year just closed the additions to the library have been more than twelve thousand, and the library numbers now more than two hundred and seventy-two thousand books and pamphlets. He ill judges the temper of this society who imagines that having achieved its present commanding position it shall abate its energies; or, to employ the vernacular familiar hereabout, that having made some touch-downs it should not struggle to rush other goals. Energy, loyalty, revenue-effective weapons up to this present - will still be in constant use. Not disparaging energy and loyalty, our most aggressive arm has been revenue. This has proceeded in the main from three sources: First, from the treasury of the state, and very properly should this be, since the state and Wisconsin are the beginning and the end of our name, and since her renown is the beginning and the end of our emprise. Second, from the legacies and devises of former members, and there is great propriety in this, that those who have by death become historical should benefit a society in whose name, and in whose effort, the historical is prominent. Of such benefactors, or rather of a like class of benefactors who anticipate their wills and breathe living blessings upon their gifts, was James Sutherland of Janesville, who at four score and five years has just fallen on sleep - a giver to this society since 1855, an officer almost continuously since 1862, yielding pre-eminence only to that Nestor of us all, James Davie Butler.' there has been another stream of revenue to this society - a stream now expanding from a rivulet towards a river, a stream proceeding from the contributions of life and annual members. And there is propriety also in this source of income, since Socius is the radical, cohesive portion of our name. Third, And here arises the opportunity of each Socius. The secretary reports that the active membership of this society approaches four hundred and fifty persons. No professor from the university is needed to calculate that if each member will bring his fellow to the secretary during the ensuing year, we shall gather next October with an aggregation comfortably close to one thousand. And is this demanding too large a clientele from a state with a population of more than two million inhabitants a state of prosperity and intelligence? Wisconsin is no Nineveh, of which some querulous Jonah can write that a large fraction of its people cannot discern their right hand from their left. Here, illiteracy is surprisingly small; the historical taste more widely developed than we 'Dr. Butler died at his home in Madison, November 20, 1905, in the ninety-first year of his age.-SEC. expect. During this past year not a few persons, now members of this society, have marveled to me because they have never before thought of joining the society and have thanked me for the suggestion that led up to their membership. Will not each of you arouse somebody's marvel and gain somebody's thanks? Thus shall we all assist in instituting a resemblance, in numbers and resources, between this society and Nineveh, which, Jonah writes, was an exceeding great city" and had "much cattle.” 66 Friends, in what a history-making epoch have we been living! Even during this past year Clio has dipped her frequent pen and covered many a page. "Nations are waking," exclaims Bishop Coxe; "worlds are charging;" "Gog and Magog to the fray!" To be spectators of events like these, just "to be living" is sublime! But, sublimer yet to learn intelligently, philosophically, sympathetically learn- to chronicle these grand happenings for the instruction of the ages yet to be born. I trust this society feels itself charged with the highest duty it can perform, that of developing true historical aspirations in those who would assume to perform this lofty duty. Historians thus developed will not, assuredly, be jotters of dates, cataloguers of names, dry annalists of unconnected facts. The rather will they be logical, critical, keen, impartial thinkers, connecting the end with the beginning, conjoining the past with the yet remote past, and possessing withal that intelligent, absorbing sympathy "Which, like the needle true, Turns at the touch of