The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-04 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE MANCHESTER FRES

LIBRARY.
The public meeting on Thursday evening was very
numerously attended, and took place in the institution, fa
the same room as the meeting which had been held in the
morning.
Sir JOHN Porten occupied the chair, and opened the
proceedings by calling upon Mr. Paul, secretary to the
working men's committee, to read • report which they had
prepared.
The Bishop of MANCHESTER was received with loud
cheers. He said The resolution which I have bees
called upon this evening to propose is—" That this
meeting hails with meet medial satisfaction the establish-
meat of the Manchester Free Library." I might stop
there. I might say that the mere fact that the means
of instruction and self-improvement arc open to a large
body of our fellow-townsmen and our fellow-oxen is, in
itself, an object of deep and cordial satisfaction. Bat
the language of the resolution which I am called upon to
move goes hardier; it enters into detail, and every circuit.
stance of that detail, as we proceed, is moat sate.fiertory,
and affords the moat ample grounds of congratulation
" That this meeting hada with most cordial satisfaction the
establishment of the Manchester Free Library in its two-
fold character, as a library of reference and as a lending
library." Now, what are these two characters ? I assume
—I am PUTS—that I am addressing those who are friendly to
the institution of the Manchester Free Library. I "mum,
and am sure that I am addressing many of those who have
formed part of the 22,000 who have so liberally come for-
ward, as we were informed by the report, to centribute their
means of aid and support tothis institution. And beton I go
further, let me say that I am sure I represent the feelings of
a large population—nay, I may say of the whole of the
subscribers of larger sums to this institution, when they
wish their gilt to Ice considered not as a charity, but as a
bond of brotherly and friendly union—(applause)—not as a
means offered to the lower classes of redeeming themselves
from an imaginary degradation, but as • tribute of respect
and sympathy to those nobler parties among the lower
classes whom they have seen, and know. sud loved, and
taken to their hearts in respect and in affection, as seeking
to ennoble. and to raise, and to dignify their class. (Ap.
Plane.) It is, then, as a library of reference and as •
ending library that we are called upon to express our
satisfaction that this institution has been established ; as
a library of reference, bee,use here we offer to the
working man of Manchester the means of ascer.
taming for himself, weighing for himself, searching for
himself, the opinion of whatever mind he may re-
quire, or whatever branch it may be which Providence may
have placed it in his mind to be anxious or eurioas about.
Hut the resolution with which I have been entrusted goes
yet farther. We are told—" This meeting desires to et.
press its earnest conviction that this institution will conduce
in }he highest degree to the intellectual and moral elevatem
of The working classes." I have said already that, in
addressing the meeting whom I have the pleioure
of seeing before me on this occasion, I have iosumed
that I am addressing these who are favourable to the pre.
sent institution. At the same time, however painful may
be the reference, while I recognise with plea.ure, and de-
light, and satisfaction, the interviews which, on many oc-
casions, I have had, both here and in London, with its u.
tations and in lividuale of the working claims of Man-
chester and other diocese, I cannot but call—with rehire
lance, yet at the same time under a sense of duty—their
attention to the fact, how many there are among them who
are not duly sensible of the dignity of labour, the privi.
lege of work. I would ask all here present to go forth
on • high and holy mission—the mission of al eking to
impress their fellow-townsman with the advantages of
institutions like this. I would ask them to end. avour
as far as they can, publicly and privately, by le rsonal
communication and by personal exerople, to show that
every man among the working classes who endeavour.
to raise himself, to raise that clue to whom he helongs,
is the most real and vital benefactor to this great
kingdom that can possibly be conceived. It is impos.
sible to disguise from ourselves the paramount im-
portance that that public opinion should he rightly in-
formed, rightly instructed, and rightly directed. (Applause.)
Have we selfish motives ? We proffer you no dogmas—we
present to you no opinions of our owa—we point you to
these walls, rich in literary treasures of past ages and the
present, and we invite you fairly and freely to come for
yourselves, seek for yourselves, inquire for yourselves, and
umbly, earnestly, cautiously, carefully, and prayerfully to
judge for yourselves. (Applause.) The resolution "aye that
" the intellectual portioa of Manchester may, under Prori.
dente, be largely beneflteed by this institution." I doubt it
not. Ido not hesitate to appeal to this meeting, although
am aware that there are present here some who differ, and
widely differ from me as to the means by which that mea-
sure should be carried out. Ido not hesitate yet to appeal
even to them to join with me in earnestly, sincerely, de-
terminedly, devotedly joining to sacrifice individual feelings
and prejudices, and to determine under Providence that wo
will never leave our efforts till we have secured to our
poorer brethren the means of an unselfish, unbigoted, un-
pary system of education, in which all may partake. (Loud
cheers.) I tell those to whom I am opposed upon thia
question that, however much I reverence their zeal, ad-
mire their talents, or sympathise with their efforts, I foe
one will never willingly forego the privilege of being
allowed to carry out the duty which !dare not Orrick from,
of teaching to all willing to receive it, the truth of which I
am myself the professor, and in which I am a sincere be-
Hever. But I tell them too, Iso far sympathise with them,
I never will join in forcing it on the reluctant and un-
willing. (Cheers.)
