for action to tho iioxt (juartorly meeting in July.
On motion of Mr. Amos Perry, the thanks of the Society
were voted to the Special Committee, for their extended,
otfioiont and satistactory work in roorganizinij and cataloonin«:
the Lil)rary and kooj)in<j^ it open and aceessibk'.
Mr. A. V. Jonks nominated ^Ir. William ]\IaxwellCireene
as a meml)er of the Committee on the Nomination of New
Momlxn's, in place of William Greene Williams, deceased,
and ho was elected.
Mr. R. P. Everett offered the following resolution, which
was read and passed :
Eesolved, That five hundred copies of the Reports of the Librarian,
Treasurer, and various Standing Committees, together with the Proceed-
ings of 1878-9, be printed for the use of the members, the cost of the
same not to exceed one hundred and fifty dollars.
The followino- named g-entlemen were nominated, and
elected :
PnocuRATORS. — George C. Mason, Newport; William J. Miller, Bristol ^
Erastus Richardson, Woonsocket; Henry F. Smith, Pawtucket; Dr..
Charles H Fisher, Scituate; George II. Oluey, Hopkinton.
On motion, the meeting Avas then adjourned.
Amos Perry, Sec't/..
SPECIAL :\IEETING.
Providence, May 20, IMT'J.
A meeting Avas held this evening, the President in the
chair, to hear a paper read l)y Rev. George E. Ellis, D. Di,
22 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
of Boston, on "The Present Indian Question witli our Gov-
ernment."
The high reputation of Dr. Ellis as a writer, together with
a warm interest in the subject of his paper, drew together a
numerous and eager audience. .Vt the l)ej>innino; of the dis-
(Uission Dr. Ellis repeated, as a guiding })rinciple, the quaint
adage that no question is settled until it is rightly settled.
The discourse was the fruit of a vigorous and well-trained
mind, thoroughly enlisted in the discussion of a grave and
])ractical subject, and its author received at the conclusion of
the reading, on motion of Prof. J. Lewis Diman, seconded
by Hon. John 11. Bartlett, the imanimous thanks of the
Society. One of the conclusions reached l)y Dr. Ellis, and
urged as the key to all right action in the premises, was,
that our Government is the guardian of the Indians and,
conversely, that the Indians are the wards of the (Jovcrn-
ment. On this ])oint he s])oke"Avitli positiveness, bewailing
the evils that have resulted from mixed systems and con-
fused ideas. To longer waver here is, he said, l)oth a folly
and a crime. The guardian must exercise good faith, decis-
ion and energy,, and at the same time must insist that his
wards shall have fixed habitations and shall cultivate such
liabits of industry as tend to Christian civilization, ^^'ith()ut
disparaging the War Department, he insisted on the exercise
of moral force, and especially on fairness and honesty in our
dealings Avitli these children of the forest. He denounced as
l)arbarous and heathenish, the doctrine of extermination,
understood to l)e favored by some citizens outside our mili-
tary ranks. The general tenor of the discourse was pro-
nounced by Prof. Diman to be in accord with the teachings
of Roger AVilliams and John Elliot, whose apostolic charac-
ter has received the sanction of the present generation.
On motion, the meeting was adjourned.
Amos PEiiRY, fSec'y.
PROCEEDINGS. 28
QUAIITEliLY MEETING.
Phovidexce, July 1, 1879.
The regular quarterly ineetiu<>- was held this afternoon at 8
o'eloek, the President in the eliair.
The record of the last (|uarterly meeting was read and
approved.
A letter was also read from Hon. Charles Francis Adams
accepting the office of honorary member of the Society, and
ex})ressing an interest in the objects pro})osed. The Secre-
tary also gave an abstract of letters from Mr. Hay Greenti
Huling, of Fitchburg, ]\Iass., acknowledging the honor of
his election as corresponding member, and ex})rcssing his
readiness to co-operate in promoting the objects of the
Society.
The Librarian reported numerous valuable donations
made since the last quarterly meeting, among which was the
Whitney Genealogy, consisting of three superbly bound and
illustrated volumes, presented by J. Whitney Phoenix, of
New York. This o-enerous donation called forth warm
exjn-essions of ai)})reciation and of gratitude to the donor,
though no formal vote was })assed.
The Committee on the Nomination of New Members rec-
ommended, through Mr. A. V. Jenks, the following persons
for membership, and they were accordingly elected :
Rksidknt Mkmbkrs.— Hev. C. A. L. Richards, Rev. E. H. Johiisoii, D. D.,
Rev. D. H. Gieer unci Amos D. Lockwood, Esq.
