Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1903[1]

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 25 (1905)]

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

13th JANUARY, 1904

QUEBEC, 13th January, 1904.

 

The annual general meeting of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec was held on Wednesday morning, 13th January, in the Library of the Society, at 10 o'clock. There was a good attendance of members. Sir ; James LeMoine, President, in the chair. After reading the minutes of the last meeting, the Recording Secretary, A. Robertson, Esq., submitted the annual report of the Society for the past year. ',

 

ANNUAL REPORT

 

QUEBEC, January 13th, 1904.

 

A special meeting having been called recently to confer with our worthy Hon. President, James Douglas, L.L.D. of New York, Dr. Douglas took occasion to urge the Society to continue the publication of valuable manuscripts, such as was the practice when he presided over the Society. He then suggested that an appeal be made to Col. H. Neilson, grandson of the late Hon. John Neilson, as custodian and proprietor of the Neilson papers. The President having called on the Colonel, has been entrusted, for examination, with a bound volume of the Papineau and Neilson correspondence, covering several years anterior to the breaking out of the insurrection in 1837-38. These letters the President suggests might be submitted for the consideration of a General Committee.

 

The Committee charged with the preparation of Bronze Tablets with suitable inscriptions to indicate the spots rendered memorable by feats of arms and historical events, such as Sault-au-Matelot street, where Col. Benedict Arnold was routed in 1775 and Près-de-Ville, where his chief, Brigadier-General Richard Montgomery met death and defeat, on the same day, has made a preliminary report and will actively prosecute its labours next spring.

 

The Council deems it proper to refer to the negotiations which it is to be hoped will be closed shortly between the Society and its Honorary President, Dr. Douglas, and the Morrin College authorities, calculated to restore the Society to its former prestige, when •Government provided an annual subsidy for the publication of valuable manuscripts. The relations between the Society and Morrin College continue to be on the most friendly footing.

 

The winter course of lectures will be opened without delay. The Rev. Fred. G. Scott, L.L.D., is to lecture on Milton, and Mr. Routh, of Bishop's College, Lennoxville, on "Student life in Paris." Dr. R. Bell, chief of the Geological Survey, has also been asked to lecture on "The state and development of our Great North ^Western Domain." The Council is in the receipt of a letter announcing his acceptance. Dr. James Douglas has also been invited to lecture.

 

In closing, the Society has doubtless noticed with satisfaction the awakening amongst many of her most zealous members in the pursuit of historical information generally, and especially in the compilation of historical material towards the annals of our city.

           

Respectfully submitted,

 

J. M. LEMOINE,

President.

 

13 January, 1904.

 

It was then moved by Mr. P. Johnston, seconded by Mr. S. Lesage, and

 

Resolved, That the report just read be received, adopted and published.

 

The report of the Librarian was next read, as follows : "In submitting his Report the Librarian regrets that financial exigencies prevented the members from being furnished—outside of the magazines—with any new books, but brighter times are in prospect in the near future owing to the generosity of our honorary President and benefactor, Dr. James Douglas, who has promised a handsome annuity to the Society for the purchase of the latest publications of the best current literature of all subjects, as soon as issued, so that a certain number of new books will be placed each month on the Library shelves. The Morrin College authorities, who have always been liberal to the old Society will supplement Dr. Douglas, and also place the adjoining room at our disposal which will be fitted up as a comfortable reading annex whose shelving will give more book room.

 

Fifty-seven volumes have been received by donation, including eighteen volumes, the works of Louisa Muhlbach, from J. T. Ross, Esq., and others from Messrs. P. B. Casgrain, Benjamin Suite, George McAleer, Chev. Charles Baillairgé, George Roy, Rev. Dr. Marvin, and others, besides 56 bound and 237 unbound volumes from our numerous exchanges.

 

Fourteen hundred and twenty-two volumes have been loaned to members during the past year composed of:

 

Fiction            :             587 volumes

Biography:     69     “

History:            170    "

Magazines and Reviews:            271 “

Travels and Miscellaneous: 325 “

                                              1422 "

 

of which 66 volumes are out beyond the time prescribed by the Library regulations.

 

The Librarian would respectfully recommend to the incoming Council, that, because of the most unsatisfactory condition of the Library's lighting, the present system be remodeled and additional electric lights installed; also that the ceilings need to be repainted in brighter colours in order to brighten the appearance of the room.

 

All respectfully submitted,

 

(Sgd.) F. C. WURTELE,

Hon. Librarian.

 

QUEBEC, 31st December, 1903.

 

It was moved by Mr. P. B. Casgrain, seconded by Mr. C. Tessier, and

 

Resolved, That the Librarian's report just read be received, adopted and published.

 

Mr. James Geggie, Treasurer, next read his report which was adopted on motion of Mr. Eobertson, seconded by Mr. Wurtele.

 

Messrs. Henry H. Smith and F. W. Ross were then ballotted for and duly elected associate members.

 

After which the election of Officers for the ensuing year was proceeded with and resulted as follows :

 

President, Major W. Wood.

Vice-Presidents, J. T. Ross, P. Johnston, Gr. W. Parmelee, J. Hamilton.

Treasurer, James Geggie.

Corresponding Secretary, J. F.Dumontier.

Eecording Secretary, Alexr. Robertson.

Council Secretary, W. Clint.

Librarian, F. C. Wurtele.

Curator of the Museum, Rev. C. P. O'Leary.

Curator of Apparatus, George Lampson.

Aditional members of Council, Sir James M. LeMoine, P. B. Casgrain, C. Tessier, D. H. Geggie.

 

The retiring President, Sir James M. LeMoine, having vacated the chair, and the in-coming President, Major Wm. Wood, having assumed it, it was moved by Sir James M. LeMoine, seconded by Major "Wood, and

 

Resolved, That Messrs. P. B. Casgrain, S. Lesage and C. Tessier be named a committee charged with the examination of the Papineau-Neilson correspondence, referred to in the report of the Council and that these gentlemen do report to the Council the result of their examination at their convenience.

 

It was moved by Mr. Parmelee, seconded by Mr. Wurtele, and unanimously

 

Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be tendered to the retiring officers and especially to the retiring President Sir James M. LeMoine, whose long services in various capacities in connection with the Society have contributed so much to its success.

The President moved, seconded by Mr. Johnston, the thanks of the meeting to the scrutineers, after which Major Wood alluded in flattering terms to the long and valuable services which the retiring President, Sir James M. LeMoine, had rendered to the Society. The remarks of Major Wood were received with applause. Sir James then arose and in a neat speech expressed his heartfelt thanks to the members of the Society for the kindness courtesy and consideration which he had always received at their hands during his forty years connection with the Society.

 

The President then moved, seconded by Sir James M. LeMoine, and it was

 

Resolved, That before closing the meeting the members desire to place on record their sense of the debt of gratitude which they owe to their Honorary President, Dr. Douglas, for the kind and extremely liberal manner in which he has come forward to aid the Society in endeavouring to regain the position of public usefulness which it formerly occupied.

 

And the meeting adjourned.

 

W. CLINT,

Acting Secretary.