The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-12-07
OUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Address of Mr.. Jos. s. Emerson, ".
p, at the Annual Meeting, Dec.
B, 1899.

ne haWallan historical society |
organized on the llth of January of |
the present year meets tonight, not |
to celebrate its first anniversary, but |
to hold its first annual meeting. In
the absence of our President, it de-
wolves upon me to welcome the
members and friends of the society,
and to offer few remarks suitable
to the occasion. The object of this
society, as expressed in its Constitu-
ton, is "the collection, study, and
utilization of all material illustrat-
ing the Ethnology, Archaeology and
History of the Hawaiian Islands"
We are therefore not committed to
any political faith, or ecclesiastical
creed, or the advancement of any
one of the several nationalities
which together form the Hawaiian
Kingdom. We now seek, and shall
continue to seek, exact historic
truth, and shall cordially welcome
it from whatever source it may
reach us. The field before us is ex-
tremely rich. The ethnology and
archaeology of this country are en-
gaging the earnest study of scholars
in other lands, and they rightly
claim the patient consideration of
our own antiquarian students. The
strictly historical period of our
country is somewhat more limited
than the chronological and archeol-
ogical, but it is equally important.
The valuable history of the Hawai-
ian People by our Corresponding
Secretary, Prof. w. d. Alexander,
recently published, is awakening a
new interest in this department of
study, which is being further stimu-
lated by the efforts of our Historical
Society, and the moral as well as
practical support which it is receiv-
ing throughout our country. There
are chapters of our national history
which will compare favorably with
many of those which have been
written of other countries, and it is
the desire of this Society to gather
up the threads of our history which
otherwise may be permanently lost,
in order that hereafter they may be
woven, by the future historian, into
lasting and symmetrical whole.
The original twenty-one members
of this Society, given in alphabetical
order, are as follows:
Prof. w. D. Alexander, DR.. G. P
Andrews, Hon. G. r. Bishop, B. F
Dillingham;, Hon. S. B. Dole, j. S
Emerson, DR.. n. B. Emerson, Rev
O. p. Emerson, w. F. Frear, Chap
lain r. r. Hoes, U. S. n, Rev. DIR. G
M. Hyde, DIR. A. b. Lyons, G. j
Lyons, Rev. A. Macintosh, DR.. A
E. Nichols. Rev. Jiro Okabe, w. G
Parke, DR.. G. t. Rodgers, Prof. M
M. Scott, F. j. Testa, L. G. Thrum
We have since elected 215 active
members, making our total active
membership 237, and adding to thi
list our 20 corresponding members
we have a grand total membership
of 257. Were it not for the strin
gency of the times the number o
our members would be much greater
but even as the list now stands w,
have in it ample cause for congratu
lation, indicating as it does the de
!, gree of sympathy and moral supper
that has been extended to the Societ.
:, in the accomplishment of its desira
BILE purposes.
Our Constitution, embracing sevel
articles, was adopted on the 11th O
, January, 1892. Since then three by
laws have been adopted which vii
be read by our Recording Secretar
in his report this evening.
: The officers of the Society sine
its organization have been as fol
! lows: President, G. R. Bishop; Vice
President, j. S. Emerson; CORES
, ponding Secretary, Prof. w. D. Ale,
, ander; Recording Secretary, Rev. D.
: C. M. Hyde: Librarian, Rev. r. F
, Hoes, U. S. n, and Treasurer, T.
Thrum.
, The most important event in on
> history since our organization is tn
arrangement and agreement whic
has been made by tins Society an
!. the Honolulu Library and Readin
Room Association. At the first regl
! lar meeting of the Society held o
j. the 29th of January, ''it was vote
, that Judge Dole, Chaplain Hoes, |
. S. n, and Prof. M. M. Scott be
! committee to consider and repol
: some method of incorporation, {
- affiliation with the Honolulu Librar
t. Association, to ensure the holding
> perpetuity for public use of til
! material presented to this Society
= After mature deliberation, this con
6 mittee formulated five proposition
= to the Trustees of the Honolul
, Library. These trustees, after car
! full debate, on the motion of Hem
y Waterhouse, Esq, unanimously a
'S cepted these propositions, and at
70 meeting of the Historical Societ
), held on the 7th of April, Judge Dol
|, Chairman of the Special Committe
~ reported the basis of cooperate
n agree upon with the Honolul
~ Library Association, which WI
, unanimously adopted by the Histo
>, ical Society. These proposals rea
80 - as follows:
8 l. That the Honolulu Library an
- Reading Room Association shou
- grant to the Hawaiian Historic
- Society the permanent use and co
troll of the front room of the Libra
building.
2. That the said Association shou
a transfer to the said Society a
m printed and manuscript matter