IIONOUAUY MicMBKU. — Prof. K. Gislason, Secretary of the Rojal Society
of Nortiierii Antiquaries, Copenliagen, Denmark.
24 RHODE ISLAND HI8TOKICAL SOCIETY.
The Secretary laid l)efore the Society a letter from the
Hon. John H, Stiness tenderinp: to the Society the resigna-
tion of his office as a member of the Special Committee to
carry out the State Appropriation Act. After due consider-
ation the motion was made and passed that Vice President
Allen l)e appointed a Committee to confer with Judge Sti-
ness and request him to favor the Society with his continued
services as a inenil)er of the above named (^ommittee.
The amendments to the Constitution, proposed at the last
quarterly meeting and referred for action to the present meet-
ing, were taken up and discussed section by section. The
section proposing to have a standing connnittee lo be caUed
"A Library (\)nnnittee," and the section dehning the duties
of this connnittee, were laid \\\Hn\ the tal)lc to bi- calKnl u})
for action at the next aiuiual niccting. All the other pro-
})Osed amendments wc^re indefinitely postponed.
^Ir. TIenry T. Beckwith received permission to take from
the lil)rary, under the usual restrictions, a certain l)0()k, for
the purpose of having a picture therein copied.
A resolution was offered and seconded, liavdng for its
object the prevention of hasty action in stam})ing the seal of
the State on the Society's collections. After the manifesta-
tion of a lively interest on the subject the resolution was
Avithdrawn.
A report from the Special Connnittee appointed at the
last (quarterly meeting to carry out the General .Vssembly
grant of mone}' was called for. The Committee had reported
to the General Assembly, and, })robably l>y oversight, had
failed to account to the Society to which it is primarily
responsible. Vice President Allen was appointed a Commit-
tee to look after this branch of business.
Mr. Edward S. Babbitt gave, l)y invitation, an extended
PROCEEDINGS. 25
account of the pro})()scd ))i-cciitcnuial cele1)ration at Ikistol
(luring the coming year, and near the close of his remarks,
which were listened to with lively interest, invited the co-ope-
ration and friendlv aid of the Societv in l)rin<>in2: about the
proposed re-union and jubilee.
Mr. Babbitt's glowing account and earnest api)eal drew
forth a jirompt response hy Mr. Perry, who expressed, in
l)ehalf of the Society, a hearty appreciation of the historic
movement in the town of Bristol, and at the conclusion of
his remarks, offered the following resolution :
Resolved, That leaniiiig this afternoon of the proposed bi-ceutennial
observance in Bristol, the Historical Society seizes the occasion to send
words of greeting to that delightful historic town upon Narragansett and
Mt. Hope Bays, expressing a lively interest in the proposed celebration,
and proffering such co-operation and aid as are in its power.
The resolution was seconded l)y Prof. J. Lewis Dinian,
and after calling forth cordial expressions of interest from
Messrs. Diman, Stone, Allen and Southwick, was unani-
mously ado})ted.
Mr. Bennet J. Munro, the veteran journalist, and an
authoritative antiquarian of Bristol, responded in brief terms
to some enquiries al)out the early history of his native town.
On motion, the meeting was adjourned.
Amos Perry, Sec't/.
QUARTERLY MEETING.
Providence, October 7, IS 71).
The meeting was called to order at a quarter before eight
4
26 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
o'clock, when, Yice President xVllen not having arrived, lion.
John II. Bartlett was called to the chair.
The record of the last meeting was read.
The Librarian reported the donations received since the
last meeting, consisting of 239 pamphlets, 7<S Ijound vol-
umes, 25 volumes of newspapers, I'S unl)ound volumes of
books, 3 maps, 19 single papers, and other smaller contribu-
tions.
The Secretary read an extract from a private letter written
by the President of the Society expressing regret that seri-
ous indisposition comi)elled him to abandon the intention of
attending either of the meetings this week.
The Secretary also read a connmmication from ]Mr. A\'il-
liam H. Spooner, Secretary of the Bi-Centennial Committee
of Bristol, gratefully acknowledging the action taken by this
Society at the last quarterly meeting in reference to their
jH'oposed bi-centennial observance.
The Secretary reported that Judge Stiness had consented
to yield to the" recjuest of the Society to serve on the Com-
mittee appointed at the April quarterly meeting.
A cop3' of the report made to the General Asseml)ly at tlu^
last INIay session by the Committee ai)pointed to carry out
the provisions of the State Appro})riation Act, was read and
received.
The Committee on the Xomination of Xew Members re-
ported through their chairman, Mr. A. V. Jenks. Their
report Avas received and adopted, the election resulting as
follows :
Resident Members.— William J. Cross, William T. Barton.
