MR. breck's address. 57 



ORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENT. 



For the Year 1863. 



The regular period for the induction of the annually elected officers of the 

 Society, occurred Saturday, January 3, 1863 ; on which occasion the following 

 addresses were delivered by the retiring President, Joseph Breck, and his 

 successor in office, Charles M. Hovey. 



VALEDICTORY ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT BRECK. 



Gentlemen : For the fifth time I present myself before you, to offer my 

 salutations and good wishes at the commencement of a new year ; and the last 

 time I shall address you from the honorable position in which you have been 

 pleased to elect me for four successive years. 



Nothing of special interest has transpired in the transactions of the Society 

 for the past year. 



The Committee on the Publication of the History and Transactions of the 

 Society have made progress in the work, and nearly completed the manuscripts. 

 It will require careful revision, with some alterations and additions. The sub- 

 ject should be referred to the same, or another Committee, for critical examina- 

 tion. The delay of its publication will not be prejudicial to the interests of the 

 Society, on account of the high price of paper ; and what is of more import- 

 ance, that the work may be as perfect as possible before it goes to press. 



A Committee, consisting of the Executive and Finance Committees, were 

 authorized by the Society to select and purchase any estate within certain 

 prescribed limits, suitable for a site on which to erect a hall for the Society. 

 One of the most desirable situations for convenience and central position, to 

 be found in the city, was ascertained to be for sale. Negotiations with the 

 proprietors have been in progress, but up to the present time no purchase has 

 been made. There are some difficulties in the way, which may prevent the 

 purchase; should these difficulties be removed, the Committee will find it 

 necessary to ask for further instructions before any bargain can be made. 



I am happy to state that the finances of the Society are in a flourishing con- 

 dition. The Treasurer has invested $1,000, and there remains a balance in 

 the treasury of nearly $2,000 more than was on hand at the commencement 

 of last year. If there are no extraordinary expenditures, and if we continue on 

 in the same economical course of the past year, we shall be enabled to invest 

 annually, the amount we receive from Mount Auburn. The amount to be re- 

 ceived from this source from the sales of the last year is not precisely known, 

 but estimated to be about $3,600 ; perhaps it may be more. This is about the 

 amount received in the year 1861, which, in consequence of the war or some 



