Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1901[1]

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 24 (1902)]

 

The annual meeting of the Literary and Historical Society took place at the Rooms, Morrin College, on the 8th instant, the following gentlemen being present : Capt. Wood, President, in the chair ; J. Geggie, D. H. Geggie, P. Johnstone, A. Robertson, Sir James M. LeMoine, Arch. Campbell, C. Tessier, P. B. Casgrain, S. Lesage, Jas. Morgan, Geo. Lampson, J. F. Dumontier.

 

The President read the report of the Council for the past year, as follows :

 

REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 8th, 1902.

 

Though the past year has been one of comparative quiet in the annals of the Society, this does not imply any 'lack of capacity in discharging any of our recognized functions as a learned institution.

 

In at least one most important public movement the Society took the lead ; viz. : in the preservation of the Plains of Abraham as a public possession in perpetuity. The ideas of this movement originated with the Society several years ago, and our representative members took part in every phase of this vexed question from first to last. The gratitude of our members is especially due to two ex-Presidents, Sir James LeMoine and Mr. P. B. Casgrain for the zeal and discretion with which they always furthered this project ; and it is to them in particular that our thanks are due for the happy result attained last year. It would be ungenerous not to fully acknowledge that this result could only have been attained by the hearty co-operation of many prominent men outside of our own ranks ; but it would be equally unfair to omit to mention that the honors of the initiative remain with our Society.

 

Our relations with kindred bodies, all the world over, have been maintained with marked benefit to ourselves. But we should not forget that the vast mass of exchanges received require something, on our part, to be given in return ; and we must soon publish a new volume of transactions, like those former ones so much sought after by the initiated in every quarter of the globe, or else feel the certain loss of similar publications now received from others. Such publications are generally assisted by grants in aid in every civilized community ; but, as this help was withdrawn some few years age, we have since been trying to raise a special endowment fund, which might enable us to worthily maintain that position, which the hard and entirely unremunerated labours of our members won for us, through the many volumes of transactions published by means of government grants. The public response has not been a very generous one, except in the case of a few individuals. As a matter of fact, the entire endowment fund received from the public does not nearly equal the amount spent by the Society on the many courses of lectures freely given to the public.

 

It is satisfactory to be able to report that, in spite of the regrettable loss of a few members, by death, resignation or removal from the city, we have again increased our membership during the past year. We have to deplore the deaths of two old members, Mr. W. W. Welch and Mr. Alex. Woods : there have been three resignations, and two associates have left the city. On the other hand, thirteen new members have joined, and these, together with those joining in the previous year, have raised our actual members by thirty since the annual meeting of 1900.

 

Our winter course of lectures was inaugurated by an admirable lecture from prof. Sidley "on Tennyson : Poet and Teacher." This was followed by a lecture from an old favorite with our audiences, Prof. Gunn, who gave an interesting-sketch of " Rambles and Student Life in Germany." Several other lectures will follow during the winter months.

 

The Society was worthily represented at the last Annual Meeting of the Royal Society of Canada, at Ottawa, by Mr. P. B.Casgrain.

 

The Council recommends that an application be made to the Lieutenant Governor in Council far leave to change the rules requiring the stated meeting's of the Council and Society to be held at fixed hours, in order that all Council, general, or annual meetings, may in future be held at such hours as may be found most convenient for the time being.

 

We have, to acknowledge the very generous special donation of Mr. Wm. Price, who gave $100 unconditionally to serve any purpose for which it might be used.

 

We have much pleasure in taking note of the new academic honor conferred on one of our oldest, and most active leaders, Sir James LeMoine, who lately received the honorary degree of D.C.L. from Bishop's College, Lennoxville.

 

Our warmest thanks are due to the authorities of Morrin College for their continued generous dealings with the Society.

 

In conclusion, we must say, that, whilst our financial position has at last been brought to a state of equilibrium, we have only succeeded in doing this by, the most vigorous economy, and by ceasing to publish transactions. At a time when the Government has shown an enlightened generosity towards a similar body ; and when it has wisely spent considerable sums in furthering the invaluable collections of materials made by Mr. Doughty for his great work on the days of Wolfe and Montcalm, we may hope that the new Council will see to it that the distinctly just claims of an old, but actively capable, Society like ours ,will be so set forth that the we may be enabled to continue our public work in a way be-fitting our own reputation, and that of the community to which we belong.

 

The whole respectfully submitted,

WILLIAM WOOD,

President

 

It was moved by Mr. S. LeSage, seconded by Sir James LeMoine, and resolved :

That the report just read be received and adopted.

