Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-18
The HistssieaI sscIesy.
AMRHoRIAL To TIRE LRaIszATUEz-ksEUzL cos-
TRiBUTfoN Asked.


TRiBUTfoE AsKED.
The following memorial has beeu addressed
to the Legislature, by Chancellor Dates, Senator
BayArd, Hon. N. B. Elnitteu, and DF. L. p.
Bush, as 3 Committee on behalf Of the Historical
Society OF Delaware:
To the Senate and House OF Representatives
OF the State Of Delaware In General Assembly
met;a " -
The undersigned, e COMMITTEES on behalf Of
the Historical Society Of Delaware, respectfully
represent ~ follows:
ganized in the year 1864. It's object is mainly
to collect and preserve such books, records, doc
ments and memorials OF every description, which
may be illustrative of the history OF our country;
and particularly OF the history and progress OF
TIE State. For carrying ont this general pur
pose the society has provided rooms, such ~ its
means have afforded, for trAnsacting it's bust
ness and as place of deposit for its collected
material II has maintained thus far regular
and active organization. and has, to the extent
Of its resources and opportunities, continued to
collect and preserve whatever promised to be
Interesting useful for the object before stated
The Society, however, finds It's sphere OF use
fulneas limited and embarrassed for the want of
sufficient means TO prosecute Its work. The
umber Of ita members is small. Few persons
in any community find the leisure from business
or the inclination to engage themselves in a
pursuit which does not promise benefits imms-
lyV
contributions for membership in the society,
little, il at all, exceed the rent Of Its rooms and
current expenses, leaving nothing adequate for
the primary object Of its organization.
There are scattered abroad many historical
books and documents bearing upon our State
history, Of great value, many letters and memoir
ials Of our public men in past times, and relics
associated with public events interesting to US
as people, all which with moderate means,
judiciously employed, could be from time to
ina fair naA hnf xuhf will
soon be irrecoverably lost.
We have been to some extent aided In prose-
cutting our work in this direction by contribu.
tions occasionally made from Historical Societies
in other States. In order however to entitle us
to expect continuance Of these courtesies, it is
necessary that we should be able to contribute
some thing IN the way OF exchange. This obliga-
tion would be met by the occasional publication
of something. from our own collections in the
form OF phampet, or otherwise, as circumstan-
ces might warrant. Such 3 publication, from
time to time, would al AFFORD useful informs
tion to our own people. enlarge their acquain-
tancs with our State history and excite q more
general interest in it. But for any purpose Of
this kind the means Of the Society arc wholly
inadequate.
We need hardly suggest to body so we'll in
formed that as State, we have history honor
able and worth preserving in all its stages OF
progress from the period OF our Colonial Inde-
pendence to the present time. Delaware, In the
Continental Congress, firmly supported the De-
claration of Independence nor did she after
wards shrink from contributing her full share to
The efforts and sacrifices required to maintain
that instrument. The gallAntry and services of
the Delaware regiment are honOrAbly mentioned
in the histories OF the Revolutionary struggle.
It's sufferings are more painfully attested by the
well known fact that few Of the Regiment sur
vved to return to their fresides and families.
After independence was achieved, our State, still
maintaining it's foremost position in all measures
for the common welfare, was the first to adopt
the Federal Consultation and she has never
since faltered in her devotion to it. 1t may also
be truly said that Delaware has, through the ser
vices of her statesmen in the National Councils,
contributed in substantial measure TO the sue
cessful administration Of the Federal Govern
ment while at home, throughout the whole
course OF her history, she has been honOred by
the success and distinction Of many OF her sous
in the pursuits OF private life.
We have alluded to the Delaware Regiment
its services and sacrifices. The very names Of
the heroes, to whom in part we owe our political
existence with all its blessings, are perishng
from the general memory. They are to be
found only in the mutilated and fast fading reg
mental rolls in the Executive office. These
names, with the services of the Regiment aud
such memorials as can be gathered OF those who
served in it, would certainly afford material for
q very interesting and useful publication in
some suitable form, and may he mentioned as q
sample of what the society proposes to accom-
pli5h.
Our obligations as State, to those who have
gone before us, as well ~ to those who are to
come af;er and a just State pride on our part,
should be sufficient Inducements to systemAt-
ic and persistent effort to enlarge and perpet-
uate the knowledge OF events and incidents 30
honorable in the history of the State and OF
many of its citizens. The Historical Society
offers itAelf for this work, and the undersigned
in it's behalf respectfully pray the Legislature
that moderate annual appropriation be made,
to be employed by the Society AZ may neces-
sary from time to time for the objects before
stated. The Society will hold itself bound to
deposit in the State Library for the use of the
State, such number OF copies as may be deemed
desirable, Of all publications which may be made
from timeIto time by means OF the State appro-
priations also, it will deposit duplicates where
they can be procured OF publications purchased
or received in tho way Of exchange.
Respectfully submitted,
d. NJ BATES.
+. +. BAYARD,
N. B. SsnTHERs.
LEWIS T. BraH