The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-06 00:00:00

MR. COBDEN. AT HUDDERSFIELD.

The annual soirée of the Huddersfield Mechanics'
Institution was held in the Philosophical Hall, Hudders-
field, on Thursday evening last. The hall was quite full.
The lion. and Rev. the Dean of Error( presided, and
there were present U. Cobden, Esq., M.P., R. M. Milne*,
M.P., and many influential local gentlemen.
The CHAIRMAN keying briefly opened the meeting,
and the Secretary having read the report,
Mr. R. M. MILNES, M.P., at the call of the chairman,
rose, amidst loud cheers, and addressed the meeting. lie
concluded by proposing the following resolution, which
was carried:—' That the education of the people,
by expanding their faculties and enlarging the sphere
of their actual knowledge and sympathies, will have a
direct and beneficial influence upon their social, moral, sad
religious condition; and that mechanics' institutions are
well adapted to aid in accomplishing this desirable object." ,
Several gentlemen having addressed the meeting,
Mr. RICHARD COBDEN, M.P., who was received with I,
reiterated and prolonged cheering, said: As to politics, he',
quite agreed with those gentlemen who had spoken, that
they should teach nothing in We institution which trenched
upon his domain as a politician—that was as a controver-
sial politician. But he was also sure, speaking as a politi-
Man, they would make but little progress in science of good
and wise government in this country unless that
public opinion which would always be the measure
and the standard of the policy of government
in this country—unless that public opinion was elevated and
improved by the process of instruction which was going on
in these institutions and in this country. (" Hear hear,"
and applause.) Although the members of these institutes
were not taught to be party politician', he looked on them
as the best posaible allies (for the advancement of what he
called the very best policy of government—he meant the
advancement of a truly sound pulley in matters pertaining
to the well-being of the state. (Applause.) Thus they
were all agreed respecting matters of controversial polities
and religion, and they could not get up a discussion on this
subject after all. (" Hear, hear," and a laugh.) lie
could almost wish for the benefit of these insti-
tutions that, instead of this general sympathy
which had illustrated their beneficial effects, they
could also be favoured occasionally by some specimen
of the good old bigotry of the last century—(laughter)—
some one who would get upend stoutly maintain the opinion
that poor people had no right to be advocated, that edu-
cation would make them above their situation, and that
those in other classes could never get cooks and housemaids,
and that neither life nor property would be safe if this thing
went on. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) But these ante-
diluvian specimens of humanity were no longer to be found
ou the face of the earth. (Hear, hear.) He could, how-
ever assure the young people there, that what he was just
DOM stating as the opinion of many people of the last cen-
tury, was very much the prevalent opinion of the last
century amongst the rich and the influential classes—
he meant the opinion that the masses of the people
ought not to be educated, and the prevaleace of
that opinion might be illustrated by the anecdote of G co.l I 1.,
who, when 60 years of age, said be hoped to dye to see the
time when every one of his subjects could read the Bible ;
and at that time this was looked upon as a most remarkably
liberal opinion. And he could assure the mectiug, not
only was this true ofithe last century, but he could remem-
ber when he was brought up in London, after he had left
school, little more than 30 years ago, that amongst the old-
fashioned traders in the city of London, it was the opinion
that a youth filling the situation which he .(Mr. Cobden)
did then in a wholesale warehouse, was nut likely to be a
better servant to a commercial person it he gave his mind
to intellectual pursuits and the reading of books ;
this opinion was then prevalent amongst the more
old-fashioned of the trading community of the
city of London; and if a young mass filling the situ-
ation of a junior clerk or warehouseman, had more than the
ordinary taste for intellectual pursuits, and was addicted to
sea ling, he had to do it by stealth in many instances, be-
cause he knew that he would not at all ingratiate himself
with his employer, if it was found out that he was given to
be studious. lie mentioned these facts to point out to the
young men present how much greater were the advantages
they possessed in 11351, than those which were enjoyed
by those who had gone before them thirty or forty years
ago. (Hear, hear.) He was glad, so far as Huddersfield
was concerned, to see every proof of the disposition amongst
the children of the masses of the people to take advan-
tage of these opportunities, as he was glad to hear from
the report of their past year's transactions, that the chief
attraction was in their schools. This augured well for their
institution; for they might depend upon it that those
going to the schools now would hereafter wish to belong to
the institution as subscribing members, in order to enjoy
the advantages of the library and reading-room ; and their
children's children would, he had no doubt, contribute to
its future progress when they arrived at mature age.
(Hear, hear.) And what a superior education did the in-
stitution offer to people there. Why, when he read the
programme of their studies, he almost fancied he was read-
ing over a description of the education given at the Oxford
and Cambridge universities. (Hear, bear.) Ho saw there
was besides the usual course of English instruction, French,
German, chemistry, vocal and instrumental music, ornamen-
tal, mechanical and architectural drawing included in the
programme for the classes. Why this was a sort of educa-
tion they found put down in the priapectuses of first-class
boarding schools, and where they charged 30, 40, or 50
guineas a year, as it might be, for an ordinary education,
and then for French, 2 guineas extra; German, 2 guineas
extra; music, 2 guineas extra; and all sorts of acconiplish-
meats given in a goad education 2 guineas extra ; yet here
in this institution they had all these things taught for the
nominal price of 31d. per week, or a guinea a year.
(" Heir, hear," and cheers.) He could only say that when
he read this programme, and saw its terms, he was induced
to think that an article so cheap must be of a very in-
ferior character, but when he learnt the character of the
musters they had, how they were in many cases devoted to
the service of education, and were amongst the moat accom-
plished instructors of that town, at a college
established there and intended for the education
of the more favoured classes in Iluddersfied, when he found
these gentlemen had been coming to teach the members of
this institution at 3td. a week ; men qualified to be in-
structors of the first classes in the town ; when he saw this,
why he must say, that he could not help rejoicing that they
lived in days when knowledge was thus brought home to
the door of every boy in the town—(cheep)—and it was
only by the grossest disregard of the advantages which they
possessed, that they reasonably expect to fail of having
every young man in future, possessing the advantage of a
moderate and fair education. (Dear, hear.) Now, where
much was given, much would be expected from them, and
they were living in times and circumstances when a supe-
rior education was necessary, in order to keep men and
boys up to their proper level in the society in which
they aro born, and tomhich they should invariably as-
pire. He most strongly recommended the study of ma-
thematic, and mechanical science to all employed
in the manufacture of tools, steam-engines, looms,
and other similar articles; and to those engaged in
woven fabrics, and designing, the study of drawing, beauty,
and form. The resolution put into his hand required no en-
forcing from him. These societies had one advantage,
which was not often remembered, but it had been glanced
at by one of the gentlemen who had spoken before him.
They were eminently calculated to produce the fraternity of
different classes. (Hear, hear.) These societies were
levellers, but they levelled up, not down—(" hear,
hear," and cheers)—end one great advantage of
them was that they tended to bring together men of every
class and calling. See how varied and how miscella-
neous the gentlemen attending them were. la obn-
elusion, Mr. Cobden said, without absolutely promising
to be present next year, he would only say he hoped to be
there if possible ; but whether present or absent, he should
always take a deep interest in the proceedings of their in-
stitution, and begged to move, "That meetings of this
description cannot ail to exercise a beneficial influence, and
to consolidate and extend that mutual good understanding
of which they are alike the proof and the celebration."
Thanks were then voted to the ladies for their services,
to the visitors for their attendance, and to the chairman for
his presidency ; and the meeting broke up a little after ten
o'clock.