THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 375 



mittee, which, in fact, was promptly done 

 at their next succeeding meeting. 



Gen. Richardson was further authorized 

 by the Committee, to appoint one or more 

 assistant agents, and instructed to canvass 

 the cities, towns and country, and over as 

 large a portion of the State as possible. 

 This labor he has performed, aided by his 

 eon, William H. Richardson, Jr., in a man- 

 ner most advantageous to the Society, as 

 well as satisfactory to your Committee. 

 This officer will make report of his own 

 labors in detail, which renders it unneces- 

 sary to say more here in this connection. 



As another means of advancing the in- 

 terest of the Society, your Committee en- 

 deavored to enlist the potent agency of the 

 newspaper press, and have the pleasure of 

 stating that they have received the most 

 important aid from that quarter. 



As the result of these various instru- 

 mentalities your Committee have now the 

 satisfaction to report that since the last 

 annual meeting, in December, the number 

 of members has been increased from 

 339 to at least 4000, and the funds in the 

 hands of the Treasurer from $268 to about 

 $8000. 



Having devised and put in motion, as 

 above indicated, the machinery necessary 

 to secure the "material means," your Com- 

 mittee next turned their attention to carry- 

 ing out the resolution adopted at the meet- 

 ing in March last, to the effect that the 

 Society would hold its first exhibition and 

 fair during the ensuing fall. It will be 

 perceived by reference to the proceedings 

 of the meeting just referred to, that the 

 resolution for holding an exhibition was 

 adopted, in connection with another reso- 

 lution, instructing the Committee "to treat 

 with the Council of the City of Richmond 

 for the procurement of suitable grounds 

 for the exhibition, and for such other aid 

 as the city would furnish." 



At as early a period, therefore, as prac- 

 ticable, your Committee sought, and rea- 

 dily obtained, a conference with some of 

 the members of the City Council, and in 

 accordance with the instructions of the 

 Society, invited the Council to give their 

 aid by providing the necessary grounds 

 and fixtures for the exhibition. This pro- 

 position was promptly met and liberally 

 responded to by a vote of the City Coun- 

 cil, ordering the handsome lot, now in 

 charge of your Committee, to be set aside 

 for their use, and appropriating $6000, to 

 be expended in erecting the necessary 

 structures, in conformity to a well digested 



plan, design and estimate furnished by the 

 Committee. 



Subsequently, upon the suggestion of 

 your Chief Marshal, Col. Tompkins, that 

 much expense would be unavoidably in- 

 curred in the administration of the impor- 

 tant departments of police, order and ar- 

 rangements during the exhibition and fair, 

 the Council promptly put at his disposal 

 $1000. And it is further due to the libe- 

 rality of the Council, to state that their 

 first appropriation of $6000, falling consi- 

 derably short of accomplishing the requi- 

 site fixtures on the grounds, they did not 

 falter in the work, but went on to execute 

 the designs of your Committee until the 

 aggregate of their expenditures cannot 

 have fallen far short, if any, of the sum of 

 $10,000. 



It is deemed unnecessary to trouble the 

 Society with a detailed account of the la- 

 bors involved in preparing for this first ex- 

 hibition, in designing and executing the 

 improvements on the ground, in prescrib- 

 ing rules and regulations, in preparing a 

 premium list and selecting and appointing 

 judges of award, in appointing a corps of 

 marshals and organizing a system of po- 

 lice, so as to secure the best possible ar- 

 rangements and order on the grounds. 

 The results of these labors are now before 

 the Society, and whatever of defect may 

 appear in them, it is hoped will be viewed 

 with indulgence and attributed to the no- 

 velty and real difficulties of the task, rather 

 than to any delinquencies on the part of 

 your Committee. 



We cannot, however, dismiss this sub- 

 ject without directing your particular at- 

 tention to the very liberal public spirit and 

 the enlightened policy evinced by the City 

 Council, in the very handsome provision 

 made for the Society's exhibition. 



And further, without acknowledging our 

 obligations to Thos. T. Giles, Esq., whose 

 zeal and cultivated taste were most use- 

 fully exercised in directing the execution 

 of the improvements on the grounds; and 

 also to Mr. Gill, the skilful and obliging 

 City Engineer, who furnished, under the 

 direction of the Committee, the plans and 

 specifications, and superintended the work 

 during its progress to completion. 



From the first it was clearly perceived 

 that the costly and laborious preparations 

 for the Society's exhibition would be made 

 to little purpose, should not the rail road 

 and other transportation companies lead- 

 ing into Richmond, offer all requisite faci- 

 lities in the way of transporting persons, 



