It was explained by Mr. Foster that the sum had been raised to $200,000, with an annual expenditure of it of $50,000, and the Society continued; "because we hope by continuing the Society in existence they can raise from the people the balance of the sum needed, and as it will take at least four years to complete the Monument." He further remarked: "This puts the appropriation of $200,000 in the form of a donation, while at the same time it secures to the United States all the property and rights or every name and nature of the Society. * * The present purpose is to complete the Monument within live years," and to dedicate it "October 19, 1881, being the centennial of the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, the last 'great act of Washington's' military career, and the closing act of the war." In considering the bill, several amendments were adopted at the instance of Mr. Holman, of Indiana, and other members. The bill passed the House July 27th, and as amended, was passed by the Senate the next day and was approved by President Grant on the 2d of August, 1876. September 7, 1876, the Society adopted and issued an appeal "To the People of the United States," which was signed by its Secretary, John B. Blake. After referring to the act of Congress appropriating $200,000 to aid in the completion of the Monument, the appeal recited: "The occasion is deemed a fitting one to address the citizens of the United States upon that subject, and to exhort them, in the name of patriotism, not for a moment, on that account, to relax their efforts to hasten the accomplishment of that long delayed but much desired result." No response, however, was had from the appeal. The country evidently now looked to Congress to assume the whole amount required to finish the Monument. January 19, 1877. Mr. W. W. Corcoran and Dr. John B. Blake, as officers of the Society, conveyed by deed to the United States the property referred to in the act of August 2, 1876, which deed was duly recorded in the land records of the District of Columbia. Of the funds in the possession of the Society was later erected the memorial building on the Monument grounds for the office of the custodian, the deposit of the Society's archives, and for the accommodation of the visitor. The relations of the Society to the Monument were now limited as provided in the law. Such States as had omitted providing memorial blocks to represent them in the Monument had their attention called to the omission and supplied them. In accordance with the proviso in the act of Congress the foundations of the Monument were examined. The board of officers detailed from the Engineer Corps of the Army by the President to make the examination reported adversely as to their sufficiency to sustain the weight of the Monument at its proposed height, and the matter was reported to Congress.