The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-11

appropriation LOT tnis ooJeo', nuos y
course be left to the good sense and sornc
discretion of the people of the city and hel
4 authorities.
"In urging this appeal to the generosity
of the people of Richmond | deem 1t no
nmiss TO repeat my opinion, heretofore ex
messed, that the capital of the State is thu
proner Mace for the exhibitions Of State
soc;etv-an opinion concurred in by every
n,omber of the committee as manifested
nv their unanimous agreement to pnrchase
nermanent fair grounds in the suburbs o.
Richmond. For myself, l can truly gay
that I have not only always felt an earnes
interest in the prosperity OF TINS city, .pu
n warm affection for many OF her PeoP.e
Tbara are circumstances in my early Ire
and associations, not known perhaps to many
of this generation, that bind me TO hlcn'
,,,ond with hooks of steel, and have never
ceased TO regret that my local position IN
49, sec1nded peninsula home has 30 com
n1etelv cut me off from her social and 6usl'
pess circles, and deprived me of the salts
faction which l should have enjoyed IN
more frequently manifesting my interest In
her welfare.
&C The term during which can constitu-
t;onally hold the office of president OF the
Society will expire on the first day of Janu-
arv. 1869, Just twenty days from this day
In the event Of your failure to MAKE on
election of my successor, the office will de-
yolve, under the constitution, upon Ed
mund W. HUBBARD, Esq, first vice-presl-
dent of the Society.
ain this my last public address, per-
NIT me to return to every member o. tii1e
Society, and especially to my friends of the
Executiye Committee, my warmest thanks
for their uniform kindness and courtesy,
and TO assure them that ] can never forget
| tho MANY occasions on which VIC have held
sweet counsel together, or the delightful MS
sociations which have rendered this Society
the means not only of promoting the pub
lie good. but of greatly charging the sphere
of individual pleasure and happiness.
az shall leave you all, my friends, with
the most fervent desire for your personal
happiness and prosperity, and with earnest
prayers for the continued success and use
fulness of this noble institution, at whose
birth presided, and with whose useful
labors have been associated during many
of the best years Of my life. In taking
leave of this Society pardon me for Offering
Won o few words of friendly admonition.
This Society has beeen conducted from its
institution to the present day by the disin-
terested lahors of Virginia farmers. No
officer of the Society, except the secretary
and treasurer. has ever received cent by
way of compensation for services, or even
travelling expenses; yet there has never
been q call of the Executive Committee,
even in the most Indictment seasons, that
has not been attended by quorum. No
personal, or party, or sectional interests
have ever been permitted to enter for o
moment into their consideration.
Many of the enlightened and dlstin-
guished gentlemen who originated the So
ciety, and have conducted its operations,
have passed from earth. In the course of
nature, those who survive must coon follow.
The future usefulness, indeed, the very ex-
istence of the Society, must now depend on
the Young farmers of the State. Let me
coniure them to come with enlightened
zeal and generous disinterestedness to its
support. 1t will afford them the means of
enlarging their knowledge and extending
their usefulness. Let them exceed in zeal
and equal in integrity of purpose the en-
lightened men who have gone before them.
And, by all means, let them never forget
that this is the Society Of no clique, party,
or section, but of the whole State Of Vir-
einia and let them so conduct it as to de-
yelop her great agricultural resources,
build up her fortunes, and preserve IN
furnished the ancient renoWn OF this glo-
rious Commonwealth"
The concluding paragraphs of the adj
dress were received with applause.
Mr.. Ruffin then read the
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
On the 18th of December, 1867, a meet
inr Of the Virginia State Agricultural So
cisty was held at the spotswood Hotel; but q
quorum was not present, and the meeting.
though very important one in the steps 1t
advised to be taken, was of course informal.
At said meeting the following proceedings
took place: Here see Southern Planter and
Farmer for January, 1861
The conference Of the Virginia State
Agricultural Society and the Central So
ciety, alluded to in the report Of the presl-
dent, concerned proposition OF the Cen
trail Society to fuse into the State Society:
This terminated in a proposition to sell
and purchase the grounds of the Central
Society, commonly known az camp Lee"
On this point the Executive Committee were
willing to assume the responsibility, but
thought it both becoming and Judlclous to
consult such members Of their own organl-
cation as might be present at the meeting.
On the next day ameeting of the Executive
Committee was held, and two vacancies IN
the body we're filed as follows The vacancy
created by the resignation of Colonel 3.
Med. Read, of Rockbridge, was filled by
the appointment of Major W. I. Sutherlln,
Of Danyille, Va; and that by the resigna-
ton of John r. Edmunds, Esq, of Halifax,
by the appointment of Mr.. Lewis L. Rar-
7ey, of Amelia. The Executive Committee
earnestly desired to fill one Of these vacan-
cies with the name of one Of the Executive
Committee of the Central Agricultural So
ciety; but as the city of Richmond was
already largely represented, 1t was deemed
best to make the appointments as they
stand. "
Further, the Executive Committee en-
| larged the sub-c committee appointed to ne
| gotiate the purchase of the Fair Grounds
of the Virginia Central Agricultural Socie-
ty, by adding thereto the name Of Dir.
| Charles 3. Williams, and instructed them
if they shall make said purchase to take
such steps as they might deem expedient to
preserve the property and fit it for the use
| of the Society at some future day.
The committee, thus enlarged, at once
entered upon the discharge of their duties,
and on the 10th day Of March, 1868, pur-
chased from the parties entitled to convey
6G2% acres of land for the sum Of SIT $3.50 .33,
being an amount which other parties were