The Express.
London, England, 1857-10-13 00:00:00

THE EVENING MEETING.

BIRMINGHAM, Movoot NIGHT.
Lord Brougham entered the hall, which was densely
ansaded, at eight o'clock. Ile was aceconpanied by the
Mayor of Birmingham, Lord John Russell, lord Stanley,
Lord Talbot, fir. The noble sad learned lord was moat
enthusiastically received.
A minute or two after taking the chair Lord BROUGHAM
rose, and in an extremely able address set forth the view@
with which the association has been proposed and the
advantages expected to result from its odoptwn. Hire lord-
ship instanced the operations of the Society for the Ihffusion
of Valhi Knowledge, and the society for the amendment
of the law, es proving the beneficial effects of united
actka in atter. of reform. Nothing of party (said
his lordship), nothing of what Is termed poli-
tical, except la the good sense of the phrase, can enter into
the structured the kncams of our body. While men of all
opinions, sad shades of opinion, are united lathe good which
never can @souse any feeling unfriendly to the eetablished
order of things in this free and happy country—while no dis-
respect will ever ho shown towards the very different Insti-
tutions of other coanuies—while the sound view is taken
that them institutions may probably be suited tc, their di-

cireurnataneee—ittiite the want of all conatitu-
=government in some countrier, and the coma of
pepalse intorterence in othem, may neither provoke our
pley SW am envy, persuaded ae we all may be that
ear ma system protect. as at once from military power, end
Sem the ruled the irremoneible multitude, which only ter-
manatee the emitter evils of its own peculiar deposition
when it brings on the more ordinary domination of a tingle
tyrant. The inestimable blaming of this security wo owe to
our well-balanced constitution and the change an it I. called
by some, the renovation, by others, elected of late years hai
certainly been attended with one conaequence not to be over-
looked in our present deliberations. It cannot be denied
that the representation of so many places by member. of
local influence han with many moat important advantsgeo
one materiel drawback. Local intereets are well re-
presented, aa they ought to be, for any system would
be wet imperfect which reeds the wants and the
Malta of each place merge in those of the whole corn
1: =1 ~.,But it is =amiable that, with some distinguished
. the general result ia, the mat:Ong men's cares to
immedisie constituencies in discharging their parlia-
constitution, beymd

msitsey deffies. la the theory of the is
ell devil, se in mintemplation of law, they re%reient- the
whelp mmily, sled eve to sunsuit it. intercom. ut practi-
cally, and in they me too apt to regent themrelves es
Ihe plum diet returns than, and this unavoid-
l=smagibide le otelning their views within narrow bounds.
They Ile net devote much of their attention to subjects of a
ISM 1.1111111 dlerseter—they do not of themselves either
slaty eiseenres of that catholic description, or volunteer
disk 111111161111 to carry:such" policy into effect. But some per-
sees, sad they keen a very considerable portion of our whole
ispeeentativesns thinp ere now ordered,woeald be far from
showing eny inispeition towards men whom !above might mat
light upon melt impertant mbjvcis,aed point out both the want.
of society in them teepee, and the means of 'applying thou.
This help would emendly be well received by all well-
latentioned ma of the people, se It would be
b add , but remectfully, offered, and the exer-
tlretr She venues which we are now engaged in
kali, will le invebiebte in this view. But hopes are
cherimbed by many mine Meads of a progressive policy,
hot mos hses•vmseed may be introduced into our pare
Ileareekery system wide& shell add to the representative
body a elms rheum by ommediestts of scientific and Mo-
tley sequiremsla sad other pence" of liberal edneation.
Thin plea bin been strongly recommended by eminent men
et all partite, including those who have presided in the
Comm. (Lords Evereley and Dunfermline). It may be
lastlydobeerved that the existence of such a clam of members
to a certain degree, impair the force of the argument
upon the prevalence of local influence over the
spanks end the eandort of our representatives, one of the
. vise =la support of the propped improvement being
Its lendeney te give the Legislature the aid of mensal; more
free from the imbrues of keel prejudice. But the bulk of our
It =tativie woad seM be ',abject to that influecce, end
nsetlemellie that even those who are not blamed by
the wiobee of oreetknents see under local influence, miring
from another miree, frees their connection with the place,
by madam, lath, or proheeden. Such a bias is isa•
sorb Ism possertal Shea dot given by the opinions and
kelps at those who lam elected end may remove ; and
yet to a certain degree k mists, and cannot be niuntereeted.
Mina, we descry an eddlitionil ground for highly cAtimating
the importance of such inquiries as shall be undi rtaken by
times who me devoted to thememotion of social improvement
In its mein breaches, and to infirm and adoption"( inmate
mist its prairies. Nor Ist the importance be lightly con•
sldered of &firming among the variorm claws of the com-
munity the knowledge of the subject" to which our in-
gnirlee will be direotes d, sad which, though all are alike in.
tweeted in them, yet ere by no means oruffirirritly understood
or estimated at their just vale" by the bulk of mankind. The
slowness with which the humbler clauses of our fellow-
citizens improve themselves in different branches of mimeo ;
and indeed, their reluctance to undergo the labour of
them, has been often lamented, but without en-
etTlaßie beet surprise in those who duly considered the
dresser as of the ease. In the attempts that
have been made for so many jean to overcome such
obeharbe„ sad effect the more general diffusion of
Itsomisdepe, the necessity has been too much over-
looked of beginning with the upper classes of society.
When them are well imbued with the taste for acquiring
knowledge they have a natural tendeery to rooks these to
other make partake of the sante great benefits. It is not
that the who or even the greeter part of one class will be-
come educated, but some will be inspired with the desk*,
net mots benevolent then wise of bearing the torch to the
rsedass stiff without those lights which they themselves
es4s. The is sound and useful inetruction, propagated
by a
sure end rational rooms. or is It more certain
UM the urine layers of the great P•PCiPI "Nurture see
bound teepsihsr by the mighty clamp of justice Ram,-
efilmei it, and binding on all, from the broad basis
of the people upwards, through the middle CIMINO sad
the seletovary I. the crown Melt or the narrow summit,
the It is certain that knowledge pervades the alai
pyrunkt by inicoleadvely embracing and disposieg the
arches of which it Is formed. Knowledge the diffused,
bat especially knowledge of aerial intense.", and rights
and duties, even more than the tine and temperate
distribution of jaelice pommies the greet, the
cardinal Tikes of sneering the stability of the social
system. It is, In use the language of the day, in the very
greeted degree conservative, and in the highest sense of the
rerse. But its diffw'lon ken mother and roast herr
isle:
diary; it leads to the improvement of the mien,
It inspires all classes with the desire of prow:din MINIM/
shown to be sal' as well se ohschsal—hr a word, wheheme