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sons who escape the consequences of criminal acts by reason of insanity, unless it is the opinion both of the physician to the penitentiary and the superintendent of the hospital that such insane convict is so depraved and furious in his character as to render his custody in the hospital insecure and his example pernicious.

Whenever there are vacancies, private patients from the district may be received at a rate of board determined by the visitors, in no case less than the actual cost of their support. The independent or pay patients may be received into the hospital on the certificate of two respectable physicians of the district, stating that they have personally examined the patient and believe him to be insane at the time of giving the certificate, and a fit subject for treatment in the institution, accompanied by a written request for the admission from the nearest relatives, legal guardian, or friend of the patient, where he may remain until restored to reason. friends shall comply with the regulations of the hospital in respect to payment of board and in all other respects. The request for admission must be made within five days of the date of the certificate of insanity.

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When any person confined in the hospital charged with crime and subject to be tried therefor, or convicted of crime and undergoing sentence therefor, is restored to sanity, the superintendent of the hospital gives notice thereof to the judge of the criminal court, and delivers him to the court in obedience to the proper precept. If any person gives bond with sufficient security, approved by the supreme court of the District of Columbia, or by any judge thereof in vacation, payable to the United States, with condition to restrain and take

care of any independent or indigent insane person not charged with a breach of the peace, whether in the hospital or not, until the insane person is restored to sanity, such court or judge thereof may deliver such insane person to the party giving such bond. No insane person not charged with any breach of the peace is ever confined in the United States jail in the District of Columbia.

All appropriations of money by Congress for the support of the hospital are drawn from the Treasury on the requisition of the Secretary of the Interior, and are disbursed and accounted for in all respects according to the laws regulating ordinary disbursements of public money. The 1886-87 appropriations provided the sums of $75,132 for the support of the indigent insane of the District of Columbia; and for support, clothing, and treatment of the insane from the Army and Navy, marine corps, and revenue cutter service, persons charged with or convicted of crimes against the United States, inmates of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and of all persons who had become insane since their entry into the military or naval service of the United States, and who were indigent, $195,000; and not exceeding $1000 of this sum might be expended in defraying the expenses of the removal of patients to their friends. For the buildings and grounds of the Government hospital for the insane as follows: for general repairs and improvements, $10,000; special improvements—namely, for rebuilding wash-house and drying-room of the laundry, and refitting the same, $1500; for iron stairs, with fireproof passages and further protection against fire, $3500; for the erection of a hospital building for convict and homicidal insane, $50,000.

THE COLUMBIA INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB.

The Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb was incorporated in 1857. It can hold no real or personal property, except such as may be necessary to the maintenance and efficient management of the institution; and no part of its real or personal property shall be devoted to any other purpose than the education of the deaf and dumb, nor shall any portion of the real estate be aliened, sold, or conveyed, except under the authority of a special Act of Congress. Among the directors are one senator appointed by the President of the Senate, and two representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, who hold their offices for the term of a single Congress, and are eligible to a reappointment. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior is satisfied, by evidence produced by the president of this institution, that any deaf and dumb person of teachable age, properly belonging to the District of Columbia, is in indigent circumstances, and cannot command the means to secure an education, it is his duty to authorise such person to enter the institution for instruction. Deaf mutes, not exceeding forty in number, residing in the several states and territories, applying for admission to the collegiate department, are received on the same terms and conditions as those prescribed by law for the residents of the District of Columbia, at the discretion of the president of the institution; but no student coming from either of the states is supported by the United States during any portion of the time he remains therein. It is the duty of the justices of the peace for the District of Columbia to ascertain the names and residences of all deaf and dumb persons within

