The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-03 00:00:00

who is really wall informed ssith the.eveilc4ke tiesi
pert of literature upon the subject 031swhkh bils
speaking, and with which his raita.l,l4l,7**l.;
light of onfobeleeni
jun
that of the solitary artisan, ueon,itehteth,•4l‘l7°l2'vess/
:plisrlstiodoa,wni
ned
sionms.:(,ei; erta71014.t.,014,.: 'o4_6,
there, unable to accomplish iteel ? , p aselq -reinse,,.
its meaning, and probably endin lij, 1411 P;
content or despair.—(elease) eo . • - me
that msn, such as he would he w • "'s . . lifief MAW" IP'
what that man may be with books. So that it is
only books that can save him from the most exag-
gerated conclusions, from the fahest doctrines, eta
all those evils which may damage and even destroy
the masses of mankind. It is only, remember, what
lies in these books that makes all the difference be-
tween the wildest Socialism that ever passed into. the
mind of a man in this hall, and the deductions emd
careful processes of the miarl of the student who
will sit at these tables—who will learn hurnie
lity by seeing what others have taught betore
him; and who will gain from the as- mpathy
of ages intelligence and sense for himself.—(Cheers.)
I believe, too, that even in the mere and more mate-
tial form it will be of the greatest advantage to this
population. When the Committee of the House of
Commons on which I sat, nod of which a gentleman
whose name should not go unmentioned in this hull,
Mr. Ewart, was chairwan—(Cheers)—and a most inde-
fa,igable and zsa.lous chairman he was—among the
great_ amount of evidence brought before us in that
Committee I am not aware that any ore sentence
touched me more than the evidence given, if I re-
member right, by some person intimately connected
with the manufacturing districts, that hooks were a
good deal more sought for and read by artisans
when
they had short time and less wcrk than wi m they I
were in full employment. I own I thought that
saw in this something more than met the ea e. I saw
that it was possible fn. the artisen not enjoying the
full produce of his strength and his labour to find at
least some consolation for the increased difficulties and
self-denial to which he wes suVjact, and, in commu-
ning with the minds of others through the various
channels of literature, deriving perhaps comfort and
advantage to himself in seeing how other men had
toiled and suffered before him, end beginning to hope for
the future time by seeing how full of glorious prospects
this world is for the good of the industrious man.—
(Cheers.) Ladies and gentlemen, the rEsolu, ion
which has been placed in my hands is of same special
import to me, because it refers to the books which
are placed in this room, which are not to be taken cut
of it, but which are to be eejoyed in full community
by all the inhabitants of this place. It is therefore
truly touching to us to feel that tbeii i.lt' tikem,ge-
sented to us by Royal munificence, will be shared
equally by the wealthiest and the most intelligent
among you, and by the poorest and simplest student.
These, gentlemen, are real principles of equality,
principles of equality from which the most timid need
not shrink, because we know that they only Eubstan-
tiate this solemn truth, that, beyond nod behind this
world, with all its changes and chances, with all its
gradations, and titles, and positions, there is a spirit
world in which there is equality, in which men must
meet, and in which the poorest ii at least equal to the
proudest—who knows whether he may not be a deal
above him P—(Cheers.) I thank you, therefore, for
having asked me here to-day. I sincerely thank 3 On
for having heard these few poor observations ot mine,
and I thank you, in_ the name of the Legislature to
which. I belong, and of the com,non citizsnship that
for having consummated one of those
gwreeaatilacsowhich animate, educate, and preserve a na-
tio
The
I (ELa or
lu
od f c
WILTONI e,
.( rs . )
seconded the resolution, which
wazisicra.rßrißeldG tin nT a ni:ltri.
po
.u,
s l y.
then rose anlacdsed n my
dnofto said--The reso-
lution which the committee have
p
hands
is one which to my mind appears to be very
necessary for the objects of the meeting an
success of the institution, bec.iuse it merely asksrtthh_ee
Town-council of Manchester to do their duty with
regard to it. It is as follows :
e That in transferring to the corporation of Aisne
chester their farewell offering, us embodied in the free
library, the contributors Express their full, st confidence
that the trust reposed in the municipal body will be ful-
filled so as to realise the most sanguine expectations of
its founders."