 

REPORT OF LIBRARIAN.

 

The Librarian begs to report that the accessions to the Library were in all two hundred and seven bound volumes and pamphlets, comprising one hundred and eighty received in exchange from other societies, and twenty-seven volumes kindly presented by Messrs. A. Campbell, G. M. Fairchild. jr, P. G. Roy, Philéas Gagnon, Chevalier Baillairgé, J. P. Noyes and other friends of the Society. Want of funds prevented the purchase of any books this year, but the incoming Council might make an effort to acquire Messrs Doughty and Parmelte's Life of General Wolfe, and Siege of Quebec, which is the most comprehensive historical book extant on the subject ; this set of six volumes is also a work of art,being elaborately illustrated with many valuable and rare portraits, plans and fac-similes of letters, etc., and would be an important addition to the library. Fourteen hundred and ninety-seven volumes on all subjects have been issued to members during the year, but a good number of these are still out over the regulation time.

 

F. C.WURTËLE,

Librarian.

 

Quebec, 31st December, 1901.

 

It was moved by Mr. A. Campbell, seconded by Major Morgan, and resolved :

That the report, as read, be adopted.

 

Messrs. Robertson and Geggie having been requested by the president to act as scrutineers, the meeting proceeded to ballot for officers for the ensuing year, with the following results :

 

President—Sir James M. LeMoine, D.C.I,.

Vice presidents—J. T. Eoss, P. Johnstone, C. Tessier, S. LeSage.

Treasurer—James Geggie.

Recording secretary—A. Robertson.

Cor secretary—J. F. Dumontier.

Council secretary—W.Clint.

Librarian—F. C. Wurtële.

Curator of Museum—F. Carrel.

Curator of Apparatus—Geo. Lampson.

Additional members of Council—Capt. Wm Wood, P. B. Casgrain, A. Campbell, D. II. Geggie.

 

Mr. A. Campbell intimated that he would be pleased to give a cheque for $50 towards helping in the purchase of some of the works of modern writers not now in the library, and handed his cheque for that amount to the President.

 

Captain Wood, the retiring President then vacated the chair, and in doing so thanked the Society for the hearty support that he had received from them all during his two years of office.

 

Sir James LeMoine having assumed the President's chair, Mr. P. B. Casgrain rose, to convey the Society's hearty thanks to Capt. Wood for the able, energetic, and successful manner in which he had filled the President's chair for the last two years.

 

Sir James LeMoine also said that the Society was very much indebted to Capt. Wood for his untiring efforts in its behalf during his term of office.

 

The papers and periodicals advertised to be sold were then auctioned off and adjudged to the highest bidders, and the meeting adjourned.

 

A TRIBUTE. OF RESPECT TO A GREAT GOVERNOR

 

At the meeting of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec,20th March, 1902,it was unanimously resolved,on the motion of Major William Wood, seconded by Mr. P. B. Casgrain :

 

"That this Society has learned with deep regret of the death of the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, its late most honored patron, whose name is so intimately identified with the embellishment and general welfare of this city ; and the Society also hails with the utmost satisfaction, the proposal to erect a memorial to this great man, whose able administration of our Dominion will always be kept in grateful remembrance, and whose own personal choice of his new title, on being raised a step in the Peerage after his successes in India, is now known to have been that of "The Marquis of Dufferin and Quebec.''

 

This interesting fact about his title has only just been revealed by Mr. "W. Fraser Rae, the biographer of more than one ancestor of Lord Dufferin's, in a recent obituary notice in the " Athenaeum."' He says : "Of late years he has been known as the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava. The title, however, was not of his own choosing ; if his own wishes had prevailed, he would have gone down to posterity as the Marquis of Dufferin and Quebec."

 

Had he not been obliged to take his additional title from Bnrmah, his eldest son who was killed at Ladysmith, would have been known, not as Lord Ava, but as Lord Quebec."

 

Presidents of the Literary and Historical Society

 

1824: Sir N. F. Burton, Lt.-Governor.

1828: Hon. Mr. Reid, Chief Justice.

1829: Lieut. Frederick Baddeley. R. N.

1830: Hon. Jonathan Sewell, Chief Justice.

1831:  "

1832: Hon. Andrew Stuart, K.C.

1833: Hon. Win. Sheppard.

1834:  "

1835: Joseph Skey, M.D.

1886: Rev. Daniel Wilkie, LL.D.

1837: Hon. Andrew Stuart, K.C.

1838:  "

1839: Win. Kelly, M.D., R.N.

] 840:  "

1841: Hon. Wm. Sheppard.

