon the making of such rec
ord, such site and lands shall be deemed and
taken to be appropriated by force of this act
TO the said institution.
SEC. 5. And be ii further enacted. That, 80
soon as the board ofregents shall have selected
the said site, they shall cause to be erected a
suitable building, of plain and durable materials
and structure, without unnecessary ornament,
and of sufficient size, and with suitable rooms
or halls for the reception and arrangement, up
on liberal scale, of OBJECTS of natural history.
including geological and neurological cabi-
ne. also a chemical laboratory, library. a
gallery Of art, and the necessary lecture rooms;
and the said board shall have authority, by
themselves, or by a committee OF three OF their
members, to contract for the completion of such
building, upon such plan as may be directed by
the board of regents, and shall take suffcf mt Sc
curty for the building and finishing the same
according to the said plan. and in the time stp-
ulated in such contract and may so locate said
OuHulISs u tlicy sndH ueetD IL pfopCfS 40 III
appea rance to form wing to the Patent Office
building, and may 80 connect the same with the
present hail OF said Patent Office building, con-
tanning the national cabinet of curiosities, as to
constitute the said hall in whole or in part the
deposit for the cabinet of said institution, It they
deem it expedient to do so: Provided, SAID
building shall be located upon said Patent Office
lot, in the manner aforesaid: Prouidsd, hotoeuer,
That the whole expense of the building aud
enclosures aforesaid shall not exceed the amount
of - dollars which sum 10 hereby ap.
propriated, payable out of money in the Treas.
ury not otherwise appropriated, together with
such sum or sums out of The annual interest &C
cruing to the institution as may, in any year.
remain unexpended, after paying the current
expenses Of The institution. And duplicates OF
all such contracts as may be made by the said
board of regents shall be deposited with the
Treasurer ofthe United States and all claims
on any contract made as aforesaid shall be al
lowed and certified by the board of regents. or
the executive committee thereof, as the case
may be, aud being signed by the chancellor and
secretary of the board shall be sufficient vouch-
er for settlement and payment at The Treasury
of the United States. And the board ofregents
shall be authorized to employ such persons as
theymay deem necessaryto superlntend the erec-
ton Of the buildings and fitting up the rooms
of the institution And all laws for the protec-
ton of public property in the city OF Washings