Page 48 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

46 . WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS.

does history contain philosophy. It is grander than the natural
sciences; for its study is man, the last work OF creation, and the
most perfect in its relations with the Infinite."
Such is the office of History-.and such, inferentially, is the
office of IIistorical Societies. It may not become those to
whom the interests of the State Histo~ical Socicty of Wiscon-
sin have bcen committed the past year, to speak too sanguinely
of the advances the Society has made in its means of useful-
ness; yet in rendering an account of their stewardship, they feel
it to be a pleasant task-for continued success has attended
their efforts during the year vhich has just closed. I
.Financial Condition of the Society.
In compliance with acts of the Legislature, granting one
thousand dollars annually to the Society, it becomes the duty of
the Executive Committee to present herewith the report of the
Treasurer for the past year, exhibiting the manner of the expcn-
diture of the appropriation, together with the accompanying
vouchers. It will be seen, that the total receipts of the gear
into the General Fund, including the small balance on hand on
the 1st of January last, have been $1,150 24; and the disburse-
ments $1,097 35-leaving a balance, of the General Fund, in
the Treasury of $22 89. The balancc of $47 77, reported on
the 1st of January last, of the International Literary Exchange
Fund, is still unexpended.
Increase of the Li8rary.
Though the Society was organized ten ycars ago, during its
first five years very little was accomplished-nothing except to
gather fifty volumes into its Library, and secure two interesting
annual addresses, one by Gen. WILLIAM R. SMITII, and the
other by Hon. ~IORGAN L. MARTIN. But during the past five
years, its progress has been steady and satisfactory in all the
departments of its labors-the Library, Picture Gallery, Cabi-
net, manuscript historical narratives, newspaper files, atlases
and maps, pamphlets, and its threo published volumes of col-
lections.