joy or woe, But turning, trembles too!" Historical Papers The following historical papers were read either by or for their authors: Narratives of Wisconsin Travellers, prior to 1800, by Hon. Henry Eduard Legler, of Milwaukee. The Impeachment of Judge Levi Hubbell, by John Bell Sanborn, Ph. D., of Madison. Some Historic Sites about Green Bay, by Arthur Courtenay Neville, Esq., of Green Bay. The following papers were also presented, being read by title: John Scott Horner: a Biographical Sketch, by Prof. Edward Huntington Merrill, of Ripon. History of the First Constitutional Convention in Wisconsin, 1846, by Frederick L. Holmes, of Waukau. Slavery in the Old Northwest, by Raymond V. Phelan, of Cleveland, Ohio. Reception Upon the conclusion of the literary exercises, the resident curators tendered an informal reception to those in attendance at the meeting. Executive Committee Meeting The annual meeting of the executive committee was held in the lecture room, at the close of the society's meeting, the afternoon of November 9, 1905. Election of Vice President Hon. B. F. McMillan of McMillan was unanimously elected a vice president of the society to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. James Sutherland of Janesville. New Members Elected The following new members were unanimously elected: Life Bay City, Mich.-William L. Clements. Beaver Dam - Hon. Edward C. McFetridge. Denver, Colo.- Charles L. Wellington. Eau Claire-C. W. Lockwood. Grand Rapids - E. P. Arpin. Horicon -W. A. Van Brunt. Madison - Solon J. Buck, Thomas E. Brittingham, Dr. C. K. Leith, F. Warren Montgomery, Prof. John B. Parkinson. Marshfield - W. D. Connor. Milwaukee - Miss Alice G. Chapman, John G. Gregory, Andrew M. Joys, H. W. Underwood, Fred Vogel, Jr. Monroe-Willis Ludlow. Prairie du Sac-J. S. Tripp. Appleton-Dr. Samuel Plantz, Dr. J. T. Reeve. Arcadia - Dr. Eben D. Pierce. Ashland - Henry de Lafrenière. Black River Falls - Hon. Carl C. Pope. Chicago-George R. Peck, Paul D. Sexton. Elkhorn-Albert C. Beckwith, Dr. Edward Kinne. Fond du Lac-L. A. Williams. Fredonia - Hon. N. E. Becker. Grand Rapids-Isaac P. Witter. Green Bay Hon. Samuel D. Hastings, A. Heber Reynolds. Kenosha - James Cavanagh, C. E. Remer. Lancaster-Hon. George B. Clementson. La Crosse Frederick A. Copeland, Miss Helen L. Edwards, J. M. Hixon, John M. Holley, R. E. Osborne, W. L. Osborne, Eugene G. Perkins, Hon. George H. Ray, R. C. Whelpley. La Pointe-G. F. Thomas. Madison - Dr. A. R. Hohlfeld, Frederick L. Holmes, Dr. William S. Marshall, Dr. B. H. Meyer, Miss Jenny Morrill, Col. John G. Salsman, Prof. Howard L. Smith, Dr. E. B. Skinner, Dr. James W. Vance. Marinette - Hon. Frank E. Noyes, George L. Ridsdale. Marshfield - Hon. William H. Upham. Memphis, Tenn.-H. E. Bacon. Menomonie - Charles E. Freeman. Merrill-A. H. Reid. Mondovi - Rev. Samuel M. MacNeill. Milwaukee John Campbell, Alfred L. Cary, Humphrey Desmond, Edward Dewey, Herbert T. Ferguson, Hon. James G. Flanders, Edward W. Frost, David Harlowe, Gen. Charles King, Duane Mowry, William H. Munn, John Poppendick, Jr., Dr. Lewis Sherman, Frederick W. Sivyer, James W. Skinner, Edgar E. Teller, William J. Turner, Edward L. Woodruff, Charles F. A. Zimmerman. Shell Lake-Louis H. Mead. Sparta-Dr. F. P. Stiles. Stanley - W. H. Bridgman. Superior - Col. Hiram Hayes, Harry H. Grace. Two Rivers H. P. Hamilton. Viroqua - Hon. C. W. Graves. Watertown - W. D. Sproesser, J. W. Wiggenhorn. Waupun - L. D. Hinkley. West Bend-G. A. Kuechenmeister. Whitehall Hon. H. L. Ekern. Corresponding Berkeley, California Prof. Henry Morse Stephens. Palo Alto, California - Prof. Clyde Augustus Duniway. Santa Fé, New Mexico-Hon. L. Bradford Prince, Hon. Amado Chaves. Eugene, Oregon - Prof. F. G. Young, Prof. Joseph Schafer. Draper Fund Income The following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That the treasurer be and he hereby is, under sanction of the finance committee, authorized and directed to honor the secretary's warrants on the income of the Draper fund to the extent of not to exceed four hundred dollars ($400) per annum, the same to be expended for services in indexing and calendaring the Draper manuscripts. The meeting thereupon stood adjourned. |