associate, Charles Sumner, the ripe scholar, the incorruptible statesman; the eloquent advocate of a cause which his labors contributed largely to bring to a triumphant conclusion, the abolition of Negro slavery in the United States; the firm philanthropist, proved by more than twenty years of trial in and out of public life; and the ardent patriot, whose labors have ever had for their sole aim the promotion of the greatness and the maintenance of the honor of our common country.

Remarks were then made by Mr. ADAMS, Ex-Governor CLIFFORD, Judge THOMAS, Mr. WATERSTON, and Mr. EDMUND QUINCY; and the resolution was unanimously adopted by a rising vote.

A serial of the Proceedings of the Society from August to December, 1873, inclusive, was reported as ready for distribution.

ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL, 1874.

The Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, April 9th, at eleven o'clock A.M.; the President in the chair. The Recording Secretary read the record of the preceding meeting.

The Librarian read his monthly list of donors to the Library. The President communicated a gift from Mr. Charles P. Curtis, of Boston, of a series of lithographic copies of old maps, prepared to aid in the settlement of the boundary between the States of Virginia and Maryland, for which the thanks of the Society were ordered.

He also read a letter from Captain G. V. Fox, of Lowell, presenting to the Society a copy of the Virginia ordinance of Secession.

A pamphlet of Proceedings, embracing the doings of the meeting on the 16th of December, at the house of Mr. Waterston, was announced as printed; each member, it was added, being entitled to a copy.

An engraving illustrating the proceedings of the colonists relative to the destruction of the Tea was exhibited, having been sent from New York as a unique print.

The President called attention to some letters of John Adams, written to Professor John Winthrop, of Cambridge,*

*These were kindly sent to the Society, on deposit, by our Corresponding Member, Col. John Winthrop, and were gratefully acknowledged. — EDS

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dated from Philadelphia, during the years 1775 and 1776. They were referred to Mr. C. F. Adams.

Mr. Sibley sent in for the Library a finely bound copy of his "Harvard Graduates," for which suitable acknowledgments were made.

Sir John Bernard Burke, of Dublin, Ireland, was elected a Corresponding Member.

Dr. ROBBINS submitted his Memoir of the late William Brigham. (See page 280.)

The doings of the Annual Meeting were now entered upon. The Annual Reports of the Standing Committee, the Librarian, the Treasurer, and the Cabinet-keeper, were severally read and accepted; the Committee on the Treasurer's account certifying to its correctness. They are here printed.

Report of the Standing Committee.

The last Annual Meeting of this Society took place on the 10th of April, after an entire renovation had been effected in this building, from its foundation upward. That occasion was in itself an eventful epoch in the history of the Society. By appropriate services it was rendered a Meeting of Dedication.

A new experience was about to open before us. No one could positively predict how the many alterations which had been made in reconstructing this edifice would prove upon trial. It is a great satisfaction to find, at the end of a twelvemonth, that all we had hoped has been more than realized. Our accommodations were never so ample, nor our surroundings so attractive to the eye. The various collections of the Society have never before elicited so much attention, nor the rooms been so generally frequented. The progress and prosperity of the Society in all its departments has been undoubted. Its meetings have been largely attended. Interesting communications have been read, and valuable papers published. Our historical and antiquarian treasures have been augmented; and the privileges connected with the Society have, in no particular, lessened. The Standing Committee, therefore, at the close of their official year, in presenting this their Annual Report, feel that there are abundant reasons for congratulation, and every incentive to renewed effort.

LIBRARY.

It is gratifying to know that the Library, to which our thoughts naturally turn first of all, is in a better condition than

at any previous period. The larger space granted it, under the present accommodations, has allowed a more perfect arrangement and classification. The shelf-room so long desired has at length been gained, and has been improved to the best advantage. As one result, the Library has never been so extensively used for reference and study, while the number of volumes contributed have been threefold above the number received during any former year.

At the time of our last Annual Report, the Library consisted of about 21,000 volumes. Since then 1,269 have been received, making in all 22,389. During the same time 3,747 pamphlets, 1,429 newspapers, 88 maps, and 73 volumes of manuscripts have been received; 58 volumes of the Society's publications have been exchanged; while over 1,000 books and 2,000 pamphlets have been received as gifts.

In addition to the bequest of $5,000 left us by Mr. Savage for the increase of the Library, 100 volumes were to be selected from his own collection, which has been done by a committee appointed for that purpose, to which 79 volumes more were added by the family. Mr. Francis E. Parker has generously presented the Society with over 100 volumes, principally classical. Mr. A. A. Lawrence, whose liberality has been constant, has bestowed 57 volumes; Dr. Shurtleff, 196 volumes; Miss Dix, 98 volumes; and the Hon. Charles Francis Adams, 39 volumes, connected chiefly with the Alabama Claims and that Arbitration in which he took so important a part.

