IN ACCORDANCE with the By-Laws, the Society met at 12 o'clock in their room in the Library Building. The President, Hon. JOSEPH C. HORNBLOWER, on taking the Chair, congratulated the members on their being permitted at last to assemble in their own commodious and well arranged apartment. The Society now, not only had a name, but so far as its library and cabinets were concerned, a locality also; and he doubted not that the time would come when even more enlarged accommodations would be required.

He also took occasion to present in the name of Madame Van Polanen, Van Doornick, of Bridgeport, Conn., "Notices of the Life and Character of Roger Gerard Van Polanen," at one time Minister to the United States: accompanying the presentation with some remarks relative to the family of the donor, who was reared on the banks of the Passaic, at Belleville.

After the minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, the Corresponding Secretary reported upon the correspondence of the Society and laid upon the table letters from Rev. Dr. SPRAGUE, of Albany, Dr. A. L. ELWYN and WM. B. REED, Esq. of Philadelphia in acknowledgment of their election as honorary members; from EDWARD ARMSTRONG, Esq., of Philadelphia, in relation to an intended publication of a Family Genealogical History; from Mr. S. V. SMITH, Librarian of the Penn. Hist. Soc., with a fac-simile of a very ancient map of a part of New Jersey drawn by him for the Society; from

Col. ROBERT G. JOHNSON, Mr. S. ALOFSEN and Mr. F. H. WOLCOTT, with donations; from the Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass.; the Historical Societies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia, and the American Philosophical Society, acknowledging the receipt of the Society's publications, &c.; from Rev. G. W. BETHUNE, D. D., stating that the death of a near relative would prevent his being present with the Society, as was expected; and from various individuals in the State in reference to the Society's affairs.

The Map transmitted by Mr. Smith is entitled "A Mapp of Rariton River, Milstone River, South River, Raway River, Boundbrook, Greenbrook and Cedarbrook, with the plantations thereupon: also those of Chinquarora, Wickatonk, the heads of Hop River, Swiming River, and Manasquam River, likewise appends some on Hackingsack River." The Secretary pronounced it a valuable relic, the surveys upon which it was based having been made about 1685 by John Reid, who was sent over by the Scotch Proprietors in 1683. He had been gardener to the Lord Advocate of Scotland, and a letter from him to a friend in Edinburgh is given in "Scot's Model." He acted for several years as Deputy to the Surveyor General.

The Librarian announced the donations received since the last meeting, and reported that since the organization of the Society in 1845, nearly six hundred volumes had been presented to it, and more than nine hundred and fifty manuscripts, originals and copies. The number of volumes now in the Library was about one thousand, and the pamphlets, which had been classified and arranged for binding, would add more than fifty to that number. Preparations for a full catalogue had been completed.

The Treasurer presented a report of his receipts and expenditures, showing a balance in the Treasury of $214.75.

Mr. WHITEHEAD, from the Special Committee appointed to urge upon the Legislature the propriety of adopting immediate measures to procure from England copies of the missing Minutes of the Provincial Council and Assembly and an Analytical Index to the Colonial Documents, known to exist there-reported that they memorialized the Legislature, in conformity with the directions of the Society, and through the courtesy of the committees of the two Houses, were permitted to appear in person before them, and a large number of the

members, and urge the wishes of the Society. But no action was taken upon the subject, nor any reports made by the Committees.

Mr. W. stated that after the failure of the application to the Legislature, a letter had been received from Mr. Henry Stevens in London, in relation to the New Jersey Papers deposited in the State Paper Department and Public Libraries there, of such a tenor as to induce him, with the consent and approbation of some of the members, to revive the project of procuring the desired information respecting the papers by means of private subscription. He had, therefore, as Corresponding Secretary, issued a card soliciting donations, which met with such a response as placed beyond doubt the success of the meaOne remittance had already been made, and the work had by this time commenced. The amount yet wanted to complete the fund was about $200. He read a letter to Mr. Stevens on the subject, and submitted the following preamble and resolution, which were adopted:

sure.

WHEREAS, Donations have been made to the Treasury by various individuals towards the creation of a fund to be expended in obtaining information respecting the Colonial Documents and other original papers connected with the history of New Jersey which exist in England

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to take charge of said fund and expend the same for the designated purpose, in such manner as they may deem advisable for the interests of the Society.

The Hon. James G. King, Messrs. Whitehead and Duryee were appointed the Committee.

Farther subscriptions, to the amount of one hundred dollars, were received during the meeting.

JUDGE DUER, from the Committee on Publications, reported that another number of the Periodical had been issued and distributed. The arrears for the publication being large, the Committee hoped the members would see the propriety of promptly forwarding to the agent the amount of their subscriptions, inasmuch as it is only from the receipts for the publication that its expenses are borne.

The third volume of the Collections, (the Provincial Bench and Bar by Mr. Field) had met with general favor and was considered highly creditable to the Society.

Mr. Wm. B. KINNEY, from the Committee on Purchases, reported an addition to the Library by purchase of nearly a hundred volumes, all of them valuable, and most of them rare.

They again asked the members to communicate to them any inform ation respecting collections of papers-MSS. or newspapers—as well as single works illustrative of the history of the country, that could be purchased; particularly complete sets of the New Jersey Journal, Collins's State Gazette, and the Newark Sentinel.

The Committee would also be glad to secure any odd volumes of the Journals of the Council or Senate, and Assembly-and volumes of the pamphlet laws.

The Committee on Nominations reported sundry candidates for membership, who were all duly elected; and other nominations were received.

Mr. KINNEY then read from a letter written in 1832, by Hon. SILAS CONDIT, an interesting account of some of the ancestors of Gen. Washington, which Mr. C. had met with in the local history of the County of Wilts in England.

The CORRESPONDING SECRETARY drew the attention of the Society to some articles which had appeared in the Trenton State Gazette impeaching the correctness of the Society's records. He had briefly replied to the charges in a card published in the Newark Daily Advertiser, and now requested the members present, disposed to examine into the matter, to inspect the journals for themselves.

In an article since communicated to the Advertiser by the Editor of the Gazette, he and his former colleague (Mr. Bradley,) had been accused of refusing, as members of a Committee raised for the purpose, "to make any alteration of or addition to the Journal, although Mr. McLean (the other member of the Committee) demanded it as an act of simple justice and historical truth" while in fact both Mr. Bradley and himself,—(as a report, which he read, drawn up at the time, but which Mr. McLean had requested them not to present to the Society, would show*) although differing from that gentlemen as to

*The following extract from the Report will shew what course would have been recommended by the majority of the Committee:

"It is well known that for many years the formation of a Historical Society had been urged in newspapers published in different parts of the State, and at different periods had engaged the attention of gentlemen feeling a warm interest in the subject: but, rather than burden the records with farther details than are already there, the undersigned would respectfully suggest the greater propriety of leaving it to some disinterested enquirer, at some future time, to compile an independent historical sketch of the Society, comprising all further information that might be interesting. Then due credit can be given to all who have thus far been, or who may hereafter be, most active in advancing the interests of the institution. The present members of the Society hardly require to