EARLY niSTORY OF 8TATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 383 



place to start it. After some corrospnndenco upon the subject, Mr. Dart men- 

 tioned it to some of the members of the Legislature, who immediately responded 

 in favor of the project. Thereupon a call was made on the 5th of March, 1849, 

 for a meeting to be held at the capital on the evening of the 10th of March, to 

 take into consideration the matter of forming a Htate agricultural society. 

 This call was signed by the executive officers of the State and members of 

 the Senate and House of Representatives. 



the first meetikg ux])er this call. 



Hall of the House of Representatives, 

 Lansing, Mich., March 10th, 18Jf.9. 



In pursuance of this call a meeting was held at 7 o'clock this evening, in the 

 hall of the House, and was called to order by Hon. Titus Dart of Wayne 

 county, on whose motion Governor Ransom was appointed p»resident of the 

 meeting. 



The president, in taking the chair, expressed his gratification at this mark 

 of distinction conferred by the meeting, and made an eloquent allusion to the 

 pride which he felt in being able to call himself a practical farmer. He then 

 invited gentlemen present to favor the assemblage with their views on the sub- 

 ject for which they had met. 



On motion of Lieutenant-Governor Fenton, A. W. Hovey was appointed 

 secretary of the meeting. 



Mr. Dart offered the following resolutions, which were unanimously'adopted, 

 viz. : 



Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed by the president, whose duty it shall 

 be to prepare and report, at a subsequent meeting, a plan for the or^^anization of a Stale 

 Agricultural Society, and that they are requested to report such a constitution and bydaws 

 as they may deem most suitable to promote the legitimate purpose of such a society. 



Besoived, That said committee be requested to inquire and report upon tlie expediency of 

 applying to the Legisfature for pecuniary aid in the organization and conduct of such a 

 society ; and also for applying for an act of incorporation for the same. 



Resolved, That when this meeting adjourn, it will adjourn to meet at this place on Satur- 

 day next, at 7 o'clock, p. m., and that the public generally be respectfully but earnestly 

 urged to attend. 



The president appointed as the committee under the first resolution, Mr. 

 Dart, of "Wayne; Mr. Deming, of Lenawee; Mr. Salyer, of Washtenaw; Mr. 

 Belding, of Oakland ; Mr. Loomis, of St. Clair; Mr. McKinney, of Van Buren ; 

 and Mr. Matthews, of St. Joseph. The meeting then adjourned. 



the SECOJjfD MEETING. 



House of Representatives, ) 

 Saturday, 7 P. M., March 17th, ISJ^O. \ 



In pursuance of adjournment, the meeting for the purpose of organizing a 

 State Agricultural Society convened in the Capitol, and was called to order by 

 Gov. Ransom, the President. 



Mr. Dart, from the committee appointed at the former meeting, reported 

 that the committee had performed the duty assigned them, ami that Mr. 

 Loomis would read the report. 



Mr. Loomis read two bills drawn up by the committee for presentation to the 

 Legislature, one of them incorporating the State Agricultural Society, and the 

 other making an appropriation, under certain restrictions, in aid of the ob- 

 jects of the society; and also reported a constitution, which report was accepted 

 and the committee discharged. 