Corresponding Members.— Lt. -Col. Thomas L. Casey, U. S. A., Wash-
ington, D. C ; Hon. Edouard Madier de Montjau, President de la Societe
Ethuologique Americaiue, Paris, France.
Life Member,— Royal Woodward, Esq., Albany, N. Y.
PROCEEDINGS. 27
]\Ii'. Woodward has the honor of l)cing the tii-st non-resi-
dent life nienil)er ever elected hy the Society, this action
resultino- from a letter addressed l)y him to Rev. E. M. Stone,
wherein he expressed a lively interest in the objects of our
Society, and sua<rested that it Avould aftbrd him pleasure to
I)ecome a life member. That the compliment thus paid' the
Society Avas api)reciated by our members was ap}n-opriately
shown on the occasion, and the desire was expressed that the
Secretary should note this fact.
Kev. E. ]M. Stone otiered the following resolution, })re-
facing it with a l)rief account of the labors and expense
involved in the })reparation and publication of the work
referred to at the last quarterly meeting :
liesolved, That the thanks of this Society are hereby presented to Steven
Whitney rh(L'nix, Esq., of New York, for liis muniflceut gift of three,
elegantly printed volumes comprising the Genealogy of "the Whitney
Family of Connecticut and its attiliations," prepared by himself, a work
exhaustive in its ciiaracter, and a noble monument of his successful
endeavors.
The resolution Avas seconded by Vice President Allen, and
after the most cordial endorsement of its sentiments l)yhim,
and l)y Hon. John R. Bartlett, was unanimousl}^ passed.
The following resolution w^as offered l)y Rev. J]. M. Stone,
and seconded by Vice President Allen, and after these gen-
tlemen and the chairman of the evening had made remarks
showing their high appreciation of the value of the gift, and
one of them had stated that probably hot another set of the
Boston Liberator could be had on any terms, the resolution
was unanimously passed :
liesolved, That the thanks of this Society are hereby presented to Mrs.
John Carter Brown for her very acceptable donation to its library of a
complete set of the Boston Liberator.*
* When tilis action took place the set of Liberators was supposed to be complete, but on
subsciiucnt examination it was ascertained that the first live volumes were wanting.
28 EHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
On motion of Mr. 11. P. Everett, the following resolution
was unanimously passed :
Besolved, That the Society hereby authorizes the purchase of the series
of Rider's Historical Tracts, now iu the course of publicatiou.
Eev. Mr. Stone asked permission to make a drawing or
photograph of the sword and pistols that used to belong to
Col. Ephraim Bowen, wdiile in public service during the
Revolutionary War. The petitioner's object being to illus-
trate an important work now in the course of preparation
for the press, a vote was promptly taken granting his request.
At this stage in the proceedings the Seci-etary was called
away, and Mr. Edwin Barrows was chosen to discharge his
duties till the close of the meeting.
On motion of Mr. George T, Paine, it was
Vvted, That the expense of heating the I'oora and taking care of it be
paid bj' the Society.
A lengthy, though somewhat informal discussion took
place, having for its object to ascertain the true intent and
interpretation of the api)r()priation act of the last General
Assembly. The result of the prolonged interview and great
freedom of expression was to somewhat harmonize very
conflicting views and to moderate, if not remove, fears of
serious complications if not of losses entertained by some
devoted members of the Society. The Chairman of the
Committee on the State appropriation. Judge Stiness, gave
his opinion that the Society did not risk losing the control of
the books, pamphlets and manuscripts by having them bound
at the expense of the State.
Adjourned.
Amos Perey, Sec']/.
PROCEEDINGS. 29
SPECIAL MEETING.
Providence, October 10, 1879.
The meeting held this evening was called to order at a
([iiarter before eight o'clock l)y Vice President Allen, ^vho
introduced the Hon. Isaac X. Arnold, the President of the
Chicago Historical Society, as the speaker of the evening.
]Mr. Arnold then rose and gave a discourse upon " Who
led the American Troops to Victory in the Northern Cam-
l)aign of 1777?" occupying more than an hour and a half
in the deliverv, closelv eno;ao-in<i: the attention of the audi-
ence and throwing much light on certain great military
movements and feats of skill and valor, which happening
just in the nick of time turned the current of events in favor
of the colonists l)y giving them hoi)e and contidence and
l)ringing to their support powerful French naval and land
forces. The portrait of Benedict Arnold was drawn witli
inasterh' skill and discrimination. No attempt was made tO'
})alliate the traitors crime. Treason is death to its author,.