their respective districts; which of them are of teachable age, and also which of them are in indigent circumstances; and to report the same to the president of the Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. The superintendent, at the commencement of every December session of Congress, makes a full and complete statement of all the expenditures made by virtue of any appropriations by Congress, including the amounts and the rates paid to the superintendent and for teachers. It is the duty of the President and directors to report to the Secretary of the Interior the condition of the institution, on the first day of July in each year, and the number remaining in the institution; also the branches of knowledge and industry taught, and the progress made therein; also a statement showing the receipts of the institution, and from what sources, and its disbursements, and for what objects; also an itemised statement of all employees, the salaries or wages respectively, each of them, and also of all other expenses of the institution. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior is satisfied by evidence produced by the president of the institution that any blind person, of teachable age, cannot command the means to secure an education, he may cause such person to be instructed in some institution for the education of the blind in Maryland or some other state, at a cost not greater for each pupil than is or may be for the time being paid by such state, and to cause the same to be paid out of the Treasury of the United States. The appropriations for the year 1886-87 included "for support of the institution, including salaries and incidental ex

penses, and for books and illustrative apparatus, for general repairs, and improvements, $52,500; provided that no more than $25,000 of said sum shall be expended for salaries and wages. To enable the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the education of feeble-minded children belonging to the District of

Columbia, as provided for in the Act approved June 16, 1880, $2500. For the extension of the buildings of the institution for the purpose of providing additional schoolroom accommodation, and also room for the instruction of the pupils in industrial labour, and for furnishing and fitting up said additional building, $8000."

NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

The Secretary of War purchases such real estate as in his judgment is suitable and necessary for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions for national cemeteries, and obtains from the owners the title in fee-simple for the same. If an amicable arrangement cannot be effected, he can enter upon and appropriate any real estate which in his judgment is suitable and necessary for such purposes; and he or the owners can make application for an appraisement of such real estate to any circuit or district court within any state or district where such real estate is situated; and such court, upon such application, and in such mode and under such rules and regulations as it may adopt, makes a just and equitable appraisement of the cash value of the several interests of each and every owner of such real estate, and improvements thereon. The feesimple of such real estate, upon payment to the owner of the appraised value, or, in case such owner refuses or neglects for thirty days after the appraisement to demand the appraised cash value thereof from the Secretary of War, upon depositing the appraised value in the court making the appraisement to the credit of the owner, is vested in the United States, and its jurisdiction over such real estate is exclusive, and the same as its jurisdiction over real estate purchased, ceded, or appropriated for the pur

pose of navy-yards, forts, and arsenals. The sums necessary to pay the appraised value of the several pieces of real estate may be taken from any moneys appropriated for the purposes of national cemeteries. The Secretary of War shall cause to be erected at the principal entrance of each national cemetery a suitable porter's lodge, and appoint a meritorious and trustworthy superintendent to reside therein, for the purpose of guarding and protecting the cemetery, and giving information to parties visiting it. These superintendents are selected from meritorious and trustworthy soldiers, either commissioned officers or enlisted men, of the volunteer or regular army who have been honourably mustered out or discharged from the service of the United States, and who may have been disabled for active field-service in the line of duty. Their pay is from $60 to $75 a-month each, according to the extent and importance of the respective cemeteries, and they get quarters and fuel. All soldiers, sailors, or marines dying in the service of the United States in a destitute condition, after having been honourably discharged from the service, or who served dur ing the late war, either in the regular or volunteer forces, may be buried in any national cemetery free of cost. The production of the honourable discharge of a deceased man is sufficient authority for the superintendent of

any cemetery to permit the interment. From the time any state legislature has given the consent of such state to the purchase by the United States of any national cemetery, the jurisdiction and power of legislation of the United States over such cemetery shall, in all courts and places, be held to be the same as is granted by section 8, Article I., of the Constitution of the United States, and all provisions relating to national cemeteries are applicable to the same. By an Act of 1879 the Secretary of War was authorised to erect headstones over the graves of soldiers who served in the regular or volunteer army of the United States during the war for the Union, and who had been buried in private, village, or city cemeteries, in the same manner as provided for those interred in national military cemeteries, and should cause to be preserved in the records of his department the names and places of burial of all soldiers for whom such headstones should have been erected by authority of this or any former Acts. In the national cemeteries

