PROCEEDINGS—EXECUTIVE MEETINGS. 
I'll 
questions relating to the exhibition and the general affairs of 
the society. 
Mr. Hoyt submitted an informal resignation of the office of 
secretary. He said that having held the office for more than 
ten years, during which time he had formed strong attach¬ 
ments both for the work to which he had been devoted and 
for those who had been so intimately associated with him in 
it, it was with no little reluctance that he was constrained to 
this course. But that his past labors had been at so great a 
sacrifice of personal and pecuniary interests, that now, at the 
end of so long a period of public service, he felt it to be not 
only his privilege but a duty to himself and family, whose ne¬ 
cessities had outgrown the present means of supplying them. 
He farther stated that these views were confirmed to himself, 
and are susceptible of being established in the judgment of 
his associates in the board, by the fact that during the past 
years, other fields of labor had been opened to him upon 
which he would have entered had he consulted his own inter¬ 
ests merely, and that he had under consideration at this time 
a definite proposition from a neighboring state by the accept¬ 
ance of which he could more than double his present income. 
Several members expressed regret that the compensation 
heretofore made to the secretary for the onorous and responsi¬ 
ble duties of his office had been so much less than adequate, 
as well as their extreme reluctance to part with his services, 
and the hope that it would be possible to devise some plan 
under which he would find it possible to strengthen his resour¬ 
ces and yet continue his labors in behalf of the society and of 
the general interests of the state. 
In pursuance of which, on motion of Governor Dewey, it 
was proposed that the unanimous consent of the board should 
be given to the assumption by the secretary of any other duties 
and responsibilities, whether in Wisconsin or elsewhere, that 
would not be incompatible with the general direction and effi¬ 
cient management of the affairs of this society, and the hope 
expressed that upon the basis of the liberty of action thus 
