Washington sentinel., 1854-07-16

VI course this was not 10 be universal rule
and moi 10 exclude standard works of auihorii,
and reference. They particularly desired TO see
the library SO supplied with important works on
photography, so that il might become the centre o
literary and biblographcal reference for the whole
country This desire has always been entertained
| Dy the regents, ana much has already been done
| towards this object. The collection of printed
| and manuscript catalogues has already been com
| menced with this view, and should be steadily
| followed up. Il is believed that the appropria
tions suggested, together with the exchanges and
occasional special appropriations, will in rea.
sonable time, not only secure this object but
make the library the most important collection ol
valuable books, pertaining TO all departments OF
knowledge, TO be found in our country
| Suggestions have been made 10 the committee
| OF certain alterations in the organization Of the
| institution, which your committee think NOT war.
ranted by the letter and spirit of the law, and in
| conflict with the seventh section, which defines
| the duties and powers of the secretary That
| section admits of only one Interpretation. lis
terms are direct and explicit and It's objects are
1 expressly and pointedly sci forth. The entire
| property OF the institution is placed by II in the
secretary's hands, and he is distinctly constituted
| the responsible agent Of the Board Of Regents
| He is ITO make fair and accurate record of all
| their proceedings" 10 take charge of the build.
ing and properly of the institution (" TO DISCHARGE
| the duties of librarian and keeper Of the museum
This language clearly shows The intention of the
trainers OF the law TO secure unity of action 10 adj
! mt OF no separate and independent departments !
as IS often the case in other institutions All the
duties enumerated are devolved solely on the Sec
retary and though other persons NAV he emnIov.
ed, they merely his assistants The Offices being
emphatically one. The secretary alone is author
lied 10 ac and If the business of The Institution
demanded no more than the mind and labor one
man might.be. competent 10 perform, there would
be no occasion for the employment of any one
else.
The law is declaratory and positive in charging
the secretary with the enumerated dutjes and
therefore invests him and him alone with the cor
responding powers But as il must have been
manifest that no secretary could be able Of him.
self TO perform personally everything required for
the discharge of his enumerated duties provision
is made for aid 10. him. in the clause which says
that he "may, with the consent of the board en-
ploy assistants" &c.
The positions of the persons so employed are
determined by the word which designates them
in the clause authorizing their employment. They
are called "asstaants" To whom? Not to the
regents, but 10 the secretary. Their position is
necessarily subordinate; and as their duties are
those Of assistants TO their principal thew can no
more be independent OF him than they can be SUI
perior 10 him. This construction is so manifestly
proper, that it would seem to require no argument
to justify it. But if anything further were wanted
may be found in the fact that the secret1yu is TO
employ them in and about that verv business with
which he is charged and for which lie alone is re-
sponsibe. The character Of this part of the Sec
tion Is permissive He is not required TO employ
any one, but is permitted TO employ persons to as
sst him, provided he satisfy the board that their
services are necessary aids to him.
In another part of the same section provision is
made for the payment and, if need be, the removal
of the secretary and his assistants and in this con-
nexion they are spoken of-as officers, but by no
ingenuity Of construction can that word, in this
connexion be held to assign them special duties or
confer any separate authority.
Tins careful has Gongress haan m ,roy;Ja a n
efficient system Of operations which can only come
from harmony of purpose and unity OF action.
This view of the intention of Congress, so
clearly expressed in the law, would be directly
contradcied by the plan which has been sug-
gested. OF organizing the institution definitely into
several departments, placing at the head of these
departments different assistants, establishing their
relative positions. prescribing distinct duties for
them, assigning certain shares of the income TO be
dsbursed by them, and stating their authority
privileges, and remedies for Infringement Of their
official rights or of the interests intrused 10 their
care. All this would tend not TO secure loya
and harmonious cooperation, 10 a common end,
OF the assistants with the secretary, but to en-
courage rivalry, TO invite collision, TO engender
hostility. 10 destroy subordination distract the
operations ofthe institution, 10 impair its efficiency
and TO destroy its usefulness.
The committee are satisfied too, that the expen.
dtures Of the institution wou' be unproitably in
creased by organizing il into several departments
expend the money appropriated TO il. The ten
dency would be 10 more subdivisi ms OF duty, 10
an increase Of assistants, by the reduction first
of temporary and then Of permanent employees,
UNTIL as the collections grew larger end the per-
sons charged with their care became NOR pr-
merous, the greater portion Of the income would
be absorbed in salaries Thus the munifcence
intended 10 increase and dihuse knowledge among
mankind, would be chiefly expended in salaries
and official emoluments.
the III nh "a
consider whether IL might not be consistent with
the proper working of the institutions TO limit and
reduce some of these expenses.
While the committee desire to preserve and in
crease the library and museum, as already stated,
they think II would be well TO repeal the seventh
resolution, passed by the Board of Regents on the
Goth January, lSi7, which has already been re-
cited.
They recommend that in future, the appropria-
tions should be made without reference TO any
fixed rule OF distribution division between the
different operations and objects of the institution,
and that the board, while making specific appro-
priations, should apportion them according TO their
opinion OF what is necessary and proper giving TO
each object such sum its intrinsic importa nee
and compliance in good faith with the law may
seem TO demand.
Thus they will be enabled 10 economize by
postponing or limiting some operations and pre-
ferring Others by applying the funds to those OBJ
jects which al the time appear most pressing, and
PiOlirc tue uiost prOnlpt, ldf-fcdCnlnHy ana
beneficial action.
In conclusion, the Committee adopt the follow
ing remarks and recomme endations which they ex-
tract from paper submitted TO them by the Secre-
tary, and desire that they may be considered as
part Of this report
If onefourh Of the whole income is devoted 10 the
additional assistants will be required for the
and management of the specimens while the with
drawa Of Professor Baird from the publications and ex
changes. viii require more help IN that quarter.
Besides the necessary expenditure for furn
nre for the library appropriations may he made for
ryng the catalogue system for printing reports on
libraries; for the publication Of library manuals for the
preparation and publication Of bbllographies for COM
pleng sets Of and the other books
for the operations Of the institution also for printing
catalogue or list Of books in the library.
In addition 10 the which will be NECESSARILY re-
quired for the and furniture Of the museum
small sum may annually be appropriated for collecting
particular desderata In natural history be presented
chasing instruments and models to illustrate particular
branches OF knowledge to assist In the of
special lines Of reycnrcb which may samples
artizans In this country, be used In Investigations
Models also be obtained for multiplying Of
celebrated specimens Of ancient and modern art
appropriations for oil these objrcs cannot be made in
be used the time when would be the
to make the expenditure In each particular case.
As few operations possible ought 10 be carried on In
the building OF the institution Printing stercotypinq
engraving &c. be done cheaper by contract
49,. -A..1.A IL. -.