Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-25
p.,or, of the President and Directors Of the
Alexandria Library Company.


Alexandria Library Company.
r,,b, Stockholders Of the alexandria Library
COmpany:-- r.s.s.a O.. II,
The term for which the interests of the
I;b,ary were committed to our charge hav-
-. eypired, it becomes our duty to lay be-
Sra YOU brief statement Of its affairs, and
e III. manner in which We have admins
,ar.J the trust confded to us.
Early in the Spring, an arrangement was
mud. with the Librarian, by which his entire
.ms WAS to be devoted to the interests Of the
r,mpany, with an augmentation Of salary
,yon1rtionate to his success in increasing its
-a,enucs; but, although many new subscri-
lar. were procured, the general depression
=; business caused the withdrawal of num-
bar # old subscribers, nearly, if not quite,
e,ual To that obtained; and the idea of keep
inr the Library open during the entire day,
was. therefore, abandoned.
The ordinary revenue of the Company is
scarcely more than adequate to the hquida-
lion of it's current expenses, and 1t has. there
fore, been found impracticable to make the
additions to our collection which, under 9TH
sr circumstances, would have been desirable;
ysr % volumes have been added, IA by pur-
,ba.e. and - by donation. We are under
.r.cnl obligations to the Hon. VIM. Smith,
,nr representative in Congress. for his atten-
ron To- our interests: the Secretary of the
Interior having, by his direction, made us
the repositories of "A volumes of valuable
rubjc documents. We are also indebted TO
1ur Senator's, Messrs. Mason and Hunter, for
similar favors; and to our late President, for
3. donation of two shares of Alexandria Ii
brary and Lyceum stock. The "A volumes
of the Alexandria Gazette, mentioned in our
las, report as having been entrusted to us by
an order of the County Court, have been re-
reiyed and found to add much to the useful
ness of the Library TO accommodate these,
and other additions, the erection of the large
and substantial new case, on the south side
Of the room, became necessary, and was effect
I'll at as small an expense as was consistent
with true economy.
On the 18th of June last. we had the mis-
fortune TO be deprived of the services OF our
esteemed and most indefatigable President,
Francis Miller. esq, his retirement having
become necessary in consequence OF con-
tempated change Of residence. We deter
mined TO allow the Office to remain vacant
during the remainder of the year. that the
choice of a successor might devolve upon you
A know ledge Of the ability with which MIR.
Miller discharged the duties of the Office, and
the zeal with which he forwarded the inter
ests of the Company, leads US to fear that,
though the office may be filled, the loss of
.urh head will be found irreparable.
On the I'D Of September, Norval +. Foard,
who for three years had discharged the du-
1ies of Librarian, to the perfect satisfaction
of the subscribers. having obtained an adyan-
tageous position in connexion with the Bal
timore press, resigned that office, and on the
I'd Of October, Edw. r. Roxbury was elected
TO fill the vacancy.
We have been fortunate, this winter, in
securing the services Of the Rev. +. Yates
Reese. p. d., for a series of Lectures on the
Poets. These have been well attended;
result which. while it has assisted in replen-
ishing our exhausted treasury, has been also
gratifying. as it evinced an appreciation OF
sach entertainments. which we had been led
L. fear, by former efforts to sustain lectures,
did not exist.
The condition Of the finances will appear
by the report of the Treasurer.
There are in the Library. 1904 volumes,
and $3.50 volumes have been drawn during
the present year-a number less, by about
two hundred, than were taken from the
shelves last year.
In closing this report, we cannot torbear
expressing our astonishment, that while there
is ~ much reading i'll our community, an IN
stitution capable of affording such opportu-
mites for an indulgence of the taste for it,
should be suffered to languish for want Of
funds. Surely, the minds of our young peo-
pie would be improved in n far greater de-
gree. by An acquaintance with the writings OF
the greatest historians, novelists, and poets OF
our own and former periods, than by aperusal
of tie miserable trash, which, if it does not
corrupt the heart. aSsuredly neither enlightens
the mind, nor improves the taste; and yet we
are told that the sums expended annually by
our people in the purchase Of trashy periodi-
Gals, are 80 large, that were but portion Of
the funds thus appropriated placed at our
disposal. the price of subscription could he
reduced to sum merely nominal; salary
sufficient to compensate the Librarian for his
entire time could be afforded ard every cur
rent publication which would be called tor,
could be procured without delay.
We trust our fellow-citizens will give their
serious consideration to this subject, feeling
assured that if they can be induced to do 80,
10 further appeal will be necessary to
enlist their sympathies for our time-honored
institution.
Respectfully submitted by the Board OF
Directors RICHARD L. CARNE, JR.,
Acting President.
Alexandria, Feb. 2lst, 1859.