, 1879-01-04

William B. 6prague, OF Albany, N. r., n the
most anccessiul collector Of autographs Ia the
lorFess and best Of any prlvnte collection In tho
that Of tho British iuteun,. '
IN coNctua1oN,
Mr.. Van schaack safd:
auto2rhphlea. wis led 10 u, not By deliberate.
dcterminstIvc choice, hnt 4ecocnt.ily, white pur.
sulne titsrat@ oe]eet, having come into the po..
session, BY Inheritance IT numerous manuscripts
OF historic interest under Tho circumstnnces Of
rare particularly In the nreaervaton Of their p4-
ttnRnshcd. and Tor tho receipt Ind collection Of
which, IN tho natural ordet of events, their po-
s,.ons their asaoc,ations, thc,r eorrrsponuenees,
tfavet: hnd furnished raro opportunities.
II VIII probably eurpsifc the members OF this
thronan tho corsesponaences af, o.t,es nanpscspts
o. ny ancestors. m earlier connretion with the
,'Iii!nots country" than that Of any member Of
ina IN your great State, "a manuscript connection
which datcs buck to IT, first start. mora than 1l2
ysars Severn, Of .le lctters entering into iii.
Responsiveness are now In my poAreEsfbn. They
French post Of Fort ChsrFc1 presons 10 and in Tho
tho original number Of these letters ha, been di.
ma,ni,ac y = TX l..n. ~ nv Yielding n se;eral
have avcried IL Smother natt of Ill paper. ~
collection q sntoErsph. The pestss.on q 'et
u
| ago was re9ardrft NJ a very desirable relic.
These fetters wcfe written hy Col. Edward Cole 10
Aaj. ltcnry Van Setback. who was my uncle.
This Two gentlemen were natives Of this country,
nnd otf,ecfr In The English and Now York Colonial
forceu in tho old French and Indian war OF l7I5.
ss sss,; sa; :s n q f as sH.yy sy
thetr operations a. that enrly day to Detroit ana
Mack!Isw, and probably beyond those places
Soon after Tho conquest Of cauads BY The En-
country and ths other Frrncs, possessions on tlie
ea.t sids %. Of tho M.s,s!ppi. ce! colo va -;
fs,cnd van shaaek. rhis eoant,y M 'S' i tas = from
answering my expectations In hnv other respect
enioysa Sas .ms sss1s ef hess .ne, m
A. ,ho writst's objection y ths @ unheaithnes. Of
IT, esa ssa ssn
dtton. hin exception. from th!s condemnation Of The
as e p9..ent n; s a 81
your great State may well sejo!cn In tho richness
Of your inheritance. Of which tnfquette had most
nuf how i,ttio did Marquette, or tho writer OF
that letter. anticipate tue raptdtty with which that
II, E1 '9 .eps MsaS - u PsvSS s sf ss
with It, half million Of inhabttant*. would
hero stand in ~ glory and pFids. abonndina
tou 81 rod Of ' brought
Tbs business intercourse Of Staj. Wan gchaack
with inc C1tzeAe of Detroit aRtef16r 10 the ReFotd.
| ttonarY war brought him lnto an early and aome.
what intimatu intercourse with tho authorities as
that military post, and doubtleaa explains Ills sub
grsphs Il several Of tioso authotities. Including
letters from Col. Hamilton. tho British commander
Of the Northwest. sogsther with other papefs. IN
i vncennos in 177g, BY your great Illinois hero,
Upon iii the old n,anuses'pts which ha.e TINS
come into my potsesAon, In connection with sous
Mr. President, my claim ~ an early connection
with the ilnoss country, aud 10 . quasi.eittzen'
shlp amonR yo1; now deeply regret having patt.
given great pleasure to deposit the whole sertes In
Tue archives Of this Society. but ttls anticipated.
,!s. President, whsn ! did 1 so @ taas ! should
years shou'i have residing hare, IN this CITY Of
ehdsa .na oar of them
Of families and several Ut them among the promi.
mont .nsiness: nsn ot th,s city. This eonneetlon
growth anu prosperity. and 10 tonr m!sfortanea;
aan It! whatever tends 70 e1uedate tho esrsy his.
fore tnken pains 10 collect and preserve IN aundfy
| volumes Of. newspapct.cuttlngs, articles which
have appeared from Lime 10 time on Tho latter sub.
remark @ iaat "Ebs era oi French occupancy il tne
! romantic era OF American history"
staas Of ths sotporais existence Of TIL. soc,eiy.
ss 1Ssf ".s %ss q
havo yopr' received Tor a. answer. "We
ha;s ~ Th,s F11 ~ sat
York aud Ind historic banks Of lhs hudson,
whore old mannser'pia Aeounded. But this an
sweF need not haye occasloned suFpKse. fos Jau
wrfc tnen now cnunsfy and In tho dyst half csn
tury OF your .oxlaloneu a. State. Now York had
no Historical Society until hearty Or quito lto
yeara after lts founaalion, willie you hsd ono in
Tow yesrs sfist my hsss visit to your library 1t,
IL then Infant stAts, 1 took OCCASION e ssna 10
ssnats snt bs.,tnS d.so :. Foss aA.1tse. IN iSss;
va!us, yet Il woud T. thought. b. interesting to
your society from ~ having Oeon written u that
early DAY from tho old French fortress before re-
| On ! sIeit TO your city In 1R0D. on which ocea'
alon had tho honor, Of reading psper bcfoFc the
:e,y yent ~n s oSae
was surprised. indeed, At that time. to become an
eyewitness 10 thu extraordinary progress aud sue.
Tor was then infosa.ed thst you had 3. 600 manu-:
scripts, Anu sone 81 ihen ~ero Of great Interest
!" nj 'hs ainesons aspsttnsats. i. iscoeet Alright.
was then about 100, oou. The surrouudingt Il,
your roona were most intsrcstlnR not tv sny mag
newspapers nat the ere. rhe wallis we're crowded
ssa;s Fl .s, ss ssssxS s.ps.s I'D
That substanlial and elegant edtdce. When that
stalclr building. win II precious treasures. VA.
sympathIes Of the wnolo civilized world.
Allow no Row, AT: President. 70 @ @sonftstnlta,tt t,t
soss % 20 s9a5 o. H. ts p@ i
yout not far d.sant on tho siae o
your old. historic home. You. wha haYs.ao no6l,
| encountered nMbntfnsdmelsa anu t9al4 Of &ht
gEssSst character. deserve success.
On motion OF Mr. L, Il. NcCagg, with nt
amendment by BIZ. Il. II. kertoot, thu eocletl
passed = unanimous vote Of thanks TO III.
- l.. E6A VAf