Corresponding Secretary.—Thomas H. Cummings.
Actuary.—William H. Colcord.
The annual address, entitled "Daniel Webster as an Orator," was then delivered by the Rev. Thomas Alexander Hyde.
January 18.—At Lowell, Mass., the Joint Special Committee of the City Council, appointed to consider the expediency of observing April 1, the fiftieth anniversary of the city's incorporation, by a formal celebration, decided that it was expedient. James Russel Lowell, who is a nephew of Francis Cabot Lowell, the founder of the city, will probably deliver the oration.
January 28, 29.—A serious ice-storm did great havoc among trees in many of the cities and towns of New England.
February 11.—Meeting of the Mass. Historical Society, the Rev. Dr. Ellis, the president, being in the chair. The death of Francis E. Parker, who had been for twenty-three years a member of the society, called forth earnest words from those who were intimately associated with him.
Mr. Quincy presented to the cabinet of the society a piece of Shakspere's mulberry-tree, which had been cut from a block that belonged to David Garrick, and was sealed with his seal (a head of Shakspere), as a witness of its authenticity. This block was presented to the distinguished actor by the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Stratford, at the famous jubilee of 1769. Mr. Quincy gave a short sketch of Robert Balmanno, a Shaksperian scholar and collector, who possessed the original block, with Garrick's seal upon it, and whose affidavit is attached to the piece given to the society. The Hon. R. C. Winthrop presented to the society a large framed photograph of Daniel Webster, taken from an original crayon portrait which has been hanging on his own walls for forty years. The latter was drawn by Eastman Johnson at Mr. Winthrop's request, and at the very time that Healy was taking a likeness in oil for the royal gallery at Versailles. The sittings, which lasted about a week, were held in one of the old committee-rooms of Congress, down in the crypts of the Capitol. The crayon, when finished, elicited expressions of admiration from some of the most intimate friends of Mr. Webster, and it was afterwards lithographed; but this photograph is better, and is hardly less impressive than the original. The president read a letter of sympathy prepared to be sent to Gov. Hutchinson on his departure for England by some prominent citizens of Milton. An indignant protest from other citizens compelled the retraction of this letter before it was sent. These papers will appear in a history of Milton now in preparation. Mr. Deane offered a resolution from the Council that a committee be appointed to inquire into the value and extent of the labors of Mr. B. F. Stevens in publishing from the archives of the states of Europe the diplomatic correspondence and other papers relating to the United States between 1772 and 1784, and to report whether or not it be desirable for this society to take any action to encourage the work. Mr. Winsor and Dr. Green were appointed members of this committee. Dr. Moore moved that a letter once written by a committee of this society on the centennial celebration of the settlement of Boston, which does not appear on its records, be reproduced in the proceedings, since the action of this society was the first step which led to that interesting celebration.