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Its library now contains fifty-six thousand volumes and pamphlets, many of which, relating to Minnesota and Northwestern History, cannot probably be found in any other collection.

Its department of newspapers comprises complete series of nearly every paper ever issued in Minnesota, from the beginning of its existence as a territory. Every week about three hundred and fifty newspapers, of the daily and weekly issues, from all parts of the state, are received and stored until their volumes are ready for binding. There are now about three thousand bound volumes of these Minnesota newspapers in a fireproof vault of the Society, accessible, under Mr. Chaney's care, to all who desire to consult them; thus constituting a mine of priceless information, not only for purposes of consultation in legal and other ways at the present time, but more especially valuable to the thorough historian of the future. And we are proud to be among the pioneers of this method of conserving the current history of the day. The Council of the Society is glad to know that, in the new Capitol building soon to be constructed, space will be provided, ample and secure, for these valuable and rapidly increasing volumes. There are one hundred and fifty-three names upon the roll of Life Members, twenty-three of whom have already passed away. Many of them have taken a large share in making the fair history of our Commonwealth, and have written, or otherwise aided in making up the published volumes of our Historical Collections. Their names I should be glad to recall, did time permit.

The list of our Corresponding Members, who especially aid the Society by contributions of manuscript and historical publications from other states and countries, being men distinguished for their public services and interest in historical research, numbers ninety-nine, of whom forty have died, leaving fifty-nine now living.

Among these I may mention such names as Robert Clarke, of Cincinnati; Gen. C. W. Darling, of Utica, N. Y.; Dr. Samuel A. Green, of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, who has donated more books and other publications to our Society than any other person outside the State; the late Benson J. Lossing, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; John P. Nicholson,

of Philadelphia, Recorder of the Loyal Legion of the United States; and the late William F. Poole, of Chicago, most eminent of American librarians.

Our list of Honorary Members numbers fifty-seven. Thirtyeight of these have died during the term of nearly fifty years since our Society began. Many of these were elected during its early years, when our Minnesota historian, the Rev. Edward D. Neill, was our Secretary. Subsequent to his term of service, the Society was for twenty-six years under the efficient and devoted care of the late J Fletcher Williams. Among our honorary members are the following names, mostly belonging to the past generation and all distinguished for their attainments in literature, science, or statesmanship: Louis Agassiz; George Bancroft; Lewis Cass; Thomas Ewing; Millard Fillmore; General Hancock; Kane, the Arctic explorer; Lapham, of Wisconsin; John Lothrop Motley; the poet and geologist, Percival; Stephen R. Riggs, the missionary and author of the Dakota Dictionary; William H. Seward; Henry R. Schoolcraft; Zachary Taylor; and Bishop Whipple. The Society's publications are exchanged with other historical and scientific societies, universities, colleges, and great public libraries, in every state of the Union, in all the provinces of Canada, and in every country of Europe, besides also far away Japan and Australia.

Thus the labors, sacrifices, and successes, of the Minnesota pioneers go forth in our volumes to the ends of the earth and the islands of the sea. In return, flowing into our Library, are the similar historical, descriptive, biographical, and statistical records of all civilized lands.

Though in the beginning, as I well remember, we had abundance of space in an apartment not more than ten feet square, our numbers, our volumes, and our collections of historical data, have so greatly increased that they now crowd and overflow our present quarters. When the new and more commodious Capitol shall have been completed, we shall receive, we are informed, for our library, museum, and rooms for meetings, three times as much space as we at present occupy,— a day, to which, as you see, we have reason to look forward with impatience.

On many occasions this Society and its friends have entertained visitors of world-wide renown for their work in the development of learning, of good government, and the extension of civilization and Christianity. One such occasion that I remember with especial distinctness was in the summer of 1860, over thirty-five years ago, when two most interesting men, from distant parts of the continent, happened to be visiting at the same time in our young city, namely, William H. Seward, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Anderson, Bishop of Rupert's Land. The aforementioned apartment was thrown open and a reception was held in their honor. They were much interested in our work and congratulated us upon what we had already accomplished, speaking words of cheer and encouragement, and urging us to still greater effort. Both of these men have since passed away, leaving a history behind them with which we are proud to be identified in even so slight a degree.

