The New England Society in the City of New York commemorated the One Hundred and Eighth Anniversary of its organization and the Two Hundred and Ninety-third Anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock by the usual festival at the Waldorf-Astoria, Fifth Avenue, Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Streets, Monday evening, December twenty-second, Nineteen hundred and thirteen. A large representation of the members of the Society and their guests were present. Mr. A. Barton Hepburn, President of the Society, presided. The Toasts were as follows: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THE MEMORY OF OUR DEAD FOREFATHERS' DAY.-THE HONORABLE WENDELL P. STAFFORD, LL.D. NEW ENGLAND'S LEADERSHIP IN AMERICAN HISTORY.-HIS EXCELLENCY SIMEON E. BALDWIN, LL.D. REFINEMENT.—MR. IRVING BACHELLER, Litt.D. The guests of the Society were as follows: His Excellency, Simeon E. Baldwin, Governor of Connecticut. of the District of Columbia. Dr. Irving Bacheller. General Thomas H. Hubbard, President of the New England Society, 1904-1905. Mr. Austin B. Fletcher, President of the New England Society, 1906-1907. The Honorable Seth Low, President of the New England Society, 1909-1910. Mr. Howland Davis, President of the New England Society, 1911-1912. Captain Albert Gleaves, United States Navy. Mr. Omri Ford Hibbard, President of the New England Society of Brooklyn. Mr. George Austin Morrison, Jr., President of the Saint Andrew's Society. Mr. DeLancey Nicoll, Vice-President of the Saint Nicholas Society. Mr. John G. O'Keeffe, Treasurer of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick. Mr. Edward F. Darrell, Ex-President of the Saint George's Society. Mr. William M. Griffith, President of the Saint David's Society. Mr. Walter L. McCorkle, President of the New York Southern Society. Colonel Samuel H. Fisher, Connecticut National Guard. Lieutenant John H. Newton, United States Navy. The souvenir of the dinner was a facsimile reproduction (from the original in the New York Public Library) of a contemporary broadside bearing a royal proclamation of May 1, 1638, restraining the transporting of passengers and provisions to New England without license.* The Divine Blessing was asked by the Reverend Wilton Merle-Smith, D.D. At the conclusion of the dinner the President called the assembly together and spoke as follows: *The souvenir for 1911 was a facsimile reprint of the Bay Psalm Book (1640) and for 1912 a facsimile reprint of Winthrop's Humble Request (1630). SPEECH BY PRESIDENT A. BARTON HEPBURN. Gentlemen of the New England Society, honored guests who have kindly come here to address us, representatives of our sister societies, ladies and gentlemen: I bid you a most cordial welcome. To President Hibbard, of the New England Society of Brooklyn, and his fellow members who have joined us for this occasion, we extend fraternal greetings and brotherly love. It may be a figure of speech to talk about "clasping hands across the sea," but we can surely clasp hands across the East River, or under it, without much exertion. presence of these gentlemen from the City of Churches, that Borough of Greater New York where civic duty is observed and where public action comes pretty nearly being right, will surely leaven our Society to its advantage, if only for an evening. The Gentlemen, let us inaugurate the evening by paying respect to the government under which we live. Let us fill our glasses and drink to the health of the President of the United States. THE PRESIDENT! I especially requested the Dinner Committee to seat every man at a table in the front row. I see it has not been done. I'm sorry. The Chairman says he knows that is what every member expects and what every member is entitled to, and then he entered into an elaborate argument to show that it could not be done. The late Artemus Ward, when he organized his regiment, in order to prevent discrimination made them all Brigadier Generals. I assure you you are all Brigadier Generals, and no discrimination exists. We shall be glad to have you take your chairs and move forward if you like. We will see to it that you can properly hear, wherever you may be. The annual business meeting was attended by about 150 members. After the business was completed, we listened to an illustrated lecture upon Whaling Ventures and Adventures by Mr. George H. Tripp, Public Librarian at New Bedford. Mr. Tripp is with us this evening; his lecture was wonderfully interesting and most instructive. The annual sermon of this Society was preached by Rev. John Henry Jowett, D.D., at his church yesterday afternoon. It was a very able discourse, and coming from a man of Dr. Jowett's ability, who so recently came among us from England, presented our Pilgrim Fathers from a somewhat different point of view and for that reason all the more interesting. The amount of material aid expended last year exactly equalled the annual dues received from members, so you have the consolation of knowing that when you paid your dues you were contributing to sweet charity. Our Society has prospered during the past year, in respect to finances and membership; nevertheless, death has taken serious toll; forty-five, including many of our strong and great, have been removed-among them being four ex-presidents. Vernon H. Brown, so long and prominently connected with the commerce of this Port, known and beloved by all. Henry M. Flagler, a pioneer in the oil business, an associate of the Rockefellers, one of the great business men of this important era. William W. Hoppin was a surgeon in the army during the Civil War, a trustee of the College of Physicians and |