purpose of discussing any of the many new discoveries and developments in science, art and mechanics; for by this means opportunity for a free interchange of thought and research is given. Each individual is thereby enabled to add to his store of knowledge that which is valuable and beneficial, and which is equal to any sacrifice of time and labor.

The field in which you labor is as broad as humanity. The narrow-minded cannot comprehend the value of the reward of those who devote time, labor and money solely to the work you are engaged in. They cannot understand that there can be no treasure of gold, no realized ambition, no conquest, no praise of men, that can render half the equivalent which is received by the knowledge of having contributed in ameliorating the condition of their unfortunate, outcast, friendless fellow-beings, and in recognizing the claims of humanity and their responsibility for the care of a common brotherhood. In this day of progress, when man is permitted to lay bare the laws of nature so long hidden from the scrunity of man, to delve deeply into the mysteries of the gods, and bring forth and utilize, for the benefit of mankind, the hidden secrets of nature; taxing to the uttermost to keep pace with these developments the energies and intelligences of men; it is refreshing to see our best minds occupied in this noble work, and recognizing the edict of the Almighty that we are our brother's keeper. It cannot be said with truth that the world is growing worse, when, amid the activities of life incident to the advancement and progress of the age; with the increased requirements of business and the allurements of pleasure; our wisest, ablest and best citizens devote time, sacrifice their private interest, duties and pleasures, and give their thoughts and efforts to the amelioration of the condition of mankind, while their only reward is the consciousness of having performed their duty to man.

Representing the citizens of Cleveland, I need hardly assure you of the gratification which your presence here today affords us. We feel honored in receiving you, and are well assured that the same Power which has guided you thus far in your noble work will crown your future efforts with abundant success.

The PRESIDENT: Six years have come and gone since the National Conference of Charities has had a place, an organization and a name, among the institutions of the earth; and tonight we have with us a gentleman who has been connected with it from the beginning, and who is also a representative of the Empire State, which I think is the most proper State to respond to these addresses of welcome. Therefore, I take great pleasure in introducing to you Dr. Charles S. Hoyt, Secretary of the State Board of Charities, of New York.

RESPONSE OF DR. HOYT.

I have been called upon since entering this hall to respond to the addresses of welcome that have been extended to us. In doing so it may be interesting to those present who are not members of the Conference if I briefly refer to its history as an organization. The first Conference of Charities was held in 1874, in the city of New York, as a department of the American Social Science

Association. Since then annual Conferences have been held. At this first meeting there were but four States represented: Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Today we have representatives from sixteen States, covering over two-thirds of the population of the Union.

In all these Conferences - and they have been held in five different States- we have always been accorded a cordial and sincere welcome, and on several occasions, as at present, have been honored by the presence of the chief executive officer of the State. This certainly is an encouraging feature of the work in which we are engaged; and I am gratified to state that, wherever we go, we find an increasing interest in charitable and correctional work. New agencies are being developed, looking to the bettering and improving of the condition of the poor, a wiser economy in the administration of charitable relief, and improved methods in prison management. On this occasion, in addition to the representatives from sixteen States of this Union, we have also a representative from the Province of Ontario, Canada, a gentleman who for a long time has had the supervision of the charitable institutions of that Province.

In the selection of a place for this Conference a very lively interest was manifested at our last meeting in Chicago, and in deciding upon Cleveland, we not only took into consideration your beautiful city and pleasant surroundings, but the fact that in its population were numbered many persons who were devoted and sincere workers in the direction in which we are engaged. This is evidenced by the audience that greets us upon this occasion, and I am glad to see so large a number of ladies present. [Applause.] The work engaged in is one in which the ladies of our country are taking great interest. In several of the States we have ladies as members of the boards of charities.

I desire, Governor Foster and Mayor Herrick, in behalf of the Conference here assembled, sincerely and heartily to thank you for the cordial welcome you have extended to us. Your city affords many opportunities in our spare moments for pleasure, and I have no doubt our stay with you will be pleasant and profitable. Again, in behalf of the Conference, I sincerely thank you, and this large and appreciative audience, for their presence and hearty greeting.

Hon. George S. Robinson, of Illinois, moved, and it was Voted, that the Secretaries of the several State Boards of Charities

represented in the Conference be appointed a Committee, with instructions to report upon the assembling of the Conference in the morning, the name of a person for permanent President, and the names of persons for Recording Secretaries; also, the time and place of holding the next Annual Conference of Charities and Correction.

Mr. Henry W. Lord, of Michigan, moved, and it was Voted, that F. B. Sanborn, of Massachusetts, Fred. H. Wines, of Illinois, and Charles S. Hoyt, of New York, be a Business Committee to draft rules and report business to the Conference.

REPORT OF BUSINESS COMMITTEE.

