98 



Since I have been President of the Society, it has ever been my earnest 

 purpose, gentlemen, to discharge the duties that thereby devolved upon me 

 with impartiality, fidelity, and to the best of my ability. That I should 

 have always succeeded in such attempts, either to my own or your satisfac- 

 tion, was hardly to have been expected. But yet, conscious of integrity of 

 purpose, I do not feel that I am now called upon to attempt any apology for 

 shortcomings in duty, but rely upon your kindness for an indulgent con- 

 sideration of my errors. 



For whatever of success has attended me in my efforts to promote the 

 objects and interests of this Society, I am under obligations to the gentle- 

 men who, at different times, have been associated with me in the adminis- 

 tration of its affairs, for assistance and cooperation ; and I would especially, 

 in this connection, bear testimony to the fidelity with which the duties of 

 its Superintendent have been discharged by the present incumbent in that 

 office. 



During the time that I have been President of the Society, it has been 

 called upon to part with many who have at times been among its members, 

 some having been taken away by death, others having voluntarily with- 

 drawn ; and here, perhaps, a mournful satisfaction might be indulged in 

 the mention of those that, taken away by death, were, when living, united to 

 some of us by the bonds of intimacy and friendship, to all of us by the 

 ties of common pursuits and common interests, — by speaking of such, their 

 labors, their efforts, their successes, their attainments, and their virtues ; 

 but to do this, would be to attempt the performance of a perhaps invidious 

 duty, and one that had therefore better be omitted. These, if no longer 

 with us, are not forgotten, nor was their loss unlamented ; if unnamed, 

 they are not unhonored in our memories. But notwithstanding the loss 

 sustained from these causes, it has been more than made good by the 

 addition of new members, and there are now more names borne on the 

 rolls of the Society than at any former period. 



For the six years that I have been President, the position of Chairman 

 of the Fruit Committee has for all that time been filled by the same gen- 

 tleman, in a manner that has given universal satisfaction ; and for the same 

 time, the several Standing Committees of the Society have consisted in part 

 of the same members, who have continued to perform their onerous but 

 important functions with commendable discretion and fidelity ; and of whose 

 labors the Society has shown a due appreciation. For the same period as 

 that to which I have alluded, the gentleman who is now Treasurer of the 

 Society has continued to discharge the important duties assigned to that 

 office, with, I need not say to you who know him, signal skill and ability ; 

 and during this time the income of the Society has been sufficiently large 

 to permit the discharge of the debt heretofore existing against the Society, 

 beside allowing a very considerable addition to its permanent funds. 



Whether, then, we have reference to the number of its members or to 

 the amount of its funds, the condition of the Society cannot be considered 

 other than eminently prosperous. 



I congratulate you. gentlemen, on this prosperous state of affairs. I con- 



