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At the session of the Legislature for 1853, the Society presented a 

 petition asking the State to appropriate for the benefit of the Society, 

 the sum of Sl,000 for 1853, and the sum of $1,000 for 1854. Also, 

 to cause to be printed two thousand copies, at least, of the Annual Re- 

 ports of the Society for the years 1852 and 1853. 



To this petition the Legislature responded by making the appropria- 

 tions asked for. 



I will not now give you a detailed statement of the financial affairs 

 of the Society for each year, but will state that each year before we 

 can replenish our treasury, it is found to be not only empty, but the ac- 

 count has been overdrawn, and the Treasurer has very kindly furnislied 

 means to supply the deficiency until money received at the fair comes 

 to his relief. 



I have made the above statements for the purpose of showing you 

 wbat amount of funds we have received each year from the State; also, 

 that the act making the last appropriation has expired, and it will be 

 necessary to petition the Legislature, at its approaching session, for an 

 appropriation that will be nearer adequate to the wants of the Society, 

 and to what it should receive from the fostering hand of the State, than 

 it has hitherto received. Money may, or may not, be the base and 

 spring of our action, but this is certain, that for the want of it our 

 eflEbrts have been, and still are, crippled. 



The report of the Financial Committee of the last year premises 

 that after the payment of the debts a balance would be left in the trea- 

 sury. There were some premiums and other indebtedness unpaid at 

 that time of which that Committee w^ere not aware. All those debts 

 have since been paid. 



The amount of drafts drawn upon the Treasurer to pay premiums 

 awarded in money at the sixth annual Fair is $3,070 00. 



The amount drawn for current expenses of the year, including the 

 purchase of a tent, which cost $350 00, fitting up the Fairground, the 

 payment of several bills laid over from the last year, &c., is $4,070 08. 



We have on hand bronze medals, that were purchased last year, 

 sufficient to supply the demand for this year. We have a fQVf silver 

 medals, but not as many as are wanting. 



A few essays have been presented to compete for the premiums 

 ofi'ered. They are now in the hands of the Committee on Essays. 



