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have the security against destruction or loss which a multiplication of copies, by printing, would afford. Accordingly, as early as 1833, the society published, in a pamphlet of 85 pages, some of the manuscripts collected by it. Its operations were suspended from the 20th of February 1838 until the 18th of February 1847. Then through the efforts of a few gentlemen, promi nent among whom was William Maxwell, Esquire, the society was re-organized. Its first annual meet ing, under its new organization, was held on the 16th of January 1848. On this occasion an appropriate address was delivered by the president, William C. Rives, Esquire; and a report was made by the exe cutive committee. A part of “ the plan of the committee,” set forth in this report, “is to publish in chronological order, whatever matter relating to our history, it may deem worthy of publication. In preparing the matter for the press,” the committee say, “ a careful examination will be made, not only of Smith, Beverley, Stith, Burk, and other books with which a Vir ginian is familiar, but of other works, hitherto not accessi ble in this state. What is taken from each will be given in the language of the original author. It will be a lead ing object to prepare the matter with such fullness, that in each volume published by the society, may he found all that is of value in the period of our history, embraced by it. While, at the same time, it will be attempted to make
