The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-10 00:00:00

by the chief constable to escort the noble Premier
into Bradford It consisted of the Bradford and
Bowling Artillery Volunteers, headed by their
band ; the Chamber of Commerce, the overseers
and guardians of the poor, the Fire Brigade, the
Corporation, including the execnt ve committee,
the magistrates, the mayor, Lord Palmerston, and
the Bradford Rifle Volunteers, with their band.
The route was through Otleysroad, East-parade,
Leeds-road, Bridge-street, Market-street, Lower
Cheatside, a part of Market•street, Charles-street,
Bankeetreet, and the Old Market, Along the
whole of the line of route the spectators
were numerous, but at no point inconveniently
crowded until the neighbourhood of the Old
Market was reached. Here a dense crowd had
collected, and windows and house-tops were eovered
with spectators in such a way as to show only
their outlines by a living mass of humanity. The
reception which his lordship met with, though
cordial, certainly lacked some of that heartiness
which the cooperation of the masses alone can
ensure. To the credit of the working men of Brad-
ford be it said, though they maintained the silence
they advised, they very fairly also maintained the
dignity of the masses that they represented.
Whatever lack was made up for at the site, where
the cheering was loud and continuous, even after
the noble lord had taken his place on the platform.
Nearly the whole of the site of the proposed
building was surrounded by flags, banners, and
mats de cockayne, and raised seats, which were
occupied by spectators provided with tickets. On
the arrival of the cortege, the bands played " See
the conquering hero comes." His lordship, the
mayor, and the corporation, and the other dignita-
ries having alighted and taken up their position
round the suspended stone, a fine block of free-
stone, the Mayor briefly welcomed Lord Palmer•
ston to Bradford. A handsome silver trowel was
then presented to his lordship, who proceeded,
secundum artem, to spread the mortar and lay the
stone with the usual formalities. A bottle, con-
taining newspapers and photographs of Lord Pal-
merston, the mayor, and three directors was de-
posited in the cavity of the lower stone. The fol-
lowing address was then presented to his lordship
by Alderman Wright, one of the directors of the
Exchange Company, Mr. John Rawson reading
it :

