, 1864-12-06

Collection OF Misccllauics.. IS 10
To convey a full view Of the character and
sources Of the oref ten Thousand additions made
the past year. the generous benefactions Of $50
contributors. 1s simply Impossible. Yet to tail
wholly Of The attempt, merely for its inadcquacy,
Many Of these memorials Of an cventiul year
have been received from the Executives Of States,
York. Pennsylvania, Iowa, Ohio aud Illinois: md
while the Provincial Government Of Canada has
most oblisingly completed our dies Of its pub
Government oi lie United States. thanks si to the
Sig1ant Representative from this District has fa-
yored rs with the entire published documents OF
Then he retations of Exchange with othsr inst @
tut7ons have brought us. as usual, esteemed
Publications from numerous sGn5ces
eg Phtiaaepsia ri s'1 he a@e4iesn Geo.
graphical md Statistical Society Of New
York, the Academies OF institutes Of Satu-
m @ Sss ssnef sn At rassa RA1aspha 6sd, s. d5o9 L g.
Mercantile Library Associations Of New Yorl-,
Plttaoulg, rh,1adelphia, St Louis. Wilmington,
Delaware, Milwaukee and San Francisco. To three
Historical Societies Of Massachusetts, besides 9TH
ers Of Maine, Vermont, Connecticut Rhode 1s-
land. Buffalo and BROOKLYN in New York, to the
fas faMs sS s Of Sf
Society Of Ohio. to these with various colleges,
m1Ev1 rais Rews Iii. soesy n5shts
contributions Of yalne to its shelves. The past
year las been noticeable for additions to the Soci-
ety foreign correspondence, OF the Anthropolo T.
Nr. Charles L % SeIson, its ] secfstaty rs ''''n'n o'
The National institute Of Geneva, In Ewitzer-
land, BY the mediation Of Dr.. c. V. Dyer aud
varia, introduced By MI. Consul Webster, such
relations which IL Is not uniting thus to particu
larize. VIII be naturally more extended md valua-
HE with this society q hoped-for advancement as
ActfFn
The Secrctary cannot forbcar TO name specially
among the contributors OF the past ycar, the
ssd 81 Of shd
possess library and reading-room, and who pre-
sent TO ns annually nearly complete files Of the
BBnsp' Bo nSnng Ss .ea. i sVss MD Se 9 Saa
Railroad Company: who hare p1eseEved for
papers: Judge Waite: q gtah. Tho has oblising;
ingeqnitc a library Of the oraealar literature,
pslphts ohifn mn and Magia4 lame
U. s. Consul ut Bristol, England, has forwarded
4any books and pamphlets or select character.
ihc:l,ldinE manuscript Bible, supposed to be Go9
from his 20 important Consular position. TO
Mcssrs. y. II. Parker and Il. Il. Boss, OF Chicago,
Mr; A. shnman, Of the Ereniag Journal, Mr.. Geo.
Hickox. Of the TRIBUNE the Society has been In
debtcd for thoughtfal and unceas1ns contributions
from the fugitive literature Of our now stirring
Indeed the great duty Of American historical
collectors at this honr, e determined by the over
fhadoWfng presence IN our land Of rebellion and
war, thoss most dreaded yet Providential scourges
Of onr erring race. The grind climax in our IA
tonal career. the ordeal Of our nation's manhood
and Hfal-bonr of popnlar government, before
witnessing World-thts war with its minutcst
recorde must hare surprising interest In all time.
Could this Society, snT1endering all other cares,
give itself TO the exclusive work OF gathering in
the complete records Of such IN epoch, it would
L has sought to do what It could, especially for
Illinois and her brave soldiers; and 1ts already
argek kccumnlations have been much augmented
he rs-t yeaE II the thoughtful kindness OF its
Col. ]. G: Wilson, OF the stat OF Maj. Gen.
Banks, as also Col shafcr, formerly with Gen.
But!e1 at New ,9 orsans nov At have
button for our benefit dispatchfng to rebel docu
ps~spHpsr Psp es. isttsss dfsxles. sts- 4 4
telligeut donor Of various interesting publications
and memcntoes, including tue rare volume OF the
y 1aws Of the Cherokee nation, the first aborigi-
States In the hoastcd honorS OF a :. Slave codc."
Mr. George r, Upton, Of this city, has favored us
with specimens Of Army newspapers from the
The mc1nbers Of the veteran battery B, from
Chicago, have deposited with us their war-woro
Lieut. johnson, Of the Army Of Virginia,
Of rehel officers on johnson's Island. 70 our
ehaTe ba.c fallen several original letters Of An
drew Jacl:son, captured By our advancing forces,
at he snsr ars q cheas
St. Louis, Philadelphia, Boston, &c, have been
forwarded ~ generous collectors The loyal pub
fSsless Ct Nsy I9f rhnael %aE
been sent broadcast over the land since 1861. have
been faith1ul and generous contributors to our
Our manuscript letters Of Cnion or rebel soldiers
hcyc been increased By many hundreds, while to
the Cabinet have been added curious relics Of bat
!le acade and prisons and to our pamphlet litefa,
OF international Law. on the Gansecndant question
Of Negro Emancipation and the Frcedmen's well
On III of naon ~
Er<ning 1oNrnal, the Society owe most valued
a1ee pret of iher aekis q 1ne
ter, the loss Of which could harly be replaced by
rs.
collections for The year. The enumeration Of our
imposing array OF pamphlets'f now numbering
exactly dfty-eesen thousand eight hundred and
seventy-!ouI i exceeded only in America By those
OF Harvard College numbering seventy Thousand,
and the Boston Atlcneu1n, yet larger having
thousand. This vast accumulation ol
unbound matter on our shelves, land may ndd,
tant plnce in the Socicty'a future Early arranged
and hound, the Society g number Of bound volumes
could be soon raised to twenty thoosaud. or even
IN The way Of convenient use, which arc now
neelese.
The Secretary cannot dismiss The eub,ect Of the
recent collections, without noticing the thousands
Df manuscripts just placed In our custody, from
The literary remains Of the late esteemed John
Rueecll. OF Bluhdale,-the most extensive and val
with John II. Peck, and with n1-
mcrons persons Of distinction in Illinois, covering
he period from 1888 to 1SG0, while they reflect
light upon most Of The conspicuous movements in
he political history Of the State during that time
The Society owes debt Of gratitude 70 the sur
irving family Of their deceased associate, so long
respected writer, editor teacher, and citizen Of
rust. Theee unquesdonable autographs will
prove the best Witnesses Of the facts OF history.
md well deserve cafe custody and the most care
nj preservation.
Bnt Il the library has necessarily ensrossed
much Of the labor Of the past year. II has not pre-
clnded attention to the soc3ety's correspondence
and legitimate labore in behalf OF Western history.
Five hundred and eighty -fonr letters have been
written In the society's BEHALF and two hundred
md .hfty-four received duting the tweive-month
zone At our meetings have been submitted uu-
nerous original papera, chiefly prepared By TO-
luest and worthy Of place in the archives OF the
association.