1842: Hon. A. W. Cochrane.

1843: Hon. Win. Sheppard.

1844: G. B. Faribault, Esq.

1845: Hon. A. W. Cochrane.

1846; John C. Fisher, Esq., LL.D.

1847: Hon. Wm. Sheppard.

1848: Hon. A. W. Cochran-.

1849: G. B. Faribault, Esq.

1850:  "

1851:  "

1852:  "         

1853:  "

1854:  "

1855: E. A. Meredith, Esq., M.A.

1856: W. Andrew, Esq.

1857: "

1858: G. B. Faribault, Esq.

1859:  "

1860: E. A. Meredith, Esq, M.A.

1861: "

1862: John Langton, Esq, M.A.

1863: "

1864: "

1865: "

1866: Com. E. D. Ashe, R.N.

1867: "

1868: Hon. P. J. 0. Chauveau, LL.D.

1869: Prof. James Douglas.

1870: Dr. W. J. Anderson.

1871: J. M. LeMôine, Esq.

1872-3: Dr. W. J. Anderson

1873: Com. E. D. Ashe, R.N, F.R.S.

1874: Prof. James Douglas.

1875:  "

1876: James Stevenson, Esq.

1877:  "

1878: "

1879 :J. M. LeMoine, Esq, F.R.S.C.

1880: "

1881:  "

1882:  "

1883: Hon. D. A Ross, Q.C.

1884:  "

1885: Geo. Stewart, D.C.L, F.R.S.C, F.R.G.S.

1886: "

1887: "

1888: "

1889: "

1890: "

1891: "

1892: Cyrille Tessier, Esq.

1893: "

1894 : Archibald Campbell, Esq.

1895: "

1896: Very Revd. R. W. Norman, D.D., Dean of Quebec.

1897: "

1898: P. B. Casgrain, Esq.

1899: "

1900: William Wood, Esq.

1901: "          

1902: Sir James M. LeMoine, D.C.L.

 

Literary and Historical Society of Quebec

FOUNDED 1824.

Incorporated by Royal Charter, 1831.

 

PATRON :

HIS EXCELLENCY, THE RIGHT HON., THE EARL OF MINTO, G. C. M. G.,

GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA.

 

HONORARY PRESIDENT :

JAMES DOUGLAS, D.C.L., LL.D., Spuyten Duyvil, N. Y.

 

HONORARY MEMBERS :

 

The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, K.P.

The Marquis of Lome, K. T.

The Marquis of Lansdowne, G.C.M.6.

The Earl of Derby.

The Earl of Aberdeen.

Sir Sandford Fleming, K. C. M. G., LL.D., C.E , F.R.S.C.

John Miller Grant, Esq., London.

Rev. Charles Rogers, LL.D., F.S.A., Scotland.

Sir John G. Bourinot, K. C. M. G., LL.D., D.C.L., D.L.

Sir Gilbert Parker, London.

Sydney Robjohns, Esq., F. R. Hist. Society, Scotland.

Wm. Kirby, F.R.S.C, author of "Le Chien d'Or," Niagara.

John Reade, F.R.S.C, author of "The Prophecy of Merlin," Montreal.

James Ashbury, Esq., England.

Professor Goldwin, Smith, D. C. L., LL.D., F.R.S.C, Toronto.

Henry Philips, Jr., Philadelphia.

Revd. G. Munro Grant, M.A., D.D., LL.D., Principal Queen's University, Kingston, P.O.

 

CORRESPONDING MEMBERS :

 

Albemarle, Rt. Hon. the Earl of London.

Bartholomew , J. G. , F. R. G. S. , F.R.S.E., London.

Boucher de Boucherville, Hon., M.L.C., Boucherville.

Brock, R. A., Richmond, Virginia.

Bailey, Dr. L. W., F.R.S.C, Fredricton, N. B.

Cherriman, J. B., M.A., F.R.S.C, England.

Campbell, Prof. John, F.R.S.C, Montreal.

Church, F. W., M.D., Boston.

D'Abbadie, Antoine, Membre de l'Institut de France, Paris. Darling, Gen. Charles, W., Utica, N. Y.

Denham Edward, New Bedford, Mass.

DeSechelles, Desmazières, St. Malo,

France. D'Urban, W. S. M., England.

DePeyster, Gen. J. Watts, N. Y.

Dansereau, Arthur, Montreal.

Filippi, le Comte Waldémar, Paris.

Ganong, W. F., M. A,, Cambridge, Mass.

Graham, Lt.-Col. U.S. A., Chicago.

Gérin, E., Trois-Rivières.

