32 TESTIMONIAL TO MR F. N. MENZIES. 



(applause) — for he did not think that he failed to attend a single meeting of the com- 

 mittee. 



The Duke of BuccLEUCH then said he had to call upon Mr Hutchison to give in a 

 report as to the accounts connected with the testimonial. 



Mr Hutchison said that letters of apology for absence had been received from the 

 following : — The Earl of Strathmore, the Earl of Glasgow, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, 

 Hon. G. R. Vernon, Sir William Forbes of Craigievar, Bart. ; Sir Robert K. A. Dick 

 Cunynghame of Prestonfield, Bart. ; Mr Hunter Arundell of Barjarg ; Mr Erskine of 

 Linlathen ; Mr Farquharson of Haughton ; Mr Ferguson, Kinnochtry ; Mr Irvine of 

 Drum ; Captain Eliott Lockhart of Borthwickbrae ; Mr Maxwell of Gribton ; Mr 

 White-Melville of Bennochy ; Mr A. T. Niven, C.A. ; Mr Ord, Nisbet ; Mr Pagan, 

 Dalchruin ; Mr Skinner of Corra, city clerk ; Mr David Stevenson, C.E. ; Mr Thomas 

 Coutts Trotter, London ; and Mr Young of Cleish Castle. He then went on to say 

 that, in regard to the operations of the committee, he had much pleasure in stating that 

 subscriptions had been received from 671 memliers of the Society, amounting in all to 

 £1320, lis. After deducting expenses, there remained a sum of £1225, 19s. 2d. 



The Duke of Buccleuch said that, in addition to the list of apologies for absence, he 

 had been asked by his son. Lord Dalkeith, to express his great regret that his Parlia- 

 mentary duties prevented him from being present. They had heard from Mr Walker 

 a statement as to the origin of the testimonial. It was not one of an ordinary character 

 — it was not one like what was sometimes thought of after a long series of years of 

 devotion and of work to the Society ; but during the time that Mr Meuzies had held 

 the position of Secretary — about twelve years — there was not one who had been more 

 indefatigable on all occasions in every branch to which his attention was necessarily 

 directed, or if not directed, to which he did not naturally turn. (Applause. ) He him- 

 self could speak from experience — practical experience— of the value of Mr Menzies' 

 services. Having had the honour of holding the high position of President of this 

 Society during the time that Mr Menzies had been acting as Secretary, he knew that it 

 would have been impossible for him to have carried on the duties connected with that 

 position had it not been for Mr Menzies' untiring assiduity, and his constant assistance 

 and information afforded on every occasion — not necessarily official and as Secretary, 

 but freely, willingly, and voluntarily on his part. (Applause.) At the time when Mr 

 Menzies was suffering from domestic affliction last year, they had a very important 

 meeting of the Highland Society in Edinburgh, requiring more than ordinary care and 

 attention, and where the details were very difficult to arrange. But Mr Menzies' sense 

 of duty overcame everything. Whatever his own private feelings might be, his sense 

 of duty carried him forward, and he sacrificed himself in every way to the Society of 

 which he was Secretary. The success which attended that meeting was a sufficient 

 test of the manner in which he discharged his duties. (Applause.) This was not the 

 time for making long speeches, nor had he a long speech to make, because if he did so 

 he would be only recounting what they all personally knew. It was not as if he were 

 to address an assembly to tell what had been done, and about the character and 

 nature of the work of the Secretary, and the person M'ho undertook that work. Mr 

 Menzies had to succeed a most active and energetic man — the late Mr Hall Maxwell — 

 so that he had, if possible, not only a greater stimulus to his exertions, but also a 

 feeling that he must surpass in energy and work those who had gone before him. That 

 Mr Menzies had done so during the time he had been Secretary he thought they would 

 all allow. (Applause.) He thought it was very gratifying, as Mr Walker had told 

 them, that the testimonial had emanated chiefly from the tenantry, who had first 

 started the idea. It was not alone from the rich and opulent— not alone from the great 

 prize-takers and exhibitors — but from the members of the Society and those who took 

 an interest in it. (Applause.) He observed that nearly 700 members of the Society 

 contributed to the testimonial, and that of itself was, he thought, a sufficient test of 

 the estimation in which Mr Menzies was held. (Applause.) He might mention that 

 the amount received from any one individual subscriber was limited to five guineas, 

 although there were many, no doubt, who would have been glad to have exceeded that 

 amount. ( Apjilause. ) There was before him for presentation to Mr Menzies a silver 

 tankard, which had been selected as a sort of memorial, and which could be exhibited 

 on the table or in his house, so that when persons asked what it was, he could answer 

 with pride—" That is a mark I received from the Highland Society of the estimation 

 in which my services were held. " (Loud applause.) 



The tankard is a large and massive piece of workmanship made of Scottish silver 

 from the Duke of Buccleuch's mines at Wanlockhead. The lid is surmounted by the 

 figure of a horse. On one side of the tankard, which is richly ornamented, is the repre- 

 sentation of a shepherd with a flock of sheep ; and on the other a group of horned 

 cattle. The inscription upon it is as follows : — " Presented, along with a sum of 

 £1156, by 671 members of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, to Mr 

 Fletcher Norton Menzies, as a mark of their high appreciation of his services as " 

 Secretary, and of his successful exertions and devotion to duty in promoting the useful- 



