In closing this report, may I be permitted to express my admiration of the pioneer work done by the American Catholic Historical Society in gathering material for the history of the Church in America; I wish also to say that the remembrance of the unfailing courtesy and kindly assistance given me during my connection with the Society will be to me always a pleasant memory. Respectfully submitted, Secretary. THE UNVEILING OF THE PORTRAIT OF MR. MARTIN I. J. GRIFFIN, AT THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY, DECEMBER 21, 1915 ADDRESS BY MISS JANE CAMPBELL It is certainly eminently fitting that there should be in our Historical Society a portrait of Mr. Martin I. J. Griffin, the eminent historian, who was so largely instrumental in founding this Society of ours, which has such an honorable record. It seems like ancient history to refer to the day so many years ago when Mr. Griffin and the late John H. Campbell, Esq., were talking together of historic Catholic matters. "We ought to have a Catholic historical society!" remarked Mr. Griffin. "Let us found one!" was the immediate answer of Mr. Campbell, who further proceeded to send out a call to a number of gentlemen interested in American Catholic history, to attend a meeting for the purpose of organizing such a society. The meeting thus called resulted in the formation of this Society; so all honor must be accorded to the wise and far-seeing founders who builded even better than they knew. Naturally Mr. Griffin 's interest in the Society he had helped to found was unflagging from the day of its inception to the very last day of his life. Mr. Griffin was born a historian, a good and devoted Catholic, so the work of collecting and preserving Catholic history particularly appealed to him. He well knew the possible value of the most insignificant Catholic fact, or the vast importance which a circumstance apparently of no moment might assume in the course of time. He was a conserver of old documents, old papers, old anything that could or would in the slightest degree throw light on any historic question. He seemed to have an unerring instinct for discovering the gold in what to the ordinary observer would appear but the merest dross. "The trash of one generation is the treasure of the next," as he often aptly remarked when some old manuscript or old letter or other paper discarded as worthless by the owner, fell into his hands, and proved, as his trained mind had perceived, of great potential value for the future historian. Mr. Griffin's historical interest had an unusually wide range. In American Catholic questions he was an authority and in those of his own city there was little of importance of a by-gone day with which he was not familiar. The RECORDS of the Society abound in able and interesting articles written by him, elucidating mooted points or narrating events which were almost if not completely forgotten. His services as Librarian of the Society, terminated all too soon by his death, were many and varied and of the greatest value. Besides the many articles in the RECORDS of the Society and the great number he wrote as editor and owner of the RESEARCHES, he has left some monumental works, such as the Life of Commodore Barry, to perpetuate his fame. So far I have spoken of Mr. Griffin only as a historian, but there are many parts of his character which deserve special comment. He was a seeker after historic truth and his fearlessness in proclaiming it when found, was one of his most striking characteristics. He was an ardent advocate of temperance, even to the limit of prohibition, and always consistent in its advocacy. He had a most kindly nature, and his charities, of which only his intimate friends knew, and even they imperfectly, were wide and diverse. And his charities, his benevolences were all performed in a singularly unostentatious manner. He was exceedingly generous and the Society is deeply indebted to him for most substantial donations of many kinds. This is but a very slight tribute of respect, admiration and esteem for one whose death was an almost irreparable loss to the cause of American Catholic history, but it is hoped that future students of our Catholic history will emulate his example and devote their lives to its preservation with the same devotion and single-mindedness as did Mr. Griffin through his whole useful and honored life. OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE President-THE REV. WILLIAM J. LALLOU. Board of MANAGERS. THE REV. FRANCIS P. SIEGFRIED. MR. M. F. HANSON. MR. THOMAS A. DALY. MR. HERMAN G. VETTERLEIN. DR. AUSTIN O'MALLEY. L. F. FLICK, M.D., LL.D. THE REV. JOS. J. MURPHY, D.D. MR. JOSEPH M. ENGEL. MR. EDWARD J. GALBALLY. MRS. W. J. DOYLE. HONORARY MEMBERS OF the Board. (Ex-Presidents of the Society). THE VERY REV. T. C. MIDDLETON, D.D., O.S.A. THE RIGHT REV. MONSIGNOR H. T. HENRY, Litt.D., LL.D. Mr. Walter George Smith. MR. SAMUEL Castner, Jr. THE RIGHT REV. MONSIGNOR H. T. DRUMGOOLE, LL.D. MR. FRANCIS A. CUNNINgham. MR. WILLIAM V. MCGRATH, JR. THE RIGHT REV. MONSIGNOR P. R. MCDEVITT. |