giWng him a hue supposed to belong to the dwellers in Tar-
tarus. No colors are too l»lack to be-tit the traitor. The
dyes, however, l)elong onl}' to the peritxl after the evil has
been perpetrated. Because Adam sinned we do not refii^je
to acknowledge his previous innocence. Neither should Ave
refuse to acknowledg^e Benedict Arnold's sood deeds l)cfore
his fall. His bravery, skill, perseverance and patriotic
endeavors are mere matters of histoiy to which we should
not be blind. This is simple justice. The difficulty and
delicacy of the task undertaken In' ]Mr. Arnold Avere appreci-
ated by the audience. At the conclusion of the address the
Hon. John R. Bartlett made a motion that the thanks of the
Society l)e presented to Mr. Arnold for his paper, evincing
30 EHODE ISLAND HISTOEICAL SOCIETY.
thorough research and investigation, good schohirship and
sound reasoning, and that a copy of the paper be requested
for the archives of the Society, which motion, after being
seconded and endorsed by the Secretary and the Chairman,
was unanimously passed.
On motion, the meeting was adjourned.
Amos Pekkv, >SVry.
SPECIAL MEETING.
PnoviDEXCE, Xoveml)er '), IS?!)..
The meeting' was called to order at 7| o'clock, and in the
absence of the President and both \"ice Presidents Rev.
Carlton \. Staples was elected Chairman.
The Librarian announced 10(1 donations received .since the
last meeting ; of which 40 were bound volumes, 45 pamphlets,
and the remainder nowspajwr.s.
A communication from Kev. Frederick Denison was laid
before the Society, suggesting that an elibrt be made to pre-
serve some portion of an old Indian pottery manufacturing-
establishment, recently brought to light on the farm of Mr.
H. X. Angell, in the town of Johnston, and a Committee
consisting of Rev. Frederick Denison, Vice President Allen
and William G. R. Mowry was appointed to take this matter
into consideration, and report at a subsequent meeting.
The Chairman then introduced General Horatio Rogers,
who read a paper on La Corne St. Luc, the leader of Bur-
PROCEEDINGS. 31
Ji'oyuo'.s Indians, (icneral Rogers first sketched the ^jersonnd
of Burgoyne's officers, and from their character reasoned
that the leader of Bnrgoyne's Indians wouht l)e a man of no
common order. lie alhided to the feeling of Burgoyuc
against the employment of Indians in the war against the
Colonists, — a feeling Avhich the home government did not
resjjcct, — and then gave a l)rief but comprehensive and ex-
ceedingly interesting sketch of La Come St. Luc, St. Luc
had })erformed eminent civil and military service in C\mada
before the Revolutionary AVar. He was an active leader
against the English in Canada, but during the Revolutionary
struggle he joined hands with his former enemies, the
English, Avho had gained possession of Canada. Disappointed
and chagrined he made })reparations to leave Canada and
reach France with his family and followers, and he set sail,
but the vessel was wrecked, his family and most of his fol-
lowers lost, and after a joiu-ney of sixteen hundred and tifty
miles, in the severest season of the year, he arrived at Qiie-
])ec February 23, 17(52. The loss of his family and friends
changed his plan of life, and he remained in the country.
For several years he was Superintendent of the Indians in
Canada, and in 17.78 was one of the Legislative Counsellors.
When the hostilities between Great Britain and the American
Colonies began St. Luc, then sixty-six years old, took up for
the Crown, and his pai-tisanship was intensified by a feeling
of revenge for ill-treatment at the hands of General ]Mont-
gomery. The services and atrocities of the Indians, during
the campaign under Burgoyne, were described, and the
paper closed with a summing up of the character of St. Luc,
who was represented as a man of education and civil and
military ability, but also as brutal, sanguinary', grasping,
avaricious and unprincipled.
The pa})er was received Avitli marked favor by a highly
ai)preciative audience, and at the conclusion of the reading,
on motion of Rev. E. M. Stone, who otfered extended
32 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
remarks on the general sul)ject, the following resolution was
unanimously passed :
Besolved, That the thauks of this Society are hereby presented to Gen-
eral Horatio Rogers, for the liighiy interesting and valuable contribution
to the military historj^ of the Revolutionary period of the United Ameri-
can Colonies, read this evening, and that a copy of the same be requested
for the archives of the Society.
On motion, the meeting was adjourned.
Amos Perry, Sec'y.
SPECIAL MEETING.
Providence, November 1!), 1)S79.
The meeting was called to order this evening at 7 1 o'clock
by Vice President Allen, who at once introduced Prof. J. L.
Lincoln, LL. I)., as the lecturer of the evening. The latter
began with the remark that he had had occasion recently to
examine the character and works of the Historian Tacitus,
and that in this essay it was his aim to set forth the impres-
sions and reflections derive<l from that careful study. Tacitus
needs to be very patiently studied in order to be appreciated.
