REPORT OF ROBERT GLENK, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY AND LIBRARIAN. The noteworthy activities and achievements of the Louisiana Historical Society for the year 1916 were as follows: The ceremony in honor of the presentation of the Jefferson Troop Flag to the City of New Orleans on January 8, 1916, by the State of Illinois, by virtue of an act of the General Assembly of that state which was passed through the efforts of Mrs. J. B. Richardson of New Orleans, former president of the United Daughters of 1776 and 1812 of Louisiana, and of Mrs. Robert Hall Wiles of Illinois, now president national of the United States Daughters of 1812. The Adjutant General of Illinois delivered the flag to the National Society of Daughters of 1812, and Mrs. Wiles was delegated to make the presentation of the flag to the Mayor of New Orleans, the ceremony taking place in the Council Chamber of the City Hall. Mayor Behrman placed the flag in the custody of the United States Daughters of 17761812, and who, in turn, through Mrs. Richardson, turned over the flag to the Louisiana Historical Society, represented by President Cusachs, who deposited the same in the Battle Abbey. On the evening of the same day, January 8, the annual reunion dinner of the Louisiana Historical Society took place in the gold room of the Grunewald Hotel, about 90 members and friends of the society participating. The excellent menu and well-filled program of speeches and singing were greatly enjoyed by all present. Mr. W. O. Hart acted as toastmaster of the occasion. On September 6, the day set aside for a national celebration in honor of the birthday of Lafayette, the Louisiana Historical Society cooperating with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Athenée Louisianais, L'Union Francaise, Societé du Quatorze Juliet; Les Enfants de la France, Alliance France Louisianaise and Causeries du Lundi, patriotic French societies of this city, and the Mayor and Commission Council took part in a reception at the Mayor's parlor; unveiled a bust of Lafayette at Lafayette square and carried out a very significant program of speeches and music at the Cabildo in the evening, which was attended by a large and brilliant gathering. At the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Newark, N. J., on May 1, 1916, the following delegates represented the Louisiana Historical Society: Mr. and Mrs. Charles LeSassier, Mrs. Ruth McEnery Stuart, and Dr. Charles A. Browne. MEETINGS AND LECTURES. During the year nine regular meetings were held and three special lectures were given in the Cabildo, as follows: 1916 January 7.-Motion picture and lecture, "Battle of New Orleans" and "Celebration in 1915," by Stanley C. Arthur. January 19.-Annual meeting. "Bienville and His Services to New Orleans," Mrs. S. B. Elder. February 16.-"Return of the Jesuits to Louisiana," by Rev. March 15.-"Notes on Gen. Wilkinson's Memorial and Miro and April 19.-The Opera in New Orleans," by Harry B. Loeb. June. No meetings. July. No meetings. 66 August 3.-"A Voyage of Friendliness," by Elwood Lloyd of Chautauqua, N. Y. September 20.-"An Old Algiers Burying Ground," by W. S. Mahoney, and "The Bible in Louisiana a Century Ago," by W. O. Hart. October 18.-Estevan Miro's Report on the Boundary of the United States and Louisiana; British Officer's Account of the Expedition to Capture New Orleans in 1815, and some Claiborne Letters, read by Mr. Cusachs. November 15.-"The New Orleans Yturbide," by Miss Grace King. December 20.-"Baton Rouge, Its Past and Present," by Col. Isaac Dickson Wall of Baton Rouge. The attendance at all of the meetings was quite satisfactory and indicates a live interest in the work of the Society by the members. MEMBERSHIP. Seventy-one applicants were elected to active membership in the Society-fifty-three gentlemen and eighteen ladies. Three were made honorary members. During the year there were twenty-one resignations and thirteen deaths from among the members. The net increase in membership for 1916 is thirty-seven active, two honorary, making a total of five hundred and eighty-eight active members and fifteen honorary members on the roster of the Society on January 1, 1917. It is with much sorrow that we record the death of the following active members of the Louisiana Historical Society during 1916. GUSTAV REINHOLD WESTFELDT BERNARD BRUENN JOHN C. LEVY DR. E. W. JONES C. W. G. RARESHIDE F. A. DANIELS GEORGE H. SMITH J. G. HARRISON JOHN N. SCHROEDEL E. A. CARRERE E. P. ANDREE LOUIS N. BRUEGGERHOFF EDGAR T. LECHE All the members in good standing receive the annual volume of the Society's Proceedings as soon as published. Those members who are in arrears receive the publication as soon as their dues are paid to the Treasurer. Volume Eight was published in April and Volume Nine is now being prepared for the printer by Miss Grace King and will shortly be issued. During the session of the Legislature of 1916 the following act was passed providing for the printing of the Annual Reports and a quarterly Journal of History of the Louisiana Historical Society: Senate Bill No. 239. ACT No. 274. By Mr. Leon R. Smith (by request). Regarding the printing of the reports and journals of the Louisiana Historical Society. Whereas, the Louisiana Historical Society which has existed for over three-quarters of a century, and under various acts of the General Assembly of Louisiana has been made the custodian of valuable and important documents relating to the history of the State of Louisiana while a French and Spanish province, said documents being at the disposal of the public and the State and having been used to advantage by the State in the great oyster litigation with the State of Mississippi, and in reference to lakes and water courses in the State and the publications and journals of said society being valuable to present and future historians, therefore, Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That the Secretary of State be, and he is hereby directed to cause to be printed and delivered to said society one thousand copies of its yearly report and one thousand copies each of any journal that said society may desire to publish not oftener than once in every three months, the cost of said printing to be charged and paid for as other public printing of the State. Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That should said society desire more than one thousand copies of each publication as herein provided for, it shall have the right to contract for same at its own expense with the public printer. The act was drafted by Mr. W. O. Hart and it was largely through his efforts that it was passed. At a meeting of the Executive Committee, Senator John Dymond and Robert Glenk were named a committee to take charge of the publication of the Quarterly Journal, and work on the same is now progressing. The first number will contain a report of the Diary of Galvez during the War in West Florida; Information concerning the controversy regarding the boundary lines of Province of Texas and the Province of Louisiana from Zacatecas, Mexico, and an installment of the earliest records of the Superior Council of the Cabildo, translated by Mr. Wm. Price and edited by Miss Grace King. LOANS AND GIFTS TO THE SOCIETY. The following gifts have been received and deposited with the Society's collections in the Louisiana State Museum in the Cabildo, during 1916: Dr. H. B. Seebold-Twelve pencil sketches of portraits, nineteen water-color sketches of views and buildings in old New Orleans. William Edenborn-Builders' stone of old St. Louis Hotel, 1838. O. M. Samuel-One Springfield rifle, found under floor of old St. Louis Hotel when being demolished in August, 1916. Mrs. F. P. Hardenstein, Washington, D. C.-Photograph of Jos. H. Jones, faithful servant of Jefferson Davis (through W. O. Hart). H. Duvalle-Old silk flag used by Continental Guards; handkerchief used by John L. Sullivan at prize fight at Richburg, Miss. U. S. Daughters 1776-1812-Jefferson Troop flag, presented by State of Illinois to the City of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1916. Edward Curtis, San Francisco-Colonial silk flag, 13 stars, 13 stripes, with inscription, G. of L. Historical Society of East and West Baton Rouge-Copy of letter written by British officer after the Battle of New Orleans, 1815. Southern Yacht Club-Lloyd canoe which made the trip from Chancellor of French Consulate-Loaned French flag. |