To the Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston, K.G., G.C,8.,
M.P., First Lord of Her Majesty's Treasury.
May it please your Lordship,—Having requested your
lordship to honour this town with your presence on this
memorable day, we, the directors of the Bradford Exchange
Company, would tender to you our warmest thanks for the
gracious manner in which your lordship has consented to
take part in the important commercial ceremony for which
we are assembled, Before we ask your lordship to lay the
first stone of the structure which is to rise on this site, we
would for a moment call your lordship's attention to the
circumstances which have required its erection. The build.
ing now used as an Exchange was opened in the year 1828,
Three years after, the population of the borough was
43,527—in 1861 it was upwards of 106,000, In the year
182 S there were not more than two or three firms trading
as stuff merchants in the borough—in 1861 :,the number
thus engaged was 157. In the year 1841 the annual rental
of the property in the borough assessed to the poor rate
amounted to £l37,77B—this year the same amounted to
£315,740. In 1831 the number of houses was 8,193--now it
is about 24,800. In 1836 the number of registered Parlia-
mentary voters was 1,347—n0w it is 4,564. The tables of
mills and machinery, imports as to wool, and ext arts as to
worsted fabrics, would show dialler increase. It will not,
therefore, surprise your lordship that the building which
was considered sufficient and capacious for the wants of
1828 should be found quite inadequate to the requirements
of the present time. Sensible that our commercial empire
is most emphatically peace, we congratulate your lordship
on that enlightened policy which has so recently secured
one of its blessings in the increased connections between
this country and France, and of which we trust that the
French treaty, so eminently beneficial to both countries, is
but the first fruits, and that your visit to this town in a
time of peace and this proposed building is but one of its
many victories. The trade of this borough was never more
remunerative than at present to the skilful hands of toil,
and the vast capital that is employed connects it with the
prosperity of the farmers at home and in the distant colo-
nies, with every sheepfold, however remote, and every shep-
herd in every clime. Its ambition is to hang its trophies in
every household, to wrap them round the inmates of its
houses. In asking you to lay the foundation stone of this
monument of the prosperity of this district, we congratu-
late your lordship that you have lived to see so many insig-
nificant villages in your country rise to the importance of
large and influential towns ; so many limited occupations
expand into gigantic manufactures ; so many feeble tribu-
taries to the national wealth become mighty streams, swell-
ing its resources, Nor are we less glad to see you amongst
us, after so many honoured year:: of public service, not an
old man broken wick the storms of State, but still a man of
sovereign parts, whose age has charms in it. We shall be
delighted to associate your lordship's name with the com-
mencement of the important edifice which is to adorn and
benefit this town, as we have long had to make your lord-
ship's motto, "Flecti non Frangi," the foundation of the
delicate manipulation of the materials of oue manufacture,
desiring for this building no higher honour than that it
may witness as steady a growth in the success of this town
as 3 our lordship has eeen in the prosperity of your coun-
try ; and that passing years may mark its walls with as
gentle a hand as they have laid upon your lordship, and
gather around it as many gratifying marks of reverential
regard as your lordship enjoys.
Given under the seal of the Bradford Exchange Com-
pany, the 9th day of August, 1861,
The stone was laid with the usual observances,
amidst hearty cheers. The peculiarly serious and
artistic manner in which the Premier discharged
the duty of spreading the mortar, and afterwards
seeing that the stone was properly adjusted, excited
general admiration.
Lord PALMERSTON then said—Slentlemen, I must
in the first place beg the people of this town to ac-
cept my most hearty thanks for the kind and cors
dial reception which I have met with this day.
(Cheers.) I c9u assure you that the recollection of
it will never depart from my memory. It has
afforded me great pleasure to be instrumental in what
is technically called laying the foundation of your
New Exchange ; but that foundation has been laid
long since by the people of Bradford themselves.
(Cheers.) For it is in the industry and in the
prosperity, in the successful exertions of the people
of Bradford, that has been laid the foundation, not
only of this building, but of the future prosperity
of which this building will only be the emblem and
representative. You have, indeed, in the address
which I have just had the honour of receiving, made
mention of the wonderful growth of this town in an
inconceivable short space of time; but I trust that
it is still destined to equal some of the larger seats
of industry, and that when I may have again the
pleasure of re-visiting this to NII I may see that this
prosperity has been continued still more rapidly
than during the period to which your remarks have
referred. (Cheers.) Indeed, when I look around

on your prosperity to-day, I should have thought
that the population of Bradford had been much
larger than lam told it now is. I know that lam
welcome here—(cheers)—and I know how warm
the hearts of Yorkshiremen are—how kind they are
to those whom they have invited, and how disposed
they are to show the warmth of their feelings by
the strong outward demonstration of their voices.
(Cheers.) It is not the first time that I have been
in this county, but I must say that the kind recep-
tion which I have this day received exceeds any-
thing which I have been entitled to expect even
from warm-hearted Yorkshiremen. (Cheers.) I
consider that what we have done to-day is that we
have laid the foundation of a temple of peace.
(Cheers.) Because your industry not only is pro-
ductive of peace., but is essentially prosperous in
peace. It is, therefore, the cause and the effect of
peace ; and I look upon it that the Exchange which
is to be raised upon this site may be properly
designated as a temple of peace, You have mens
tioned the great development which the commerce
of this county and the manufactures of Bradford have
received from the commercial treaty with France,
Well, that treaty has had another effect. It has not
only given a stimulus to industry, and compensated
in a great degree for those calamities which have
befallen in other quarters, but it is every year
cementing the good feeling between too neighbour-
ing rations, bath of which, having no cause for reci-
procal jealousy, would have no ground for mutual
hostility, which has tco often marked our relations
in times gone by. But we have every reason to find,
in interests in common and in sympathetic feeling,
mutual relations of friendship; and I trust the
people of Bradford may properly be said to be most
important negotiators in that respect. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer. If I were
to say all I feel I should keep you here till sunset.
I!. would !)• an unfair return for the courtesy you