The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-11
Virginia State Agricultural Society
CALLED MEETING.
REPORTS or THE PRESIDENT .4ND EXEct-
~------- TIVE COMMITTEE.

The meeting was called to order by Hor
willonghby Newton, of Westmoreland, pre-
sident. ~,
J. Bell Bigger, of Charlotte, was electe
secretary.
The president stated that he had pre-
pared an address setting forth the object
Of the meeting and his own views abou
the duty of the members of the Society
but as the paper would not DE issued fror
the press until late in the afternoon,
would be agreeable to him for the societ
to adjourn until night. He hoped, how
ever, that no business would be transacte
unless the presence Of the quorum was de
fnitely ascertained. If there were not
sufficient number OF life members in attend
ance, he suggested that the requisite mum
Der might easily be secured before night n
canvassing the city of Richmond: b
spoke Of the Reorganization of the Soclet.
as o measure that met with his hearty ap
probation. The Society should be re0r
ranized on q firm basis, and young man
intelligence, industry, enterprise, and Pc
sition should be elected to the office of pre-
sident. He expressed the hope that har
mony would prevail in the meeting, ant
that all things might work together for tn
good of the Society and the State.
On motion, General J. R. Anderson ant
Messrs. Barton Haxall and T. G. Ruffit
were appointed q committee to ascertain
whether quorum was present.
Mr.. John R. Edmurds, of Halifax, made
a few remarks before the adjournment. He
insisted that the action of quorum was
not necessary for the holding of Stnte
fair. Under the constitution of the So
ciety it was an imperative duty TO hold q
fair every year, and that fair should be
held. If the present president does not
desire to attend to the matter, let there be
new organization.
The president said he did not shrink from
any duty, but his term of service would ex-
pire in twenty-one days, and the superin.
tendence of the fair, if one should be held
next fall, would be in ether hands.
Mr.. Edmunds, continuing his remarks,
INQUIRED whether the difficulty in obtaining
quorum might not be obviated by the ap-
pointment of proxies, as in railroad meet
ings.
Mr.. James LYONS argued to show that
there was no difficulty whatever in voting
by proxy. There was nothing in the con-
stitution forbidding it.
Colonel Thomas j. Randolph tested the
question by offering himself as proxy for
Mr.. Ficklin whereupon the meeting unan-
imously accorded him the right TO vote.
During the desultory debate that ensued
Mr.. Edmunds stated that the capital of
the Society before the war was about S40,-
900, and that it was now about SIS, 900,
which sum was invested in Virginia regis
tered bonds.
The meeting adjourned until half-past 7
P. M.
NIGHT SESSION. n
At quarter to o'clock the meeting was
again called to order.
The Secretary then read the
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT.
Gentlemen of the Virginia State Agri-
cultural Society,-Itis not my purpose to-
night to deliver any formal address, but
simply to bring to your notice the important
matters of business that have caused the
call of this meeting. Twelve months ago |
made q similar call, under the hope that We
should have constitutional quorum Of the
Society present, to whom the President and
members of the Executive Committee might
render an account Of their stewardship,
and surrender the control Of the affairs of
the Society, over which they have exercised
for some time exclusive power by Writ
Of the offices which they have professionally
held; but, unfortunately, there was TO
quorum, and nothing could be done. 1t
affords me great pleasure to be able to pre-
sent to the Society SO favorable statement
of its finances as is found in the account OF
our faithful treasurer and the report of the
Executive Committee. 1t is due to the
treasurer to say that we are greatly indebt-
ed to his care and vigilance, under the iu-
structions of the Executive Committee, for
the preservation of our funds during the
perilous times through which we have
passed.
"This Society was organized about tif-
teen years ago. You and the public are
familiar with its past history. During that
period it has produced many valuable con-
tributions to the permanent agricultural
literature of the State, held several grand
and magnificent exhibitions, which Gle
waited the character of the State abroad,
reused the dormant energies of our people,
added greatly to the profits Of agriculture,
and inspired our farmers with new zeal and
enterprise in the prosecution of their
noble profession. During its existence the
members have provided out of their own
means, without any public endowment, a
permanent capital, which, at the close OF
the late war, amounted in round numbers
to over 100000, invested by order of
the Executive Committee in State stocks.
Of this fund the Executive Committee,
after 6 free consultation with such
members of the Society as were pre-
sent at the last meeting, have invested
upon their own responsibility and py
virtue of the powers deyolving on them
under the constitution of the Society, the
sum Of SIT ,90S.33, derived from sale o.
part of our State stock in the purchase Of the
beautiful and commodious Fair Grounds or
the borders of the city of Richmond. This
property consists of sixty-six and two
thirds acres of land admirably suited tc
the purpose of public exhibitions, with
large and convenient buildings adapted tt
our purposes. This property the committee
deemed essential to the success of the So
ciety's exhibitions; and as it must rapidly
increase in value with the extension Of the
city, was regarded as safe and most pro.
ftable Investment of part of our perma'
nent capital. Of the permanent capital Of
the Society, there now remains in State
stocks the sum of Sl5,650. Ia addition tt
this snm, we have due us from the State the
sum of SC, 1862 in suspended interest.
considerable impatience has beer
manifested on several occasions by the pub
lie, especially among our friends of the city
of Richmond, for Fair and public exhibi
ton. The Executive Committee, with every