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Bearing with me, thus, these rich fruits of the intellectual labors of the best minds of the old world, so valuable to the new, and so substan tial an evidence of the willingness of the government and people of my own country to enter into an intellectual union with their brethren of America, I entertained the most sanguine expectations of success in the great undertaking to which I have devoted myself; and allow me to say, in advance, that those expectations have not been disappointed. The enlightened liberality of the statesmen and people of America, has recognized at once the great value of the plan, and has prompted a generous and hearty reciprocation.

On the 9th of February, 1848, I laid before Congress a second memorial, giving an account of the success of my labors during my absence; presenting the proofs of the favorable disposition of the governments, and leading the minds of Europe towards the plan; assigning the reasons why their own resolutions, passed eight years before, had not been carried into effect; and praying

"1st. That the law securing patent rights and copy rights may be so amended as to require all authors or publishers, taking out copy rights for works to be printed, to place in the depot of the central agency at New York, subject to the order of government, copies of such work, in addition to the two copies now required to be deposited in the library of Congress.

"2d. The enactment of a law, (accompanied by all necessary guards for the prevention of fraud,) admitting duty free, all works and other objects, addressed by governments abroad, through the general depot of exchange in Paris to the branch depot in New York, exclusively for the purpose of International Exchange.

"3d. That the resolutions heretofore passed by both Houses of Congress, in July, 1840, in the words following, (and which have hitherto remained a dead letter on the statute book,) be carried into full effect, viz:

"1. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the librarian, under the superintendence of the committee on the library, be [authorized] to exchange such duplicates as may be in the library for other books or works.

"2. That he [be authorized] in the same way to exchange docu

ments.

"3. That hereafter fifty additional copies of each volume of documents, printed by order of either House, be printed and bound for the purpose of exchange in foreign countries."

"To effect this, it will be requisite to repass a similar resolution, substituting the words," and is hereby directed and required," for the word "authorized," and also, by assigning a place of deposit for,

or otherwise disposing of, the fifty copies ordered to be furnished for exchange.

"4th. That the above regulations be understood as applying exclusively to works of a scientific character, and promotive of intel lectual improvement; works of a different description being allowed to seek the usual channels opened by those engaged in the book trade. 66 5th. That duplicates of the objects of curiosity and scien tific interest, brought home by the late exploring expedition, (so hon orable to the intelligence and liberality of your government and country,) be directed to be assigned, by those having official control of the objects so collected, for the purpose of being exchanged, on authorized demand for them, for objects of a similar kind furnished by European governments or learned bodies."

On the 4th of May, 1848, the Hon. Mr. Murphy, from the joint committee on the library of Congress, brought in a report highly favorable to the petition of the memorial, and which closes with the following recommendation:

"In the views of the memorialist generally, the committee are happy to concur. After the success which has thus far crowned his unwearied and voluntary labors, they think his expectations of aid from us have been justly formed, and should be promptly satisfied. They therefore recommend that the committee be authorized to establish such agencies, and organize such a plan of donation and exchange as they may deem best for this purpose; that all books sent to the Federal or State governments, to any departments, or libraries of either, to the Academy at West Point, or to the National Institute, be admitted duty free; and that the sum of two thousand dollars be appropriated to enable the committee to carry the measure into effect."

A bill in harmony with these recommendations was reported, and on the 26th of June became a law:

"An Act to regulate the exchange of certain documents and other publications of Congress.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the joint committee on the library shall appoint such agents as they may, from time to time, deem requisite, to carry into effect the donation and exchange of such documents and other publications as have been or shall be placed at their disposal for the purpose.

"SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all books transmitted through such agents for the use of the government of the United States, or of any government of a State, or of its Legislature, or of any department of the government of the United States, or of a State, or of the Academy at West Point, or of the National Institute, sball be admitted into the United States dutyfree.

"SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the sum of two thousand

dollars is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, and the same is put at the disposal of the library committee, for the purpose of carrying into effect such donation and exchange, and paying the expenses already inccurred in relation thereto.

"Approved, June 26, 1848."

In accordance with the first provision of this act, I was appointed the agent of the United States for International Exchange, by the following resolutions:

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66 JOINT LIBRARY COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS,
July 25, 1848.

Resolved, That Alexander Vattemare be appointed agent to the joint committee on the library, to carry into effect the donation and exchange of such books and other publications as are or shall be placed at the disposal of the committee for this purpose, under the "Act to regulate the exchange of certain documents and other publications of Congress;" said agent to be, in all respects, subject to the directions of the committee.

"Resolved, That said Vattemare's agency shall extend only to exchanges between the United States and foreign countries or governments, and not to domestic exchanges.

