HINTS 



FOR THE 



CONSIDERATION OF THE TRUSTEES, 



NOVEMBER, 1848. 



By the President of the Society. 



Thirty years having elapsed since the organization of the Society, 

 there is propriety in a retrospective glance, to ascertain what en- 

 couragement, if any, may be found for the guidance of our future 

 movements. In this way alone, can a profitable application of the 

 lessons of experience be made. 



Among the objects that first arrest the attention, are the lessons 

 of instruction, from the first President of the Society, by whose en- 

 lightened enterprise it was founded. No one who did not witness 

 these can ever duly appreciate the obligations the Society are under 

 for his wisdom and perseverance. He entered the forests, as it 

 were, axe in hand, and cleared them for our use. 



Conspicuous on the early pages of the Records, is an elaborate 

 report on the principles of Free Trade, as then advocated by the 

 dominant party in New England. This is adverted to, not for the 

 purpose of discussing the views then expressed, which were without 

 doubt honestly entertained, but which would probably be cautiously 

 assented to at the present time, but to draw therefrom a lesson of 

 instruction, against adopting with too much confidence, any opinions 

 on speculative subjects. If minds like his, clear and honest, could 

 be in error, how much more likely to be wrong are those of an in- 

 ferior order ? All topics of a party character should be scrupulously 

 avoided, in the management of an institution like this. Nor should 

 any theories be countenanced or approved, until tested by experi- 

 ment. If we would have our opinions of value, in the estimation of 

 others, we should be cautious in the expression of such opinions. 



MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. 

 The preservation of the ranks of our members has not received 

 that attention its importance demands. Previous to the first exhibi 