each grave is marked with a small headstone or block of durable stone, and of such design and weight as to keep it in place when set, and it bears the name of the soldier and the name of his state inscribed thereon, when the same are known, and also the number of the grave corresponding with the number opposite to the name of the soldier in a register of burials kept at each cemetery and at the office of the quartermaster-general, which sets forth the name, rank, company, regiment, and date of death of the officer or soldier; or if these are not known, it is so recorded. The appropriation Act for 1886-87 appropriated $40,000 "for continuing the work of furnishing headstones for unmarked graves of Union soldiers, sailors, and marines in national, post, city, town, and village cemeteries, naval cemeteries at naval yards and stations of the United States, and other burial places; " $100,000 for maintaining, improving, &c., national cemeteries; and $60,440 for pay of 73 superintendents of national cemeteries.

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THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

James Smithson, Esq. of London, in the kingdom of Great Britain, having by his last will and testament given the whole of his property to the United States of America to found at Washington, under the name of the "Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men, the United States, by an Act of Congress, received the property and accepted the trust. The President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster - General, the AttorneyGeneral, the Chief-Justice, the Com

missioner of Patents, and the Governor of the District of Columbia, and such other persons as they may elect honorary members, were by Act constituted an establishment by the name of the "Smithsonian Institution. The business of this institution is conducted at the city of Washington by a board of regents, named the regents of the Smithsonian Institution, composed of the Vice-President, the Chief-Justice of the United States, and the Governor of the District of Columbia, three members of the Senate appointed by the President thereof, three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker thereof, and

six other persons, other than members of Congress, of whom two are resident in the city of Washington and the other four are inhabitants of some state, but no two of them of the same state. These six persons are appointed regents by joint-resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives. The members of the House so appointed serve for two years; and on every alternate fourth Wednesday of December a like number are appointed in the same manner for two years. The senators appointed regents serve during the term for which they hold, without re-election, their office as senators. The regular term of office for the six regents is six years. One of the regents is elected chancellor, and presides at the board of regents. He is called chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution. A suitable person is elected secretary of the Institution, who is also secretary of the board of regents. The board also elects three of their own body as an executive committee, and fix on the time for the regular meetings of the board.

On application of any three of the regents to the secretary, it is his duty to appoint a special meeting of the board, and to give each regent notice thereof by letter. Five regents constitute a quorum to do business at meetings. Each member of the board is paid his necessary travelling and other actual expenses in attending meetings of the board, which are audited by the executive committee and recorded by the secretary of the board; but his service as regent is gratuitous. The secretary of the board of regents takes charge of the building and property of the Institution, and under their direction makes a fair and accurate record of all their proceedings, to be preserved in the Institution; and he also discharges the duties of librarian and of keeper of the museum,

and may, with the consent of the board, employ assistants. The members and honorary members may hold stated and special meetings for the supervision of the affairs of the Institution and the advice and instruction of the board of regents. Whenever suitable arrangements can be made from time to time for their reception, all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States, which may be in the city of Washington, are delivered to the board of regents, and so arranged and classified in the building erected for the Institution as best to facilitate the examination and study of them; and whenever new specimens in natural history, geology, or mineralogy are obtained for the museum of the Institution by exchanges of duplicate specimens, which the regents may in their discretion make, or by donation, which they may receive, or otherwise, they are appropriately classed and arranged. The minerals, books, manuscripts, and other property of James Smithson, which were received by the Government of the United States, are preserved separate and apart from other property of the Institution. The regents make, from the interest of the fund, an appropriation, not exceeding an average of $25,000 annually, for the gradual formation of a library composed of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge. Whenever money is required for the payment of the debts or performance of the contracts of the Institution properly incurred, the board of regents or the executive committee thereof may certify to the chancellor and secretary of the board that such sum of money is required, whereupon they examine the same, and, if they approve thereof, certify the same to the proper officer of the

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