It would be difficult and might be tedious to enumerate the many instances in which the Society has done especially useful work, but it just occurs to me (having recently received a letter in regard to this subject) that among the achievements in which it may take satisfaction, is the publication, with the coöperation of the Smithsonian Institution, at an early day, of the Dakota Lexicon, prepared by S. R. Riggs and the Brothers Pond, thus preserving the language of the most noted and powerful of the tribes of North American Indians; also, the vindication of the claims of the discoverers of the sources of the Mississippi, so ably handled by our fellow member, General J. H. Baker; and, again, the successful advocacy, before the Legislature, of the project for the establishment of a State Park at Lake Itasca, in which we had the invaluable assistance of Hon. J. V. Brower.

This Society is here for the service of the State, as it has been in the past and shall be in the future. Its history is gathered in our Library from year to year, from week to week, and day by day. Its doors are open free to all, and its custodians welcome all who seek to drink at its fountains.

OPENING OF THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH

TO COMMERCE AND CIVILIZATION.*

BY CAPTAIN RUSSELL BLAKELEY.

On May 8th, 1857, the House of Commons ordered that a select committee be appointed to consider the state of those British Possessions in North America which are under the administration of the Hudson Bay Company, or over which they possess a license to trade. On May 12th it was ordered that the committee consist of nineteen members. The committee was appointed as follows:

Mr. Secretary Labouchere,
Lord John Russell,

Lord Stanley,

Mr. Edward Ellice,

Viscount Sandon,

Mr. Kinnaird,

Mr. Blackburn,

Mr. Alexander Matheson,

Mr. Percy Herbert,

Sir John Pakington,

Mr. Gladstone,

Mr. Roebuck,

Mr. Lowe,

Mr. Grogan,

Mr. Gregson,

Mr. Chas. Fitzwilliam,

Mr. Gurney,

Viscount Goderich.

It was ordered that they have the power to send for persons, papers and records; and that five be a quorum. On May 13th it was ordered that Mr. Christy be added to the committee. On July 31st it was ordered that the committee have power to report their observations, together with the minutes of evidence taken before them, to the House.

The minutes and evidence were reported to the House and ordered printed July 31st and August 11th, 1857. This report contains 547 pages, with three maps, and may be found in

* An Address at the Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Historical Society, Jan. 13,

Case No. 20 of this Society. Those who would like to know the history of the Hudson Bay Company should read it.

The recommendations and findings of the committee are quite too long to be repeated here, but I may say they recommend that the license to trade be terminated at the expiration of the present term of twenty-one years (in 1859) in such districts of the territory claimed under their charter as Canada may wish to open up and colonize, that these districts be ceded to Canada, and that the rights of the Hudson Bay Company wholly cease as to that part so surrendered. This was supposed to be about the end of the company's control of the region adjoining the Red river of the North and the Saskatchewan; and every one in Canada and Minnesota anticipated early action of the Imperial and Dominion Governments in opening up the country to settlement.

In the winter of 1857, at Washington, D. C., by the kind offices of Hon. H. M. Rice, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Ramsay Crooks, the New York agent of the Hudson Bay Company, who told me that he had just effected an arrangement with the Secretary of the Treasury, by which the goods of the Hudson Bay Company would be carried in bond through the United States, to Fort Garry, by way of Saint Paul. He wished to make an arrangement with some one to act as agent for the company in Saint Paul. I informed him that in the spring Messrs. J. C. & H. C. Burbank would succeed Blakeley & Burbank in the forwarding business in Saint Paul, and that I would recommend him to correspond with them in regard to what he wished done.

In the summer of 1858 two or three shipments of goods were received in Saint Paul and were taken by the brigade of the Hudson Bay Company's carts, under the charge and direction of Mr. James McKey, a most efficient man to handle this kind of transportation in the prairie country.

It is not possible to convey to you the impression made upon our business men by this evident good faith and determination of the Hudson Bay Company to abandon York Factory as their route of transportation, together with the determination of the Imperial Government to terminate the exclusive jurisdiction of the Hudson Bay Company in Northwest British America.

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