The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-26 00:00:00

LORD 'PALMERSTON AT LEEDS.

(By British fend Irish Magnetic Telegraph.)
Lord Palmerston roceived a deputation on the subject
of the bankrupt and it,solvency law. Previously to the
deputation, a meeting of delegates from the Corporations
of Leeds, Halifax, and Slaoßeld, the Chambers of Com-
merce of Bradford, Hull, Sheffield, Huddersfield, and
Badley, and the West Riding Protection Society. After
some discussion the following resolution was nnani-

mously adopted :—" That this meeting desires to express
to the first Minister of the Crown its strong sense of the
most unsatisfactory state of the bankruptcy law, ibs
general approbation of the principles of the bill intro-
duced in the late session by the Attorney-General, and
its earnest wish that her Majesty's Government will
cause a measure, founded on similar principles, to be
introduced at the earliest period next session, and,
supported with all the influence of Government." The
deputation were introduced to Lord Palmerston by Sir
John Ramsden, in a brief speech, in which he referred
to the number of the gentlemen present as a proof that
deep interest was manifested in the Bankrupt and
Insolvency Bill.

The Town-Clerk then presented a memorial on behalf
of that body ; another was presented from the Sheffield
Town Council ; and the above resolution, on behalf of
the Chambers of Commerce generally, was presented by
Mr. D. Lupton. The memorial urged in strong terms
the importance of amending the Bankruptcy Act, and
expressed regret that the general principles embodied in
the bill introduced into Parliament last session had not
been made into law.

Several members of the deputation addressed a kw
words to his Lordship, to a similar effect.
Lord Palmerston, in reply, said he was sorry that,
owing to the time of parliament being occupied with
other important matters, the Attorney-General's bill had
not been considered, as it had been necessary to with-
draw it; but he hoped—indeed, he felt convinced—that
next session the House of Commons would be able to
pass a bill which would satisfy the just expectations of
the commercial interest, without doing injustice to any
interest. (Applause.)
In the evening of the same day (Thursday), the noble
viscount presided at the annual soiree of the Leeds
Mechanics' Institute and Literary Society. The soiree
was held in the Town-hall, which was crowded in every
part, about 2,000 persons being present. The tickets of
admission ranged in price from 10s. 6d. to 2s. 6d.
The society on behalf of which the soiree was held
are making efforts to procure funds for the erection of
a new building, and it is possible that they will
realise from £2OO to £250 by the sale of the tickets.
Amongst the distinguished persons present, besides the
noble lord, were Lady Palmerston, Countess of Essex,
Right Hon. the Earl Fitzwilliam and Countess Fitz-
william, Countess de Fontenelle, Hon. W. Cowper,

First Commissioner of Public Works, Right Hon. Lord
Wensleydale, Sir J. P. K. Shuttleworth, Sir J. Emma--
son Tennent, Sir J. W. Ramsden, Mr. and Mrs. Rams-
den, Sir P. Fairbairn, J. F. Marshall, Esq., F. Crossley,
Esq., R. Neils, Esq., Mr. E. Barnsey, a S. Bee-
croft, Esq., H. Childers, Esq., M.P., J. Salt, Esq., M.P.,
and many others.
Mr. -CV. Beckett, of Kirkstall Grange, introduced the
noble lord to the assembly, amidst enthusiastic cheers.
Lord Palmerston rose to address the meeting, amidst
loud cheers. Silence having been obtained, the noble
lord proceeded to deliver a very felicitous speech, which
was frequently interrupted by warm applause. He
commenced by expressing the pride and pleasure which
he felt in having been allowed to preside at a meeting
so numerously attended and so distinguished as the
present, held in one of the first towns in this great
empire and for purposes so honourable to the town, and
which he had no doubt would be attended with success,
and would confer great and lasting benefits on the town..
(Applause.)a After passing a warm eulogium on Dr-
Birkbeck and Lord Brougham as the founders of.
Mechanics' Institutes, and adverting to the efforts of the
latter (Brougham) for the abolition first of the slave trade
and afterwards of slavery, and for the promation of civil
and religious liberty all over the world, he said that it
had fallen to the lot of the noble Lord Brougham to do
more than other men to promote the diffusion of
education amongst his fellow-countrymen. He had
passed a hie in acquiring—but not in acquiring only,
but in diffusing knowledge,—and thereby conferring
great benefits on others. (Loud cheers.) There was
one important difference between the present time and
the past ages. There had in the past bean many men
eminent for knowledge, and for their discoveries in
science and philosophy, but then tha great men of the
nation were involved in comparative ignorance ; and