Grazillier, L'Abbé, Saintes, France.

Hannay, James, St. John. N. B.

Harvey, Rev. Moses, LL.D., F.R.S.C.

Jack, t. Allen, D.C.L., St. John, N.B.

Huguet-Latour, Major, Montreal.

Lee G. Herbert, M. A., Boston, Mass.

Lefebvre de Beliefeuille, E., Montreal.

Le Gardeur de Tilly, le Comte Hypo-lite, Chantreau, près-Saintes, France.

Madrazo, Don Pedro de, Secretary-General of the Boyal Academy of History, Madrid.

Morgan, Henry J., Ottawa.

Provencher, Colonel N., Montreal.

Powis, Revd. H. D., London, England.

Roberts, Professor, Chs. G. D., M. A., F.R.S.C, New York.

Scott, C. Percy, M. A., Windsor, N.S.

Simmonds, Peter Lund, London, Eng.

Strange, T. Bland, Major-General,

England. Stone, W. L., Jersey City, N. Y,

Suite, Benjamin, F.R. S.C., Ottawa.

Wynne, Thomas H., Richmond, Va.

Wilson, Gen. James Grant, N. Y.

 

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, 1901.

 

Anderson, Edmund H.

Baby, M. W.              

Barden, Miss.           

Beckett, Thos.             

Bennett, W. S.       

Bishop, E. A.

Boswell, St. George, M.I.CE.

Boyce, S.

Brodie, Win.             

Brodie, Robt.

Burroughs, Louis F.                     

Breakey, John.  

Campbell, Archibald.

Carter, W. H.

Carrel, Frank.

Casgrain, P. B., Q.C.

Champion, C. P.

Clint, Wm.

Cumberland, D.                   

Crispo, T. W. S.                   

Dean, W. R.              

Dobell, Hon. R. R.              

Dunn, Stewart H.                 

Dunn, Lord Bishop A. Hunter.          

Dumontier, J. F.

Evans, Lorenzo.

Foulds, Archibald.                 

Forsyth, Jos. Bell, Lt. -Col. 

Fry, E. C.

Fitzpatrick, Hon. Chas,

Geggie, D. H.

Geggie, James.

Goodday, H. G.

Hamilton, John.

Holt, John H.

Horan, T.

Hunt, A. F.

Hollo way, F.

Henry, Gen. U. S. Consul.

Jewell, D.

Johnston, P.

Joly de Lotbinière, Sir H.G., K. C. M. G.

Jones, E. Allen.

Joseph, Montefiore.

Joseph, A. C.

King, James.

LeSueur, Richard.

Langlois, C.B.

Languedoc, W. C.

LeMoine, Sir James M.

L,ampson, Geo.

Lesage Simeon.

Laurie, Wm.

Macara, John.

Machin, H. G.

Mackenzie, Chas.

MacLeod, D. R.

Macnider, Jas.

McNaughton, F.

McWilliam. W.

Moir, Gavin.

Morgan, James.

McLimont, R.

Malouin, Philip.

Neville, Rev. Father.

Oliver, Theo. H.. Q.C:

O'Meara, D. D.

Oliver, Stuart.

Petry, W. G.

Petry, W. H.

Petry, Rev. H. J.

Pope, Edwin.

Pope, Miss Louisa.

Price, H. M.

Parke, Dr. G. H.

Parmelee. Geo. W.

Preston, C.

Robertson, A.

Ross, John T.

Rea, David.

Ray, Walter J.

Ritchie, John.

Ross, Dr. H. R.

Renfrew, Gordon.

Sewell, E. D.

Sewell, C, M.D.

Shaw, Wm.

Simon, John.

Simons, Wm.

Smith, H. Stanley.

Stuart, Gus. G., K.C.

Staveley, H.

Stevenson, Miss.

Stevenson, Walter.

Smith, David.

Scott, J. G.

Stanley, Robert.

Stain, T.

Tait, Rev. Donald, B.A.

Turner, Hon. R.

Turnbull, Lt.-Col. J. F.

Thomson, Geo. H.

Talbot, Mrs. M. E.

Tessier, Cyr.

Veasey, Geo.

Webb, E. E.

Webster, A. D.

Welch, W. Wilde.

Winfield, Joseph.

Wood, Capt. Wm.

Würtele, Fred. C.

Wade, E. H.

Walcot, C. W.

Williams, Rev. Dean.

Wigas, W. H.

Wood, Miss Helen.

Young, T. Ainslie.

 

LIFE MEMBERS.

Hon. John Sharpies, M.L.C.

Felix Carbray, M.P.P.