Mr. Hart, seconded by Mr. Soniat, moved that copies of the book be sent to all the city libraries. This was carried.

Prof. Butler announced that he would, at the December meeting of the Society, read extracts from the book of Prof. Ficklen.

Mr. J. J. Rochester then read the following letter to the Society:

"As secretary of the Henry Clay Anniversary Committee, and of the Kentucky Society of Louisiana, it becomes my pleasing duty to present this book, which contains a full account of the laying of the corner stone and the unveiling of the Henry Clay monument in this city. I beg to hand it to you, Mr. Chairman, to whom the celebration was such a success, to be tendered to the Louisiana Historical Society and be placed with other mementoes in the State Museum."

The Society thanked Mr. Rochester for the book.

Mr. Rochester made the following motion: I move that a committee of five be appointed by the President to formulate some plan to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first steamboat, the New Orleans, at this port. Said celebration to take place January 10th, 1912. I would likewise request that the said committee ask the Mayor and Council of this city to change the name of St. Thomas street back to Fulton, its original name, as a great many people still call it Fulton street, and it is an honor to Robert Fulton.

This motion was carried.

Mr. Hart called attention to a statement in the Item relative to the same event.

Mr. Rochester was appointed chairman of the committee to be afterward named in reference to the celebration.

Rev. Mr. Gordon Bakewell read the paper of the evening on Audubon, giving many reminiscences of the great naturalist.

The Society passed a vote of thanks to Mr. Bakewell and obtained his consent to publish the paper.

Mr. Hart invited the members of the Society to the unveiling of the Audubon monument on November 26th, 1910.

Mr. Hart called the attention of the Society to a recent article in the New Orleans Picayune on Dr. Bakewell, by Miss Hutson, and he presented to the Society a scrap book containing the article and illustrations.

Mr. Rixford Lincoln, at the request of Mr. Hart, read to the Society a poem by him on Congo Square.

Pres. Fortier stated to the Society that the idea of an exposition in New Orleans had originated with the Society, and he called on Mr. E. A. Parsons, who had lately returned from Europe, to tell the Society what he had heard in regard to the exposition.

Mr. Parsons gave an interesting account of some of the places he had recently visited, and said that he heard good reports and wishes for the success of New Orleans.

The meeting was then adjourned.

DECEMBER 28TH, 1910.

The monthly meeting of the Society was held in the Public Library building, on St. Charles avenue. President Fortier called the meeting to order at 8 p. m., and Secretary Gill announced a quorum present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

President Fortier informed the Society that the State Museum was being removed to the Cabildo, and appointed the following members as a committee to have the property of the Society removed to the building, and to have the Sala Capitular fitted up for the meetings of the Society: Mr. H. Gibbes Morgan, Jr., Chairman; Mr. Robert Glenk, Mr. Gaspar Cusachs, Prof. Pierce Butler, Mr. W. O. Hart and Judge Henry Renshaw, the President being er officio a member.

President Fortier appointed the following committee to

provide for the proper celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first steamboat at New Orleans: Mr. J. J. Rochester, chairman; Mr. John Dymond, Sr., Mr. W. O. Hart, Mr. T. P. Thompson, Prof. H. M. Gill, the President being ex officio a member.

Prof. Pierce Butler announced that the publications of the Society would soon be ready.

The Society elected as members Miss Sarah B. Towles and Mrs. James L. Bradford.

Mr. Hart stated that Mrs. Bradford, as president of the Audubon Monument Association, had worked long and faithfully towards the erection of the monument, and that the Society welcomed her as a member.

Mr. E. E. Moise wrote the Society that he had completed the list of names from the tombstones in the St. Louis Cemeteries, and would send the list to the Society as soon as he had properly arranged it.

Mr. Hart informed the Society that because of numerous inquiries made, he had ascertained why the Audubon Monument had been located so far from St. Charles avenue, and had been told that the present location for the monument had been selected by a professor of Newcomb College, that the monument might be near a fine, large tree in the park.

President Fortier called the attention of the Society to the ordinance of the City Council, proposing to change the names of many streets in the city. He deplored the change and suggested that the Society take some action in the matter.

Mr. W. O. Hart read the message of the Mayor to the Council, in which the Mayor suggested that the committee of the Council confer with the Historical Society. The message reads as follows:

To the Council:

MAYORALTY OF NEW ORLEANS,

CITY HALL, December 27th, 1910.

In the matter of the ordinance proposing a change in the names of certain streets in the City of New Orleans, now

before the proper committee of your Honorable Body, I would recommend that due time be taken for a full consideration of this measure. Many of the present names of streets in the city are historic, and a change of them should be made only for good and sufficient reasons. To that end, I would recommend further that your committee, in considering this measure, confer with the Louisiana Historical Society, from which much information and valuable assistance can be secured. Respectfully,

MARTIN BEHRMAN, Mayor.

Received, recommendation adopted and special message referred to Committee on Streets and Landings.

Mr. W. O. Hart then introduced the following resolution, which was duly seconded and carried:

Whereas, The Louisiana Historical Society has heard with interest and appreciation the message of the Mayor of New Orleans to the City Council, recommending that in the pending ordinance regarding the changes of the names of certain streets, the committee having it is charge should consult with this Society, therefore be it

Resolved, That а committee be appointed by the President, of which he shall be the chairman, to confer with the proper committee of the City of New Orleans, and that a copy of this resolution, together with the names of the members of the committee, be sent to the Mayor, and that the thanks of the Society be, and they are hereby, extended to the Mayor for considering the Society in connection with this important matter.

President Fortier appointed the following committee to act in the matter: Mr. W. O. Hart, Mr. Charles T. Soniat, Mr. Gaspar Cusachs, Mr. T. P. Thompson, Mr. Charles G. Gill, Prof. Pierce Butler and Judge Henry Renshaw.

Prof. Pierce Butler read extracts from the work of the late Prof. John R. Ficklen on "Reconstruction in Louisiana," and made comments in explanation of the text. The Society thanked Mr. Butler.

On motion of Mr. Hart, Prof. Walter L. Fleming's review of Mr. Ficklen's history was made part of the minutes. The review appeared in the New Orleans Picayune on October 2d, 1910, and is as follows:

HISTORY OF RECONSTRUCTION IN LOUISIANA (THROUGH 1868).

By JOHN ROSE FICKLEN.

The reconstruction of Louisiana was, as compared with the reconstruction of other Southern States, peculiar in several respects. During three years of war Louisiana had 'two governments the Confederate, with headquarters at Shreveport, and the "Union" government, which embraced New Orleans and the near-by parishes. Besides this, the white population was composed of two fairly distinct nationalities, not yet welded into homogeneity-there was in the State a single. large city, control of which gave strength to the reconstructionists; and the negro element of the population was more important in Louisiana than in any other Southern State except South Carolina. For fifteen years Louisiana was undergoing the so-called reconstruction, and at the end of this period the State was in, perhaps, the worst condition socially, economically and politically, in which an American community. ever found itself.

To search the records, sifting the true from the false, and to write of this time requires more than the usual man's equipment of fairness, moderation and charity. That this volume is so free from errors of fact and opinion is proof that its author possessed the best qualities of the genuine historian. For ten years Prof. Ficklen gathered material from all the available sources and compared conflicting accounts, and before his untimely death he had written the first draft of the work through the year 1868. To Prof. Pierce Butler of Newcomb College was intrusted the work of revision and preparation for the press. He has performed his task properly by making only the necessary slight changes and corrections. Prof. Ficklen, it is understood, contemplated the final completion of the work through 1876. "It is a matter of deep re