long after the days of Newton and Bacon, the absurd
notions of astrology and witchcraft prevailed. Now
knowledge was spread throughout every class of society,
and not only has individual happiness been much in-
creased, but the greatness and welfare of the nation has
been greatly augmented. (Hear, hear.) One of the most
useful of the means for spreading this knowledge was
mechanics' institutes. (Applause.) Yet some persons
had objected to these institutions, chiefly on the ground
that the men whom they were designed to benefit could
only obtain from them a superficial knowledge, and the
trite aphorism came into play—a little knowledge is a
dangerous thing. For a little knowledge was a bad
thing. That was, it was a bad thing that a man had
only a little learning, but what was still worse than hav-
ing a little learning was having none at all. (Hear.)
His lordship proceeded to speak of 'the value of mecha-
nics' institutions, and gave some hints how such associa-
tions might be made most useful to their members. He
spoke of the proper place which works of the imagination
ought to occupy—of the importance of knowledge of
chemistry—and of the importance of an acquaintance
with the fundamental principles of science as applicable
to the ordinary avocations of life. It was an interesting
study, said his lordship, to witness the infinite variety of
the animal creation, beginning with men and descending
to animals which required the power of the microscope to
render them visible to man. The contemplation of these
organic beings, said his lordship, must fill the mind with
admiration of the power, skill, and wisdom which had
directed the lower creation. The contemplation of the
descending scale no doubt tended to make man fancy
that he was the lord of the creation ; but he hoped that
the institution would also direct the mind to the upward
scale. He trusted that they would not only attend to the
elementary principles of geology, but also the general
outline of the planetary system revolving round the sun.
They would then see what a comparatively insignifi-
cant portion of that planetary system was this earth,
which the ancients used to think almost the. whole of
created universe, which would abate those feelings of
pride which perhaps the contemplation of the descending
•le might have been calculated to inspire. (Applause.)
Sex,
was no reason why the working classes should
There
not learn :he general outlines of a still higher science ;
and, he thong. learn
main principle of the organism of
learn that the innumerable bright
the universe, and . h
e spots which bespangle b. sk,ytsofofa clear starlight night
the heavens, but
were not simply orname._
of suns,
of ns, many of
that these consisted of minim.'
and yach them sur-
them far larger than the earth,
(Hear,
rounded by a planetary system like our t.'wn•
plations
hear.) While, on the one hand, these contra.
by enlarging the human mind, must tend to abt.:te the
pride and vanity of posterity ; on the other bsmd
must tend to calm and console those who might thli
labouring under adversity, by letting them see that the
affairs of this world form but a minute part of the general
dispensations of the Almighty ; and that all those great
arrangements, whatever might be their practical and
temporarary effect, were destined, in the main, for ulti-
mate and permanent good. (Cheers.) The noble lord
dwelt upon the advantages of learning in promotis hap-
piness, and leading them easily and usefully to results
which had been acquired by deep study, but long con,-
tinued labour was necessary that those attending lec-
tures might derive the full value which they were intended
to effect. A valuable system of voluntary com-
petitive examinations had recently been established in
connection with mechanics' institutes. (Hear, hear.)
The three sources of knwledge—the lecture given in
the general, the subsequent study carried on by the
individual, and the test put to them by the examiner—
vies a complete system of instruction, which, if pursued,
as he had no doubt it would be, not only in Leeds,
but in other parts of the country, must tend
rapidly to improve the intelligence and condition
of the population of the united Empire,
and by improving their intellectual condition add to
their happiness, and promote the greatness and prosperity
of the empire to which they belonged. (Cheers.) After
cordially wishing success to the scheme for erecting a
new building for the Mechanics' Institute in Leeds, his
lordship sat down amidst prolonged cheering.
It was subsequently announced that the noble vis-
count had subscribed £5O towards the fund for building
the new institute, and the whole subscriptions amounted
to £5,000.
Sir J. K. Shuttleworth, the Hon. Mr. Cowper, and
several others of the gentlemen mentioned above
addressed the meeting, which terminated with a cordial
vote of thanks to Lord Palmerston.

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