The business of the Conference has been so well arranged by the retiring President and Secretaries and the Local Committee, that the programme, as now published, will only need slight changes, from day to day, which will be announced in the morning and evening newspapers. A stenographer has been engaged, and the debates, as well as the reports and papers read, are recommended to be printed in the published proceedings, of which the different States represented in the Conference are requested to provide themselves with copies by subscription. If so many copies are subscribed for, your Committee recommend the publication, during the month of August or September, of at least 2,000 copies of the Proceedings of 1880, provided the number of pages does not exceed three hundred.

In the presentation of reports from the States sending delegates, it is recommended that ten minutes be allowed for each State, the time to be decided among the delegates, as they may agree, but not to be extended, except by unanimous consent of the Conference. In presenting their reports and special papers, it is recommended that the Standing Committees preserve the following order: 1. The report of a majority of the Committee, followed by the minority reports, if any.

2. The special papers on the subject-matter assigned to the Committee, in the order indicated by the chairman of the Committee. 3. Debates on the reports and papers separately or together, as the Conference may vote at the time.

Your Committee would report that the beginning of the afternoon session of Thursday, July 1, has been assigned to the hearing of papers and statements from a Committee appointed at a public meeting in the city of New York, in December, 1879, to consider the question of Lunacy Reform a subject very properly coming before the National Conference of Charities. These papers and statements should be included in the published proceedings of the Conference, but the subsequent debates, should any occur, are not to be considered as part of the Conference Proceedings, and your Committee would reccommend that the Conference, at 4.30 P. M.,

on Thursday, resume its regular work by receiving from Dr. Luther, of Pennsylvania, his report as Chairman of the Committee on the Prevention of Pauperism.

In the debates of the Conference we recommend the following rules:

1. Each debater to speak but five minutes, and not to speak twice, till all others have had an opportunity to be heard.

2. Each speaker to announce the particular reports or papers which he rises to discuss, and to confine his remarks to those, but with liberty to discuss, successively, more than one of the subjects presented in the papers.

3. All voting upon resolutions, or other business of the Conference, to be confined to its accredited members, whose names will be submitted and printed to-morrow, with additions from day to day.

We would recommend that the Conference finally adjourn on Friday afternoon, July 2.

F. B. SANBORN,
FRED. H. WINES,
CHAS. S. HOYT,

Business Committee.

CLEVELAND, June 29, 1880.

On motion, the Report was adopted.

President Brinkerhoff then delivered his Address, which will be found on pages 1-36 of the Papers and Debates; and Bishop Bedell gave a discourse on the Relation of the Christian Church to Charitable Work,-after which, at 10.30, P. M., the Conference adjourned.

SECOND DAY'S SESSION.

JUNE 30.

The Conference opened its second session, June 30, at 9.30, A., M., Gen. BRINKERHOFF in the chair. Prayer was offered by H. Thane Miller, of Cincinnati. Dr. Luther, of Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Committee on Permanent Organization, presented the following report:

Your Committee, to which was referred the nomination of a President and three Recording Secretaries of the Conference for the coming year, and also the selection of a place for the next meeting, have unanimously agreed to recommend to the Conference to meet at Boston, commencing on the last Monday in July, 1881, and to sit six days, but to hold no sessions in the afternoon. They also recommend the election of Mr. F. B. Sanborn, of

Massachusetts, as President, and Messrs. John L. Milligan, of Pennsylvania, Warren F. Spalding, of Massachusetts, and A. O. Wright, of Wisconsin, as Recording Secretaries.

For the Committee.

DILLER LUTHER, Chairman.

Mr. F. H. Wines, Secretary of the Illinois Board, said: I would call attention to one feature of our Report, and that is the proposal to hold a longer session than usual next year. We have been in the habit of holding the Conference together three days, working three hours in the morning, three hours in the afternoon, and holding a session of two or three hours each night, and by the time the three days were past, we were all worn out. Now, we propose to meet in Boston, and our plan is for the delegates to arrive there on Saturday, rest on Sunday, and come to work on Monday morning; then to sit in the forenoon and the evening, but to have the afternoon to themselves, to visit the public institutions in and around Boston. In considering the report, it is well to have it understood that this is the plan.

The report of the Committee was unanimously adopted.

President BRINKERHOFF: I have the pleasure of introducing to you your newly elected President, Mr. F. B. Sanborn, of Concord, Mass.

President SANBORN: Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Conference:

I understand that my election to the presidency is in consequence of selecting Massachusetts as the place for holding our next meeting; it being our custom to elect as President for the year a citizen of the State in which we propose to meet. But I owe this honorable burden none the less to your great kindness; which I shall be able in some part to justify, only by your assistance during these sessions. May I depend upon your good-will, and upon the readiness of my brothers in the Conference to take my place in the chair sometimes, and carry on the business of the Conference, while I take the seat to which I am more accustomed, among the delegates and committee men? And the Business Committee desire me now to say that they will receive the credentials of members. All members who have not already done so, will hand in their names and credentials.