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opinions and solicitations of you and my friends, who have succeeded 

 almost, not quite, in persuading me that I possess some qualifications for 

 the office ; and while I now promise to serve the Society to the best of the 

 little knowledge and ability I may have, I deem it prudent, on my part at 

 least, to say that those friends must take their full share of responsibility 

 for all my deficiencies, and I rely upon them to support me in all my 

 labors. 



As I was one of the committee for nomination of officers for the year we 

 have just entered upon, I may be allowed to say a few words in regard to 

 my own nomination for the office of President. My associates in that com- 

 mittee will do me the justice to say that I took no part in any measure 

 whatever tending to place myself in nomination ; on the contrary, I have 

 often urged, with all my feeble powers, the stronger claims and higher 

 qualifications of other members. I found no difficulty in pointing out a 

 number of names, each one of which possessed talents for the office supe- 

 rior to mine, and though it would be a difficult matter to choose from 

 among their number, it may not be improper to say that the gentlemen 

 who now occupy the chairs of your Vice-Presidents, are any of them 

 admirably qualified for the office of President. It would have given me 

 great pleasure to have seen either of them filling this chair. 



And now what shall I say of the gentleman who has just retired from it? 

 For six years he has filled this office and discharged its duties with signal 

 ability. The history of his acts are to be found in many of the doings 

 which have given honor and prosperity to our Society, and while I remem- 

 ber with gratitude and reverence the eminent men who have preceded him, 

 to none would I award warmer thanks. He carries with him, I am sure, 

 the hearty good wishes of every member of our Society, who cannot but 

 feel regret at his declination of an office upon which he has shed so much 

 lustre. 



Permit me to offer a few suggestions of a business character for your 

 consideration, namely : That our annual shows be confined to our own 

 ' rooms, and that the standard quality of articles there exhibited shall be 

 raised to suit the room we have, with the exception of those years when 

 the mechanics hold their grand fair ; at which time I propose that we should 

 hold our great exhibition at the Music Hall or some other suitable place. 



Judging from our past experience, the public taste appears to be over- 

 tasked with shows ; would it not be better, therefore, to make them more 

 of a novelty, — by that means avoiding, to some extent, the risk of loss to 

 ourselves ? 



It appears self-evident that the present time is an appropriate one to urge 

 upon the Society the propriety of exercising the utmost economy in its 

 disbursements and expenses. This feeling is in harmony with the present 

 sentiment of the country ; the monetary crisis having crushed the hopes 

 of thousands, of our friends and associates, and, as if not satisfied, has 

 crossed the ocean to spread desolation upon foreign lands. While deploring 

 this sad state of things, and returning to our own modest and comely 

 temple, where we are wont to meet and mingle our good wishes in friend- 



