LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, January 1, 1892. To the Hon. John M. Thayer, Governor of Nebraska: SIR: In accordance with the provisions of law we herewith submit our report of the proceedings of the State Historical Society for the past four years. INTRODUCTORY NOTE. It seems proper that an explanation of the long delay in publishing the third volume of the Proceedings and Transactions of the Historical Society should be made. The legislature of 1889 failed to make the usual appropriation for publication-it is said that the failure was due to a clerical oversight, by which the State Horticultural Society received the funds intended for the State Historical Society. The last legislature made an appropriation sufficiently large to publish two, or perhaps three volumes, of which this is the first. The next volume, the fourth, will appear probably in the summer or early fall. It is hoped that the fifth volume may be ready by January or February, 1893. The larger portion of the matter in this volume consists of articles read before the Society during the last four years. A smaller part consists of reprints from the Omaha Bee, The Congregational News, and other papers of the state. The thanks of the Society is due to these papers, and to the authors of the articles reprinted, for the kindness in allowing the Society to make use of this interesting matter. The material for this volume was gathered by the former Secretary, Professor Geo. E. Howard. It seems entirely fitting to express here the deep regret, which each member of the Society felt when Professor Howard laid down the duties of this office which he had filled so ably and so satisfactorily, to take up his new duties in the Stanford University. Finally it should be stated that the editing and the proof-reading of this volume is mainly the work of the present Secretary. Lincoln, January 2, 1892. H. W. CALDWELL, Secretary. [vi] |