After an address from the Earl of SH•evzsavity,
Mr. THA ex naa mid—Gentlemen an d I adin, I asked lean
to address you, not because I knew how to speak, but be-
cause I think I have something to say which arises out of
the speeches which we have heard just now delivered, in
• very different strain, and in an eloquence much
nobler and loftier than any that I can aspire to. You
perhaps know that my calling in life is that of a maker of
novels, a poor fabulist, whose good, so far as he can do it,
is to represent the truth as ably as he can, and to find at 1
the end of his work a moral for his fable. (Cheer') If I
had to write a novel now, gentlemen, or to make
a fable, out of what is the reality, I would recur
to books which of course I am in the habit of reading, u
I am obliged to read them ; I would refer to
some novels which a great number of you, I dare say,
have read, and which I hope never will be upon any corner
of this library—l would refer to a very celebrated French
novel, which some of you have seen, and a very celebrated
English novel, which I know has been sold
ten, of thousands through all the towns of the world. The
novels bear the same title ; one is called" Loa Mystery de
Louden," or " the Mysteries of London ; " that is the Pa-
risian title ; and the title is the same, I believe of the
English one. In the " Mystery" de Londres," I found a
comic story which I think has rather • serious moral con-
nected with it. The famous French writer, who paned, I
have no doubt, a fortnight is our metropolis, and who de.
scribed our manners to a " T " afterwards—(Laughter)—•
supposes himself at the Italian Opera in Loudon ; and he
describes as seated in the omnibus box, my lord the Arch•
bishop of Canterbury, witnessing the ballet, and delighting
in the gyrations of the dancers; while all his ecclesiasti-
cal business was performed by a curate with 2001. • year.
(Hearty laughter, in which the bishop joined.) I pledge my-
self to the exactness of the quotation, if any one will refer to
to the venerable work in question. With regard to the
"Mysteries of London," I have only tweets in my life
engaged In the perusal of a part of that astonishing
romance. On the first occasion, going through Brigh-
ton, and passing by the Brighton station, I pur-
chased sixpennyworth of this profusely illustrated
document and I found that all through the sixs
pennyworth, the late august, religious, and gracious king,
his late Majesty George IV., whom I mention, I need not
my, in terms of the deepest respect and grief,—his late
Majesty George IV. was enraged, all through the sixpenny-
worth of numbers, in contriving the most atrocious schemes
against the welfare of the female citizens of the middle and
lower class. I lest sight of that book for two years; and
again going upon the Brighton Railway—(a laugh)—l in-
dulged in sizpennyworth of the forbidden joy; and after
two years, I give you my honour, I found his late lamented
Majesty George IV. still going on with the same atrocious
games which had frightened me on the former occasion.
(Laughter.) And not only was the prince so engaged,
but every nobleman of his court was similarly occupied,
in destroying the peace of mind of inferior parties around
him ; and every knight was emulating every sohiensan ,•
and, in fact, the whole upper world was supposed
to be in an immense corruption and a conspiracy
fatten%
)1
the
The.a w
moraler world,of the to
of w a
ry you
gentlemen,a and formadl
. ofpart
my
?able, comes now—and has been spoken to you, I think, in
the noblest and most generous language by the revered
prelate and by the beloved nobleman who have just ad.
dressed you. Do you believe that these men are occupied
in examining dancers from opera boxes, or in contriving
ruin fur ladies' maids? (Cheers.) Do you not believe that
these men are honest as yourselves, generous as yourselves,
friendly as yourselves, eager to help you, and eager to grasp
the hand which I hope you are eager to render to them/
(Cheers.) I have passed many a year of my time as a liberal
writer; please God, I am not going to recal the sentiments have been uttered by me in former days, not all of
them ; but thank God, that I can rival a great deal of the
ill feeling, which I telt in former days; thank God, that
with a greater experience I have a greater charity; and it
is from this, only from my feeling, that our cause, that
our cause, my cause, and their cause, are in common, that
I have dared to address you to night. (Great cheering.)
The resolution was then put to fhe vote and carried
unanimously.
Mr. BRIOHT, M.P., proposed the second resolution, te
this effect That this meeting regards the subscriptions
of upwards of 22,000 persons connected with warehouses,
factories, and workshops, in all parts of the borough, as
conclusive proof that the working classes feel a sincere
interest in the institution, and are prepared to benefit by
the advantages which it provides."
Mr. J °sera BILOTIIERTON seconded the TESOIRHOIS,
which was carried unanimously.
Mr. M. Mittens, M.P., moved "That this meeting de-
tides to express its gratification at the triumphant result
of the late poll for a library rate, and to recognise the im-
portance of the rate in principle, as a guarantee for the per-
manence of institutions thus supported."
The meeting was afterward. addressed by Dr. Watts
and several other speakers. All the resolutions were car-
ried unanimously; and the proceedings terminated about
half-past eleven o'clock.

WESTERN ItAILWAT OF FRANCE.—Traffic for tho
lweek ending August 29, 1852 Passengers, 4,6761.;
goods, 6671.
Sol;TII WALES ItAlLWAY.—Tra.ffic for the week
ending August 29, 1852:-2,611!. 9s. 641. Corresponding
week, August 31, 1851, 1,1921. 6s. 10s1