Now, the corporation of Manchester representing the
borough of Manchester, they represent, no doubt,
nine tenths of the subscribers to the institution.—
(Hear.) The corporation of Manchester is one of
chose not of very ancient standing, but which has
been and is characterized by the activity and energy
of its operations since it was first established. And
if that corporation can be trusted with the police, the
draining, the lighting, the supply of water, the ma-
nagement of the improvements of the town, and the
levi ing of the large revenues of the town, there can
be no doubt whatever that they can be equally trusted
with the management of this most interesting insti-
tution. But when this resolution was put into
my hands it was hinted to me by a gentleman very
likely to know, that I had better say very li,tle about
the corporation—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—that, in
point of fact, there were per sons who took an exage
gerated and perhaps unfair view of what it is ; there
were others who felt the corporation rather as the
instrument for the levying of the local taxation. Well,
but let every man bear this in mind, that all persons
who have examined the condition of Manchester some
few years ago, and know its condition now, believe
that there is not, as I believe there is not, a cor-
poration in the United Kingdom that within the last
ten years has done so much for the permanent ad-
vantage of the town with which it is connected as the
corporation of Manchester.—(Cheers.) And although
the burden of rates, as we all feel, is not inconsider-
able, let us, at any rate, if we cannot get rid of these
rates, look at the bright side of the question, and see
the advantages which we derive from their expendi-
ture. The council, as you have heard, have not the
power to increase this library. I doubt if it has the
power,
to the extent which the founder of the library
intended, even to conserve the library in the position
in which it is now before you. The Libraries Act,
as you are aware, is a very inefficient and incomplete
measure, and I was in the House of Commons when
it passed, and if it were not keeping the meeting with
what hardly belongs to it, I could describe some of
the difficulties which Mr. Ewart and Mr. Brother-
ton, who were the parents of this Act, had in pass-
ing it through the House of Commons. And it is an
extraordinary fact that the opposition to this Bill
came almost entirely from that aide ot the House
which is composed of country gentlemen, a great
portion of them having had, no doubt, an education
at one of our great universities. Those gentle-
men opposed this Act on the ground, and I hope
by this time they have found it was not a very judi"
(nous ground, that there were certain boroughs in
certain agricultural districts that were incorporated,
and that it would not be a judicious and proper.tbingf
this nature.
to add to the burdens on land by passing
•a Bill for°
any class to say that those connected with sgric,ultetinset
can d d Its:
Now, I am quite sure that t is not
r
or those connected with manufacture',
with such instruction as this library a_
people. lam sure it would be
coun-
try, better for every manufacturinganu the
laorbourer and
wellevery agricultural labourer, every
pitalist and every farmer, if they we
well instructed in all those branches
cessible in this library to theevpeorpu for this
which are no-
read and
question may
better
thisviineren of Manches-
ter ; end I hope that
come before the House woirncemnions we 1,11911 find on
which has now the Govern-
that side of the 1-1
with regard to the objects and
ouaugseready and cordial agreement
and such as this.—(llear, hear,
betweenmot in itsthe
them
andds
advantages of ihthink,
as we have a distinguished
and cheers.) 1
d now as one of the Members for an
—distinguished . .
distinguished from his literary position
here with us, and who has
English h that I listened to with extreme plea-
g en: l e s n
made , speech . _ _
behalf of the meeting,
' I ;illy I think 1 may, on .
acn[unty, sitting
sue—
en any further measures of this nature
treat him, when he shall take his place in the House
of Commons, and
shall be brought betore Parliament, that he will en-
deavour to induce those among whom he sits to give
their cordial co-operation and favour to any further
judicious and wise legislation with regard to the es-
tablishment of free libraries by the corporations of
this country.—(Hear, hear.) The resolution I said
was not necessary, because it merely expresses what I
am quite sure the corporation already feel, that it is
their duty to conserve this institution to the utmost of
their power. It has been raised by the joint sub-
scription of all classes ; it is intended for the benefit of
all ; there can be no result come from it which is not
creditable to Manchester, and to the authorities of
Manchester, and therefore I feel the greatest confi-
dence that the institution will never be found by any
of its friends in a less efficient and complete condition
than it is on the day of its opening.—(Cheers.)
.0
Mr. C. Knight, Mr. Pelkin, of Nottingham, Mr. 1 ;
Manchester, and v.
Cunningham, the Re V. V of
addressed the
other gentlemen, a
meeting, r. auhan, the Bishop
which did not break up until about three
o'clock in the afternoon. agreed
1 The following additional resolutions were

to :
" That the promoters and friends of the institution
most earnestly do sire that the examp now given may
be followed by the establishment of similar libraries in
the populous ci+it s and towns of the United Kingdom,
and that the effect of this new feature in our social
economy will be nvnifested in the growing intaigence
and improvement of the English n ation.
" That, in common wiih many friends of such inttittP
tinns, this tneerng regrets that the Act of Parliament
under which this library will be conducted should con-
tain no provision for the purchase of books out of the
islai" enactment,
rate, and trusts that this de.eat may be remedied by
sufficitmt, in large towns,
especially as the fd. rate
early leg,
ewviellrybeotalTePrlYpurpose of free libraries. for this and
.‘ That our warmest tlintnirs ere due, and are cordially
tendered to the distinguished noblemen and gentlemen,
who have come from a distance to sanction, by their pre-
. seem an event so interesting to every lover of literature