OFFICERS OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elected January, 1841. PRESIDENT, PETER AUGUSTUS JAY, LID. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, WILLIAM BEACH LAWRENCE. SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, RECORDING SECRETARY, BENJAMIN ROBERT WINTHROP. TREASURER, ARCHIBALD RUSSELL. LIBRARIAN, GEORGE FOLSOM. Committee of Publication, FRANCIS L. HAWKS, D.D. PETER A. JAY, LL.D. HON. JAMES KENT, LL.D. GEORGE FOLSOM, WILLIAM BEACH LAWRENCE. Standing Committees. ON PRINTED PUBLICATIONS. GEORGE GIBBS, ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, JOHN R. BARTLETT. ON MANUSCRIPTS. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS WILKINS, GEORGE B. RAPELYE, PROSPER M. WETMORE. AN ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSE, DELIVERED BEFORE THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BY THE HON. JAMES KENT, LL.D. (President of the Society,) DECEMBER 6TH, 1828. [REPRINTED.] ROOMS OF THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, } December 9th, 1828. Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be presented to the Honorable JAMES KENT, for his able, appropriate, and highly interesting Discourse, delivered in the Hall of Columbia College, on the 6th of December instant; and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the same for publication. Resolved, That Dr. John W. Francis, Rev. Dr. Wainwright, and Charles King. Esq., be a Committee to carry the foregoing resolution into effect. From the Minutes. JOSEPH BLUNT, DISCOURSE, &c. GENTLEMEN OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ir is a subject of just congratulation, that we now find this Society in a condition to pursue, with success, the patriotic design of the founders of the institution. By means of the bounty of the legislature, and the public spirit of several of the members, we are relieved from our embarrassments, and are enabled to display, to great advantage, the valuable collection of books and historical documents which we possess. Our collections heretofore lay in such disorder, that few persons were aware of their intrinsic value. They have been redeemed from confusion, and made conveniently accessible to the scholar and the antiquary; and can now, with great satisfaction, be presented to the view of our own citizens, and of intelligent strangers. For this improvement, our thanks are especially due to Mr. Delafield, the Treasurer; and it is to his industry, taste, and zcal, that we are indebted for this new and beautiful arrangement of our historical materials. When we advert to what has been done in other States, and particularly in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and perceive how much they have hitherto surpassed us in the extent and value of their researches, I trust we shall feel an additional stimulus to acquit ourselves of our duty, and throw back upon our own annals some of the light and lustre which emanate from the spirit of the age. As the object of the Society is to discover, collect, and preserve materials calculated to illustrate the history of our country, it has appeared to me to be suitable to the design of this anniversary meeting, to call your attention to some reflections, arising upon a view of the domestic history of this State. If I do not greatly deceive myself, there is no portion of the history of this country, which is more instructive, or better calculated to embellish our national character. The eastern descendants of the pilgrims are justly proud of their colonial ancestors; and they are wisely celebrating, on all |