1862.]

A. B. HASBROUCK'S ADDRESS.

47

"I need not, surely, remind the members of this Society, how, with his whole heart, Colonel Pratt de voted himself to its interests. One of its founders, its first and hitherto its only Secretary, he labored to give it character at home and a name abroad, with a degree of success that outstripped the exertions of the best of us. Coming to reside among us, almost an entire stranger; descended from a family that had never struck root or fibre in the soil of our county since its earliest settlement, he yet labored with the zeal of a native to explore its early history, and to exalt its character. He came to seat himself, at once, with the familiarity of kindred and descent, at what the poet has called the fireside of our hearts;' and listening there, with filial interest, to the tales and misty traditions of former times, he garnered up his materials, not to gratify an idle curiosity, or to enrich the pages of some future romance, but for profit and instruction; to present them to us in the nakedness of truth-to fix them in the dignity of history. His paper, published in our collections, on the expeditions of General Vaughan up the Hudson, and the consequent destruction of Kingston by the troops under his command, has been pronounced by those best qualified to judge, a highly valuable contribution to the History of the Revolutionary War. I can myself bear witness to the patience he exhibited, amidst much doubt and perplexity, in the preparation of that work; to his liberal expenditure of time and money, and to the earnestness with which he sought to verify every statement he made-extending his inquiries even to the paper offices in London-all, at last, to result in a narrative of charming detail, and undoubted authenticity-honorable to himself and to this Society. In my sober judgment, if Colonel Pratt had no other claim; if there were no faithful discharge of duty, no generous public spirit, no patriotism, no loss of life in his country's service to speak of, his interest

in this Society and his contributions to it would alone entitle him to the lasting gratitude of the people of Ulster.

"Gentlemen: It is no light thing to tell of a man after he has gone; it is something that will 'blossom in his grave and smell sweet' in after days that, amid the occupations of a busy life and in a period of great political anxiety, he could turn aside to devote his time and talents to rescue from neglect the piety, the sufferings, the bravery and the patriotism of an humble and almost forgotten generation; that he illustrated in his own conduct, even to the bitter end, the love of liberty and the devotedness to his country, which he found exhibited there. That he taught us by his example, in the words of his own chosen motto of our SocietyGedenkt aen-de-dagen-van-ouds-to remember the days of old; that we, too, might learn there, lessons of conduct, and gather courage and hope in the troubles that so thickly beset us now.

"Gentlemen: Colonel Pratt's course is finished; 'his warfare is accomplished.' Having himself passed into history, let us do for him what he has done for others; let us enroll his name among the worthies of the country. Let the resolutions be entered on our minutes, that those that are to follow us, in these our labors of love, may know how highly we esteemed our associate how truly we revered his memory, as a man, a citizen and patriot soldier. For he was, indeed, an embodiment of Shakspeare's conception of a finished

man:

"His years but young, but his experience old ;
His head unmellowed, but his judgment ripe,

And in a word,

Complete in feature and in mind,

With all good grace to grace a gentleman.'

"Mr. William Lounsbery, having been requested, from his acquaintance with Colonel Pratt's public life,

WILLIAM LOUNSBERY'S REMARKS.

"MR. PRESIDENT: The Ulster Historical Society, at this day of its assembling, commemorates the burning of Kingston, and the sufferings of our early settlers in their first struggle for independence. The resolutions which have been proposed are equally suggestive of patriotic sacrifice, and strike us with a closer sympathy. They commemorate the loss of one of our founders, who has lately fallen in another contest to preserve the liberties and Government handed down to us by the heroism of our ancestors. This Society would be unequal to its trust, if it passed by in silence a loss so vital to the country and itself.

"It is with no ordinary feelings that I have undertaken to respond to the resolutions just offered, and to utter an appropriate tribute to the worth, enterprise and heroism of our late secretary, Colonel George W. Pratt.

"Government is the work of mortal man. The social fabric is sustained and held together by the enterprise of individuals. And when a man of intelligence and active virtues falls, either by the ordinary decay of age, or, more suddenly, by violence and war, we feel the structure crumbling, and see the beauties of the edifice defaced. In the death of Colonel Pratt a column has fallen in the temple of liberty. The decorations which art and learning and civilization have added to it, have been marred and mutilated, and are not to be quickly repaired.

"Some lives do not perform very vital functions in the community. A retiring or selfish nature works in quiet-out of sight of associates, and does not mingle in such efforts as society puts forth for its advancement

by the combination of multitudes. I do not say that such are useless, but their death is not so much felt. Their little circle of action revolves upon itself, and its destruction does not jostle and unhinge the public aspirations, or break up the social progress. They are not missed from the world—their death is not counted by so large a value. So many of such do not seem to die. The poet utters this conviction when he says:

"Colonel Pratt was a man of active and busy enterprise. He had the inspiration of a genius that works and accomplishes. He set to work and did not look back. He had the elements of a great man, which only failed to ripen into eminence by the accident of his early death.

"I recollect when the plan to form this Society was first revolved in his mind. I think it originated with him, though the materials for the work were not lacking either as to the field of operations or the workers that were called out. He saw that Ulster County was a rich field for historical research, and he undertook to lead and stimulate the action of the people in that direction.

"I was one who distrusted the project and express ed the fear that a society, organized simply for plodding among dusty records, or turning up memorials of the past, could not be sustained by a practical and working people, however intelligent. This was sug

gested to him when we were going in company to attend the meeting to organize this Society. He thought differently, and it is proved that he was right. The halfdozen that assembled in the Dutch Church, at New Paltz, have grown into an organization that has made its mark upon the literary character of the age. How

1862.]

ADDRESS OF W. LOUNSBERY.

51

much of this is due to the personal efforts of Colonel Pratt, the members of the Society, here assembled, are the witnesses. He was ably seconded by men of a high order of intelligence and spirit, but the organization and direction of the enterprise were his, and its present prosperity is a part of the glory that clusters about his memory.

"The spirit in which this enterprise was accomplished was only a type of his other efforts. The Ulster County Regiment was organized and equipped into a military corps, and when the war broke out he marched at the head of his men by the side of the regiments of New York City. It was his glory and the glory of his country, that he took to the field the only regiment of the State Militia, outside of New York and Brooklyn, and the one equipped under the eye of the State authorities, at Albany.

"In the years 1858-9, Colonel Pratt represented Ulster County in the State Senate. At that time the Senate Library was being removed from its old room in the Capitol, to the new building erected in the rear for the purpose. The work of arranging the State collections was entrusted to a committee of the Senate, of which Colonel Pratt was the working head.

"I have lately had occasion to admire his work in the arrangement of the invaluable archives there collected by our great State. It shows the master hand of a faithful and intelligent worker, and will furnish for ages a curious testimonial of his genius.

"After the return of the Ulster County Regiment from its three months campaign, I visited Colonel Pratt at his new residence in Esopus. He pointed out to me his future plans in reference to beautifying the grounds of his new home. I took in the picture which his ow:. fancy was painting for coming years. The happy family circle of his wife and children-the surroundings of fields and shaded walks-the landscape, with the