Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-07-05
Associated Western Literary Sccie-
ties.

Some time since, we gave an accoun. OF
the Annual Meeting of the Associated Vests
ern Literary Societies, held at Chicago, and
stated in connection with it that Edwin Lee
Brown, the former Secretary Of the Associa>
ton, upon the election of G. l.. Torbe IT, Of
Dubuque, as Secretary for the present year,
at first refused to trar sfer the records of the
Association to the newly elected Secretary,
but afterwards consented to do so. Believ.
Ing Mr.. Brown to be man of honor so far
as the sanctity of his promise was concern.
ed, the Association adjourned under the sup
position that the records would be immedi.
a,cly placed in the hands Of the new Secre-
tary in accordance with the agreement.
Aaer the adjournment, Mr.. Torber., the
newly elected Secretary, called at the Office
of Mr.. Brown for the records. but was in
formed by the brother Of Mr.. Brown, who
was himself absent, that the y we're somewha,
scattered, but would be collected and for.
warded to Mr.. Torbert by express in dav
or two. Trusting to the integrity of Mr..
Brown, Torbert returned to his home in Du
buque to prepare for the work before him.
What was his surprise upon receiving. few
days after. small package purporting to be
the records Of the Association, but which
consisted Of unimpor:ant documents accu.
mulated years before by the first Secretary
Of the Association at Detroit. Not even
list of the Societies belonging to the Asso
citation was forwarded, nor has Mr.. Torbert
been able to this day to secure tie records
of the Association. By no principle Of equi.
~ Or deeency can Mr.. Brown be justified in
retaining the records. His conduct is a clear
violation of his word Of honor and stamps
him as unworthy the association OF gentle.
men. What adds to his culpatility. i. his
subsequent efforts TO establish a lecture
agency of his own III direct opposition to the
Associated Societies. He has made every
effort to induce lecturers to intrust the ar.
rangemcnt Of their routes to him rather than
to Mr.. Torbert, and has resorted TO misrepre.
seniation to bring abou. this result. He
claims to have been successful in some in
stances, but we believe we're lecturers aware
of The duplici,y of his conduct, and of the
fact that any permanent lecture bureau must
be under the direction of the Societies and
rot of an irresponsible and dishonest individ.
ual, they would uniformly decline to have
anything to do with his so.called :. bureau,
Tins far no Society of The Association has
signihed to Mr.. Torber, determination to
abandon it in favor OF the irresponsible
Brown. The Societies should unanimously
decline TO have anything to do with Brown,
as his interests are in direct opposition to
them. Indeed the secret of Browns failure
to secure reelection as Secretary lay SIM
ply In the eviden; fact that his design was to
secure for the coming year an income of
from $1,000 to $4,000. This of course
was 10 come out of the Societies of the As.
ISOLATION. The representatives of the Socie-
ties were not willing to submit to such ex>
tortion and elected Mr.. Torbert as Secretary
for the present year, with reasonable sala-
ry. This brazen effort of Brown to feather
his nest at the expense Of the Association,
is the strongest possible proof of the neces>
sity for retaining the lecture management, in
the hands of the Societies under their pres.
ent organization.