Report of the Standing Committee, for the year 1869-70.

The Standing Committee ask leave to present, in conformity with the rules of the Society, their Annual Report.

Although it appears, from the accounts of our accurate Treasurer, that the amount of money received from the Society's publications, this year, is much less than during the foregoing twelve months, yet even this decrease in the amount illustrates, in some degree, the resources of the Society in making its generous contributions to the historical literature of the Commonwealth and the country; and warrants the reasonable hope that such contributions, cast like bread upon the waters, shall be found after many days, in the forms of pecuniary as well as of historical advantage. The decrease of the sum, for this year, shows the advantages received in the foregoing one, from the sale of the volume of lectures, delivered in the course of that year, by members of the Society, under the liberal arrangements of our associate, the manager of the Lowell Institute.

Besides these able lectures, it is appropriate for your Committee to name here other valuable contributions to history made, during the last year, by some of our distinguished and active members; which, though not done under the immediate direction of the Society, happily illustrate its progress and usefulness, and are earnests of its growing influence.

The truly eloquent and catholic oration, delivered by our President at the invitation of the Pilgrim Society, at the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims, has added another to the many acts done by himself and his ancestry, prompted by their affection and devotedness to the truth of history, and to the highest welfare of our State and country. An able and instructive course of lectures on the "Colonial History of Massachusetts," recently delivered before the Lowell Institute, by another of our members, shows the ability and zeal awakened and cherished in her children by the maternal watchfulness and encouragement of our Society. A remarkable and most interesting biography of the late "Count Rumford," an Honorary Member of the Society, coming from the same active mind, almost simultaneously with the course of historical lectures, gives evidence of the untiring industry of its author.

Our Recording Secretary, too, has added to the interest and value of Governor Bradford's History, published by his intelligent and faithful care some years ago, by his recent publica

tion of another of Bradford's dialogues, it being on Church Government, "between some Young men born in New England, and some Ancient men which came out of Holland and Old England." And another volume of Proceedings on the table this morning bears renewed testimony to his invaluable labors in our behalf.

Nor can we leave unmentioned here the new edition of the life of his distinguished grandfather, by a fellow-member, the Hon. Charles Francis Adams.

"A Topographical and Historical Description of Boston," by our associate, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, M. D., is a work of much research, and abounding in interesting items of local history.

Among the most valuable works which have come from Corresponding Members, we cannot fail to mention the third volume of Dr. Allibone's Dictionary, completing his elaborate account of "Authors in the English Language"; and the second volume of Professor Greene's life of his grandfather, General Greene.

Your Committee think it not inappropriate to call the attention of the Society to these facts in the history of the past year; and to express the hope that the liberality of the hand, in its members, where the means of liberality exist, may be equal, as occasion shall require, to the activity and efficiency of its mind.

In the course of the past year, three Resident Members the Hon. David Sears, George Ticknor, Esq., and Joseph Palmer, M. D.-have been removed by death. Fitting and impressive tributes have been paid to their eminence and worth by the President, and our associate members, Messrs. Hillard, Lothrop, and Emerson. Their memories must long live in our hearts.

On the list of Corresponding Members, the names of Buckingham Smith, Esq., Winthrop Sargent, Esq., and of the Hon. John Pendleton Kennedy, must be marked with the sign of death. The beautiful tribute of the President of the Society to the character and usefulness of Mr. Kennedy breathes forth all the tenderness of friendship, mingled with the intelligent appreciation of the scholar and of the statesman.

There have been added to the list of Resident Members, during the year, the names of William T. Davis, Esq., of Plymouth, Vice-President of the Pilgrim Society, and to whom, as President of the day, we are indebted for the full and admirable account of the proceedings of the late two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, at Plymouth; also, the Rev. George Punchard, of Boston; and Abner C. Goodell, Esq., of Salem.

Allusion has been already made to the Report of the Treasurer, and we could not add to its satisfying clearness.

The same may be said of the Report of the Librarian. There are now in the Library of the Society more than 20,000 volumes; also 38 volumes of the Society's Collections; and 9 volumes of its Proceedings. Two volumes of its Collections are in the press, and one volume of its Proceedings in the process of publication.

One of the most important topics, which, under the guidance of our watchful President, has engaged the attention of your Committee, repeatedly, during the year, has been the arrangement it may be for the best interests of the Society to make, in regard to the building we now own and occupy, at the expiration of the lease of its lower story to the Savings Bank. This lease expired in March, though the Bank will not remove from its present location, until the rooms now preparing for it, in its new building, shall have been finished. The whole subject has been referred, by vote of the Society, to a large, select Committee, who will undoubtedly make arrangements for the best interests of the Society.

The vexed and vexatious question of the "Hutchinson Papers" has been also referred to a similar Committee, with full powers.

In behalf of the Committee.

G. W. BLAGDEN, Chairman.

Annual Report of the Treasurer.

The Treasurer of the Massachusetts Historical Society presents the following statement of its financial condition:

GENERAL ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDING APRIL, 1871.

The undersigned, who were appointed a committee to examine the accounts of the Treasurer of the Massachusetts Historical Society for the year ending April, 1871, have compared the vouchers with the entries, and find them correct, and the balances on the ledger as follows:

This fund consisted of ten thousand dollars, presented to the Society, Nov. 18, 1854, by the executors of the will of the late Samuel Appleton, on the condition that its income be applied to the purchase, preservation, and publication of historical material. It was received from the executors in ten shares of manufacturing stocks. These stocks were sold in February and March, 1863; and the net proceeds, amounting to twelve thousand two hundred and three dollars, were invested in the real estate of the Society, according to the Declaration of Trust on file, and recorded in the Register of Deed's office, book 827, p. 63. Volumes three, four, five, six, seven, and eight, of the Fourth Series of the Society's Collections, were printed from the income of this fund, and the strictly historical portions of the volumes of the Proceedings of the Society for 1862-63,

and for 1864-65. Also the expense of the portion of Volume Nine of the Collections which is printed.

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL TRUST-FUND.

This fund was originally two thousand dollars, presented to the Society by Hon. David Sears, by an instrument dated Oct. 15, 1855, and accepted Nov. 8, 1855. This provides that the income is to be added to the principal annually between July and January, to form a new investment; but in any year before such investment, the Society may, by vote, expend the income for such purposes as may be required; or it may, by vote, expend the accumulations of the income, in whole or in part, towards the purchase or improvement of the premises belonging to the Society; "or in the purchase of works of art or desirable objects": provided, that in no case whatever "the original trust-sum be encroached upon or diminished." By vote of the Society, the sum of fiye hundred dollars was paid July 5, 1869, from the accumulation, in aid of paying the debt incurred by the purchase of the estate which the Society owns. No other expenditure has been made from the accumulations of this fund. On the 26th of December, 1866, the principal was increased by a subscription by Hon. David Sears and Nathaniel Thayer, Esq., each of five hundred dollars, which makes the principal of the fund three thousand dollars. This is invested in the real estate of the Society. The accumulation of income to Sept. 1, 1870, was $1,762.43, making the amount on which to cast the interest from Sept. 1, 1869, $4,762.43.