The room devoted to pamphlets contains some 40,000, all of which, during the year, have been overhauled, and thoroughly arranged and classified, a work of much labor, for which, however, the result is an adequate compensation.

CABINET.

The collection of antiquities has outgrown its present accommodation. Those valuable historical relics, to which important accessions have been made during the past year, when re-arranged and newly assorted, will form a source of great attraction. We have now ample treasures for double the space at present occupied. Many objects of great interest have been absolutely hidden from view. The collection of coins has been largely enriched, and many other gifts would doubtless come to us, if a more fitting place for their reception were provided. We look forward to the coming year, confident that important changes for the better will take place in this department.

With gratitude to the Cabinet-keeper for all he has done with the scanty means placed at his disposal, we can only hope for

ing, as a gift to our Cabinet, some very precious commemorative Medals, which originally were awarded to Washington, and were in his possession until his death, and which many years afterwards became the property of Mr. Webster, I was desirous that so signal and acceptable a gift should be made under circumstances in some degree appropriate to its interest and value, and in a presence not unworthy of the great names with which it must ever be associated.

In this view, I have invited the generous donor not only to take a place among our welcome guests this evening, but to bring his treasures with him and to make the presentation personally, and thus to afford us the satisfaction of receiving the Medals from his own hand.

Without further preamble, I will call on the Hon. Peter Harvey.

Mr. HARVEY then said:

MR. PRESIDENT, - The history of the Washington Medals, so far as it is known to me, was all derived from Mr. Webster, in whose possession they were for more than a quarter of a century. This account is substantially that in the year 1824 or 1825, while at his breakfast table, reading the morning papers, in the city of Washington, his eye accidentally fell upon the advertisement of a pawn-broker, offering the medals for sale. He hastened to the office of the broker, and, satisfying himself as to their genuineness, paid the price demanded. He immediately addressed a letter to Judge Bushrod Washington, the nearest living representative of General Washington, and the administrator of his estate, then residing at Mount Vernon, stating the circumstances and way in which he became possessed of the medals, and offering to restore them to his family. In his reply, Judge Washington gave a brief history of the medals, stating that he, as administrator, disposed of them. and similar articles by auction among the heirs-at-law of General Washington, no others being allowed to enter into competition with them for the purchase. The medals were bought by a Mr. Lewis, Lawrence Lewis, I think, was his name; and from him they descended to his son, who held a minor office in the Treasury Department, quite inadequate to the support of his family. He at first pawned, and afterward authorized the broker to sell them. Judge Washington concluded his letter by thanking Mr. Webster for his kind offer, saying, I am childless and not rich; in a few years, at the longest, the same process will have to be gone over again; and, as the medals are now in good hands, I pray you to keep them.'

DR. JACOB BIGELOW.

While we have paused to pay at least a silent tribute to members who have been called hence by death, may we not allude to one who, disabled by the infirmities of advancing years, yet retains the full use of his vigorous intellect; and though, like Milton, deprived of the sweet privilege of sight, and "knowledge at one entrance quite shut out," without one murmur, cheerfully meets his lot, gladly recalling the bright scenes he once loved to behold, and finding ample resources in the rich treasures of knowledge accumulated through former years?

Long may our honored associate, Dr. Jacob Bigelow, remain among our most valued living members; while his unabated intellectual power and unclouded cheerfulness, united to a deep-rooted Christian faith, make the continuance of life to him the beginning of that blessedness which hereafter shall have no end.

PUBLICATIONS.

During the past year a volume of Proceedings has been published, added to which serial numbers, giving an account of our meetings, have been printed for the use of members, which will form a portion of a new volume. Great responsibility rests upon the Publishing Committee in preparing these volumes, and we owe much to those who have so faithfully performed this duty.

MEMOIRS.

During the year three Memoirs have been prepared one of Charles Folsom, by Professor Parsons; one of the Hon. William Minot, by the President; and one of the Rev. John S. Barry, by Mr. C. C. Smith.

A detailed notice was also written of Mr. John G. Nichols, of London, by Mr. Whitmore.

Among the important publications of the present year, we would not neglect to mention the Life of Colonel Timothy Pickering, by the Hon. Charles W. Upham, of Salem,—a work of uncommon ability and destined to be of permanent value.

In this connection we may mention one of the great acquisitions of the past year. the extensive and invaluable manuscript papers from the Pickering family.

Official documents and autograph letters which had accumulated during his whole lifetime, and illustrating some of the