139 



by the official head of the Confederate States ; and the 

 memorable proclamation of President Lincoln, in the 

 original draft, giving liberty to the enslaved". 



By the liberality of the citizens of Chicago, who held 

 in high estimation the influence and labors of this society, 

 a building, supposed to be fire-proof, forty by fifty feet, 

 and designed to be the right wing of the future main 

 edifice, was erected a few years since at an expense of 

 over $60,000, including the land, for the depository of its 

 library and collections, and a fund was raised in additiofl 

 thereto, yielding an annual revenue of more than one 

 thousand dollars for their care and increase. 



Mr. James Kimball proposed that a committee of three 

 be appointed by the chair to draft resolutions of sympa- 

 thy to be sent to the Chicago Historical Society. 



The proposition was adopted and Messrs. James Kim- 

 ball, E. C. Bolles and the Secretary were appointed for 

 the purpose. 



The committee retired, and after a short absence, re- 

 ported the following resolution, which was unanimously 

 adopted. 



Whereas, the Essex Institute has learned with great 

 regret that in the late disastrous fire at Chicago the build- 

 ing, library and collections of the Historical Society of 

 that city were entirely destroyed, therefore : 



Resolved. That the Essex Institute desires to assure 

 the Chicago Historical Society of the profound sympathy 

 and its earnest wish both to replace all the publications ot 

 the Institute which were in that library, and to afford all 

 other aid which it may be in its power to give. 



THE SALEM AND BOSTON STAGE COMPANY. 



A communication from Mr. WILLIAM H. FOSTER was 

 read, containing his reminiscences of the days of stage 

 coaches in Salem and of the Salem and Boston stage 



