Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1898[1]

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 23 (1900)]

 

Annual Heeting and Election of Officers Held

January 11th, 1899.

 

The members of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, held their Annual General Meeting on 11th January, in the Library of the Society, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.

 

The President, Mr. P. B. Casgrain, occupied the chair, and presented the following report :

 

THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 1898.

 

The Council, in conformity with the rules of the Society, presents its report for the past year.

 

The stated meetings have been well attended.

 

The lectures during the year were of general interest and were received with much favour by large audiences.

 

They were given in the following order :

 

February 19th.—By Prof. Sharp. Subject " George Eliot."

 

April 12th—By Prof. Gregor. Subject "The New Canadian Patriotism."

 

November 22nd.—By Prof, de Kastner. Subject " La Pusion des Paces."

 

We have caused Prof. Gregor's paper to be printed with this year's "transactions," and we leave to our successors the printing of Prof, de Kastner's lecture, which has met with a success that it thoroughly deserved.

 

We are in a position to fulfil the promise made last year of resuming, though in a feeble manner, the publication of the " transactions " of the Society, with the hope that in the future we may be able to put forth, as in the past, some literary or historical documents of interest to the people of Canada.

 

The President has recently written and published a work entitled " La Vie de Joseph-François Perrault." Mr. Perrault was one of the pioneers of education in this Province, and one of the founders of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec.

 

This biography is connected with primary education in this Province, and therefore has immediate relation with the objects which this Society was intended to promote. The author has, with great liberality, furnished a sufficient number of copies of the work to be supplied to kindred associations in this and other countries, as a return for the customary exchanges. The Council desires to express its sincere gratitude for this act of generosity on the part of the President.

 

Our rooms have been visited during the past year by many strangers and men of literary acquirements.

 

Our collection of souvenirs of olden times has been augmented by a donation of the much appreciated statue of General Wolfe, which, after its divers wanderings, will find a suitable shelter and rest in our rooms.

 

We renew and offer the thanks of our institution to C. F. Sise, Esq., as President of the Bell Telephone Co. of Canada, Montreal, for this relic of the past.

 

The Council has to mourn the loss by death of many of its members during the past year, viz., Messrs. W. E. Duggan, J. S. Fry, F. D. Tims, E. H. Smith and Eobt. Hamilton.

 

We regret to announce that we have received the resignation of Messrs. J. E. Livernois, Théophile Ledroit and Edmond Joly de Lotbinière.

 

Those who have left the city and ceased to be members are :—Eev. Eené Casgrain, Messrs. W. M. Macpherson, Robert McCord, E. Eacey, L. R. Ross, "Whitehead and J. G. Golden.

 

The new members elected are : —Messrs. J. G-. G-olden, Arch. Foulds, Wm. Laurie and Thos. Brodie.

 

We have much pleasure in announcing that, through persistent efforts, a number of manuscript documents which had been, at the requisition of the Government, transferred to its archives in the year 1888, under a misconception that they formed part of the public documents, have been returned to the Society, they being copies only of original papers, of right belonging to it. They are now on the shelves of our library, there to remain in future.

 

The Assistant Librarian has verified the total number so returned, amounting to 31 volumes folio, which are of considerable value, both as regards their original cost and their substance. The list hereto appended specifies all these documents.

 

No indemnity, nor annual grant, as promised for the appropriation of these documents by the Government, has yet been received.

 

We still hope for a more favorable consideration of our claim.

 

We owe a debt of gratitude to the officers of Morrin College for their kindness in allowing us the use of their rooms for the lectures given through the agency of our Society.

 

The report of the Treasurer is summed up as follows :

The receipts were:  $ 525 67

Disbursements:        $ 509 43

 

Balance on hand:  $ 16 24

 

There is also to the credit of the Endowment Fund, in the Savings Department of the Quebec Bank the sum of $2,053.58.

 

When the Society was incorporated in 1831, it was composed of gentlemen belonging to every nationality and creed in Quebec. The French speaking part of the population had a fair and proportionate number in the ranks of the Society. We regret to observe that the same zeal has not been shown during the last decade.

 

It is true that the cognate institution which exists in our midst, viz, the "Institut Canadien" has diverted many to its library and reading-room ; nevertheless, it is to be hoped that our Society will receive such encouragement as may tend to preserve its initial footing and character, as embracing all nationalities and creeds.

 

In conclusion, the President offers his best thanks to the Very Reverend Dean Norman, Vice-President, for his valuable assistance in the performance of his duties, and for his kind and graceful manner in giving a helping hand.

 

The whole respectfully submitted,

 

P. B. CASGRAIN,

President.

 

Quebec, January 11th, 1899.

 

The report was unanimously adopted on motion of Mr. P. Johnston, seconded by Mr. Cyr. Tessier.

 

The President thanked the meeting for its renewed confidence and the honour conferred upon him, and the meeting adjourned.

 

P. B. CASGRAIN,

President.

 

WM. WOOD,

Secretary.

 

Quebec, January 11th, 1899.