Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-16
RISTORICAL SOCIETY,
A Paper Read Last Evening by Cal
tain Douglas LefangWell.

| given later. he Cn6n, alluO1ng TO the COLI
slant increase and growth of historical socle-
ties in Ameri in recent years, said they
were to grow and extend in influence and be-
come more and more recognized for theil
educating and cultivating influences. Public
institutions 10 grow and thrive must be
rooted in public needs and requirements
!, | The Historical society had this merit strong
ly New interest has been awakened in
these societies throughout the country by the
many centennial celebrations held in these
| later years. New interest prevails to recall
and preserve the old legends, the old local
traditions. The result will be seen in the
| further increase of such societies.
| When a century ago the colonial relations
with England were broken and the English
colony became an American State, and the
subject of king became the citizen of re-
| public, there came into the human elections
a new order of things. New political and
social relations were created. Equality and
freedom brought mankind together upon a
different basis of greeting and fellowship.
| With these new human conditions there
came of necessity new occasions and new
opportunities, which carried with them new
obligations, involving general and complete
reorganization of the human relations, social,
political, educational and religious What
| this reorganization amounts to, in what ways
it may be made to contribute to the general
| welfare and happiness of the people, how it
| NAV be perfected and conducted to the
continue to be, the great questions before
the American people.
| With the conditions of equality many new
| combinations came into the human relations
Every representative interest or grievance
| was embodied in and fostered by some
| form of association, of fellowship and society
| union. These organizations are still increas-
| ing and it is coming to be every day more
| apparent that these combinations. these
| unions, these fellowships will hereafter exert
| a controlling influence in public affairs. 1t is
the general history of these associations that
| in good hands and under good management
they commend themselves to the good will of
the community, while in bad hands they de-
serve and receive its anathemas. 1t is among
these associations and fellowships and unions
and societies of every form of organization
that the Historical society is to grow up
and through them will its educational inf1u
ences and prompting reach and act upon the
individual life.
The New Haven Colony Historical society
is organized upon plan which is new and
is only beginning to grow into the conscious
ness of the American people as one of the in
situations which will greatly aid in the fur
Their reorganization of the human relations
under the new conditions of equality and
freedom.
We cannot at this time have any clear idea
of the influence which this form of associa-
ton may have in giving expression and direc-
it's keeping for the people of this land.
But there are advsncements for the coming
of which the many forms of organization
and fellowships now existing and now form
ing throughout the country are actively pre-
pairing the way. We mark seeming reck-
among and agitating the industrial relations;
and through the entire business
world there passes tremor of
anxiety and business enterprise
looks with cautious eye toward its invest
ments. New questions of public policy, new
motives, new ambitions are working among
the political and social relations, bringing
more plainly before the people the knowledge
that the new conditions of equality are only
just beginning to reveal the possibilities
which lie in them for both good and evil. A
new spirit of enquiry is Investigating the
educational system and methods, and every
where throughout the American States the
communities looking anxiously yet hope
fully and confidently, for the coming of
some great, some radical changes, which
shall bring about more Intelligent public
sentiment, more Equitable admin
istration of all puqlic matters and
re-arranCine of all the
human relations upon higher level, when
the more equitable adjustments will become
the basis upon and from which all human
affairs may be administered. But there will
be TO such advancements unless the many
local associations now working each for its
own ends shall fall under an intelligent lead
ership and uniting with each other, work
together and in concert for the development
and the building up of the new relations
which shall be more equitable. And as all
changes which are ARRANGEMENTS are
brought abou. by the intelligent band
ino tooether of the interested
working forces some one OF the
societies must be able to move with strong
influences upon the rest, gaining thus an &C.
knowledged leadership over the rest, mould
ing unity of plan and of action, working
towards the ends most desirable
This leadership the Historical society is,
in the objects it seeks to promote and the re-
sources which are available for its using, di-
rectly fitted to take; and this leadership it
may assume with the consent of all the rest
if it will only place intelligently its hands
upon the forces which lie within its easy
handling, for at it's disposal there are ele-
ments of influence lying quiet and dormant,
unrecognized and inactive, only waiting for
the awakening which is certain to come.
Perhaps to some this may be taking the
Historical society out of its legitimate sphere
of action and giving to it a prominence be-
yond the purposes and plans of its founders.
This may be true as far as relates to the
plans and purposes of the founders of the
society, but the legitimate sphere of action of
this form of society is quite another thing
Associations cannot gain the permanent ia
vors of the communities unless they move
along with the advancemsnts the people are
making.
Mr. Leffingwell further remarked that
the New Haven Historical society was organ
lied with the view of accommodating itself
to the progressive spirit of the age, adding
that it was fulfilling the intent of its found
ers, not only in its aggregation of articles
on exhibition, but in the higher educating
influence, that of encouraging historical and
antiquarian investigation and disseminating
historical information. The articles on ex-
hibition are not to satisfy curiosity; they re-
veal to the enquiring mind glimpses of past
customs, social habits, problems and historical
epochs. 1t is through such inyestig alton,
| such inquiry, that the study of the human
relations grows into science. These mani
mate objects tell to the student of history
some highly interesting and important reve-
Iations-of love, pride, hate and plotting.
The gathered treasures of these rooms
teach us that ideas working through human
conduct and human occasions are ever work
| ing for the further progress of the people to-
ward the time when equality and freedom
shall cheerfully take the hand of justice.
| Thus shall knowledge and equity prevail
| over the land. Passing through these rooms
with these thoughts in our minds we can al
| most hear the uttered words:
20 backward looking son of time
| The old is new, the old is new;
Is sweeping through
The speaker here gave an interesting PIC
i ture of some of the great changes in social
and domestic life, which glimpse at some
of the old relics at the rooms reveals; and fol-
lowed this with interesting suggestions and
| hints how best to study the exhibit, or de-
| partments of the same and how to reap the
best fruits from investigation of this inter
| esting character.
| No. 139 in case MOI is the first Leyden jar
used by Franklin in his electrical expert
ments. No. 1870 is piece of the kite line
used by Franklin when he first drew light
| ming from the clouds.
That Leyden jar and fragments of line rep
resent not only discovery, but they were
| instrumental in wrestling from the elements
| some of their wonderful secrets, and making
| the forces which move the storms subservient
to the practical uses and the business occa-
sions of men. They touched the secret
| springs which opened the doors to new
| knowledge which has wrought wondrous
changes in the human conditions, and which
has thrown over the popular mind a
grand enlightenment; for it took away
1 or1 nf