"Resolved, That the chairman draw from the treasury, and place in the hands of the said Alexander Vattemare, fifteen hundred dollars, part of the sum appropriated by the said act, to be applied to his personal expenses already incurred during the year ending 30th June, 1849, and to defraying the expenses of clerk hire, freight, rent of rooms, and other necessary expenditures of his agency; and that said agent shall annually account to and with the said committee concerning the expenditure of said sum.

Resolved, That said Vattemare be furnished, for the purpose of exchange, with the following works :"

[Here follows a list of the works presented.]

One of the most important features of the law above quoted, is that which provides for the reception of all objects of exchange duty free The heavy duties hitherto imposed have formed an important drawback upon the operations of exchange. To carry out this provision, and to prevent its being made the occasion of frauds upon the revenue, the Secretary of the Treasury has issued the following circular:

CIRCULAR.

"Instructions to collectors and other officers of the customs." "TREASURY DEPARTMENT, August 14, 1848. "Congress having, by an act entitled 'An act to regulate the exchanges of certain documents and other publications of Congress, approved 26th of June, 1848, adopted the system of international

exchanges, thereby manifesting a due appreciation of its importance and value, the duty devolves upon the department to aid in carrying out the intentions of Congress, by the establishment of such needful regulations as will, whilst facilitating this great enterprise, protect the system itself from abuse, as well as the revenue from any attempted frauds and impositions.

"It will be perceived that this act exempts from duty'all books' transmitted through the agents appointed by the joint committee on the library, for the use of the government of the United States, or of any goverement of a State, or of its Legislature, or of any department of the government of the United States, or of a State, or of the Academy at West Point, or of the National Institute.

"The joint library committee of Congress, under date of the 25th July, 1848, in pursuance of the authority vested in them by the beforementioned act, adopted, amongst others, the following resolutions, viz :

"Resolved, That Alexandre Vattemare be appointed agent to the joint committee on the library to carry into effect the donation and exchange of such books and other publications as are or shall be placed at the disposal of the committee for this purpose, under the Act to regulate the exchange of certain documents and other publi cations of Congress;' said agent to be, in all respects, subject to the direction of the committee.

"Resolved, That the said Vattemare's agency shall extend only to exchanges between the United States and foreign countries and gov ernments, and not to domestic exchanges.

"By the foregoing resolutions, it will be perceived that the agency to conduct these exchanges has been conferred upon Mr. Alexandre Vattemare, the author of the system, to whose talents, zeal, and inde fatigable exertions, the civilized world is indebted for the conception and consummation of the system, destined, it is confidently believed, to realize all the benefits anticipated by its distinguished author and promoter.

"According to the suggestion of Mr. Vattemare, the central agency of this enterprise will be established at Paris, with subordinate agencies in the capitals of other States or countries uniting in the system. To prevent fraud and imposition, all documents and other publications transmitted to the United States, must bear the stamp of the central agency at Paris, to be impressed, in the case of books of pamphlets, on the first and last pages of the text of each volume; in the case of charts, maps, prints, &c., the stamp to be on some convenient place on the face thereof. The boxes or packages will be addressed to the care of the collector of the customs of the port in the United States to which they may be shipped, accompanied by a letter of advice and a descriptive list. On their arrival, the collector is enjoined to take careful charge of the same, notifying the department of their receipt, and await instructions for their disposal.

R. J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury."

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In addition to the law above given, which recognizes the system, and provides for its support, Congress passed a number of joint resolutions, which are given below, setting apart for purposes of exchange a large number of important works:

"Acts and resolutions of Congress in relation to International

Exchanges.

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"Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be authorized and directed to purchase one hundred copies of Hickey's edition of the Constitution of the United States, and to deliver the same, in the name of the Senate of the United States, to Mr. Alexandre Vattemare, of Paris, to be distributed by him in France, according to his system of national exchange of books.

Attest:

ASBURY DICKINS, Secretary. "Resolution authorizing the presentation to the government of France of a series of the standard weights and measures of the United States, and for other purposes.

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State be directed to furnish to Alexandre Vattemare one complete series of the standard weights and measures of the United States, now in the department of State, to be presented to the government of France, and that he furnish to the joint committee on the library twenty-five copies of Little & Brown's edition of the Laws of the United States, to be disposed of by them for purposes of international exchange.

"SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That seven copies of the Exploring Expedition now published, and an equal number of such of the works of the same as may hereafter be published, be placed at the disposal of the joint library committee of Congress, for the purpose of international exchange.

"Approved June 30, 1848.”

The large amount of correspondence necessary to the proper conduct of the system, renders the postage a tax of considerable weight. The Senate, in order to give every facility to its operations, passed the resolution which follows, granting the privilege of free transmission to all letters and papers relating to exchange. This resolution was lost in the House, in the last hours of the session, by a few votes:

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Alexandre Vattemare, agent of the United States for international exchanges, be, and is hereby authorized to frank letters or packages, containing books, public documents, maps, specimens of the arts, or medals, sent

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