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The President made the following communication : 



The subject of erecting a Monument, a Memorial Hall, 

 or of testifying by some mark of esteem to those who 

 took part in the recent war for the Union, has been dis- 

 cussed in the newspapers and in the social circle. The 

 City Government has also had at different times several 

 plans under consideration, but no definite action has thus 

 far been taken. 



It has also been frequently stated with much regret 

 that Salem has no Public Library, and that in this respect 

 she is far behind her neighbors, Lynn, Peabody, Dan- 

 vers, Beverly, Ipswich, Georgetown, Newburyport and 

 other places, which each have a well sustained Library. 

 In most of these cases the liberality of one or more of its 

 citizens, or of some of its sons, who have been fortunate 

 in commercial or other enterprises elsewhere, remember- 

 ing the places of their birth and childhood with grateful 

 feelings, gave the first impulse. Thus, Mr. George Pea- 

 body founded those at Peabody, Dauvers, and George- 

 town, and contributed a liberal fund to the one in New- 

 buryport, which owes its origin to the generosity of Mr. 

 Little. Mr. Heard greeted a building, furnished a collec- 

 tion of books and a fund, for at least its partial support, in 

 the town of Ipswich. The Public Library in Boston was 

 indebted largely, in its incipient stages, to Mr. Joshua 

 Bates. Mr. Albert Fearing followed the example of Mr. 

 Heard, and founded a library for his native town of 

 Hingham. Mrs. Eben Sutton founded a reference library 

 in Peabody, in connection with the Institute of that place. 

 The Messrs. Smith and Dove contributed liberally to one 

 in Andover, and also built at their own expense a beauti- 

 ful building for the library of the Theological Seminary 

 there located. Many instances of a similar character can 

 be cited. 



Let us look at the condition of things in Salem. The 