He has never Ijeen jwpular, but in every age he has been
admired by a few scholars who have recognized the value of
his works, and have found in them useful political lessons.
Prof. Lincoln proceeded to review the little that is known of
the private and public life of Tacitus. He showed that in
the conduct of affairs the historian gained the fame of wis-
dom, experience and influence, and that like results were
won by him as a lawyer. He then referred to his Agricola
and Germania, which he regarded as historical studies pre-
PROCEEDINGS. 33
paratorv to lii.s subsequent works, Avhieli, unfortunately, have
not l)een preserved to us entire. Tacitus had to deal with
the imperial system. He had to treat of it in liiet as well
as substance, and as administered in a tyrannical s})irit,
characterized by frantic excesses and exhibitions of cruelty
without ])arallcl. Xo reader was so well aware of the soljcr
character of his historical task as the writer himself. The
process of historical research in the age of Tacitus was not
so critical as in modern times. His work consisted, it is
probable, not so nmcli in the examination and verification of
documents and records as in the sifting- and comparing of
the Avorks of his predecessors in the line of his studies.
Yet we know that he subjected those Avriters to a searching
comparison, and having reached independent conclusions set
upon them in his pages the stamp of his own mind. What-
ever errors and sins might l)e laid to him, the unprejudiced
reader cannot fail to believe that he was animated by those
high moral A'iews which he professed. In all issues "where
Aartue, justice and honor were concerned, attaching to either
social or public life, his vision was clear, his heart in the right
place. His antipathies were strong against vice of every
sort ; against all that was low and debasing for a Roman,
whether emperor, citizen or magistrate. Yet it must be said
he was not free from the prejudices of the Roman nation and
the Roman nobles. The essayist went on to speak of the
Roman spirit of contempt with which the historian regarded
foreigners, of his anti})athy to the Jews, of his dislike to the
Christians. Yet, it is evident, Tacitus Avas not always
swayed by national feeling, as was evidenced by the admira-
tion w ith wdiich he regarded the Germans.
After dwelling at some length upon the political j^rinciples
of Tacitus, his hatred of despotism and tyranny, and his
ideas (practical, not visionary-) of republicanism in govern-
ment, Prof. Lincoln spoke of the merits of the great histo-
rian as a writer. These Avere due largeh', he said, to the
imion in him of the powers of thought and reasoning Avith
5
34 EHODE ISLAND IIISTOEICAL SOCIETY.
the gift of careful and vivid description, which always
entered largely into his poetic nature. His narrative w^as
clear and strong ; his description picturesque and effective.
By study and insight he htid come to behold distinctly the
persons and event.s of which he wrote in their essential char-
acter, and the influences which had made and sha})ed them,
and he set them before the reader so distinctly that all
seemed to be present as living realities. In the delineation
of character and description of the inner life of men his
power was well nigh unrivalh'd.
At the conclusion of the reading, on motion of Dr. C. W.
Parsons, seconded l)y Rev. E. M. Stone, a unanimous vote
of thanks was passed to Prof. Lincoln for his scholarly and
elal)orate discourse, which drew forth from the mover of the
resolution and \ ice Prcsidcnl Allen pertinent and critical
remarks.
Rev. Frederick Denison made an extended report in liehalf
of the Committee appointed at the last meeting to secure
some suitable memorial of the old Indian pottery manufac-
turing establishment in the town of Johnston. Owing to
the lateness of the hour tiction on the report was deferred
till the next meeting, a\ hen it was ho})ed effective measures
would be adopted to secure the desired object.
Adjourned to the 2 2d inst.
Amos Peuuy, Secy.
SPECIAL MEETING.
Proa'idence, November 22, 1879.
A meeting was held according to appointment at eight
PROCEEDINGS. 35
o'clock this cvoniiio-, l)nt oMJiig to the inconsidcrabh^ uttend-
:ince the meeting was adjourned to the call of the Secretary.
Amos PEiiity, /S'ec'y.
SPECIAL xMEETING
PKOVir)ENCE, December 4, 1879.
A meeting held this evening Avas called to order at 7|
o'clock by Vice President Allen.
The Secretary laid before the Society a letter from Col.
Thomas Lincoln Casey, U. S. A., of Washington, D. C,
and a letter from Mr. Royal Woodward, of Albany, N. Y.,
the former acknowledging the honor of his election as a cor-
responding member of the Society, and the latter as a life
meml)er, and both expressing a warm interest in the objects
of the institution.
The Secretary also laid before the Society a letter from