The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-03 00:00:00

.....
1,. Gd. in the pound ; so that, as far as expenditure
was concerned, the reports from the county would
be unfavourable. Other cases had been mentioned,
such as the neighbourhood of the Chiltern Hills; but
he would say that the dwellers in that part of this
country had the best materials at the cheapest rates
at command, and they would be the greatest boobies
in the world if therewith they did not produce the
best roads possible. When the ratepayers saw their
expenses were being so greatly increased, were they
to be surprised that some and many of them, being
men of large holdings and paying a great deal in
the shape of rates, should view with some suspicion
the violent proposition to change the whole manage-
ment of the roads of the country. The committee had
for three months past duly considered the whole
matter, and working with great zeal and intelli-
gence, collecting evidence and considering the whole
subject in its various bearings, they had recom-
mended, as the Court had heard, that at present the
act be not adopted in the county of Buekingham-
shire, and their opinion ought, to be treated with
great respect ; and he hoped it would not be held
forth as an instance of the backwardness of the
county in the present progress which characterised
the age, but rather as an instance of their prudence,
of their wisdom, of their precaution, and of their
wise inclination at all times to make themselves per-
fectly aware of the circumstances of any situation
they might be called on to occupy. The general
grounds on which the committee had come to their
decision were two in number, and they were identi-
cal with those which had weighed with the opposi-
tion to the movement in the country. They ought to
look and see if the roads already existing were, on
the whole, good roads ; and, 2dly, whether any al-
teration in their management would lead to any
great increase in the amount of expenditure. Those
were considerations which ought .to influence the 1
ratepayers and the Court of Quarter Sessions, for
they were quite unable to form any opinion on
merely a set of minute statistics, these being the
province of a committee—a smaller body—to exa-
mine,
and he would say, without hesitation, that
though there might be portions of the county of Buck-
inghamshire where the roads had been mismanaged or
neglected, yet the roads of the county, generally
speaking, were inferior to none in England, and
that as it has been said that persons coming from
Yorkshire or Lincolnshire had a right to expect to
find as good roads here as they had in the counties
named, yet they would in all probability find the
Bucks roads to be far better roads than they had
ever seen before. (Applause.) The present state
of the roads by no means warranted the proposed
change, and as to the expenditure, from all the in-
formation he had obtained it was very greatly in-
creased. The petitions which he had had the
honour to present—instead of being all nonsense
and mechanically got up—were the perfectly just
expression of the feelings of the county, prepared
with care, the result of conviction, and respectfully
offered to the consideration of the Court of Quar-
ter Sessions.

The right hon. gentleman resumed his seat amid
much applause.

The recommendation of the committee was car
ried nem dis.

Opening of the New Exchange at
Birmingham
•

The opening of the new Exchange buildings, Birming-
tarn, took place yesterday.

The buildings, which have a double frontage towards
New-street and Stephenson-place, and embrace a large
central block of four stories, with wings on either side, and
a clock tower rising 145 feet, were erected by Mr Edward
Holmes. The style adopted is Gothic, partaking of the
continental character in its treatment. The facade is very
handsome. The various floors comprise a lofty, spacious,
and noble exchange-hall, chamber of commerce, committee
rooms, lavatories, and a magnificent assembly-room.
The opening ceremony took place in the Exchange-room
at 12 o'clock, when the Mayor of Birmingham presided.
Among those on the platform were the Rev. Dr. Miller,
honorary canon of Worcester and rector of Birmingham,
Mr. Scholefield, M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Mr Adderley,
M.P., Mr. D. Bromley, M.P., Col. Mason, Mr. C. T. Kyn-
nersly, Mr. G. F. Muntz, Mr. S. S. Lloyd, Mr_ J. S. Wright,
Mr. Rawlins, &c.

The MAYOR commenced the proceedings by calling on
the Rev. Dr. Miller to implore a blessing on the opening of
the Exchange.

! The Rev. Dr. MILLER offered up the following impressive
prayer :—" Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Thou
God of the spirits of all flesh, by whose providence we who
laid the foundation-stone of this building are now permitted
to meet within its walls, establish Thou the work of our
hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands, establish
Thou it. We thank Thee, we praise Thee, for the many
blessings which we enjoy in this land, and for the prosperity
which Thou continuest to us, notwithstanding our short-
comings and sins. The earth is thine, and the fulness thereof.
It is of Thy will that England has been raised to her high
place among the peoples of the earth, and by her commerce
been knit to those who are far off. We pray Thee that our
rulers and ourselves may use this greatness by the consecra-
tion of. our-prosperity and our commerce to the advance..
ment of truth, and justice; and liberty, and peace ; and that,
by enlightened policy and righteous dealing, and faithful-
ness to the Gospel of Thy Son Jesus Christ, we may be as a
light in the world, and hand down our blessings to our chil-
dren's Children. 0 Thou, who givest power to get wealth,
prosper largely, we beseechrhee, the industry and skill, and
enterprise of this town and district. Within the bowels of
the earth Thou has bounteously stored the means of ma-
terial prosperity and has endowed our artisans with skill to
fashi n these thy good gifts for the use of man. Do Thou
so rule and purify the hearts of our merchants and manu-
facturers as that neither the undue desire of wealth noir the
selfish use thereof may degrade them to earthly mindedness
or ensnare them to idolatry or binder their pursuit of the
true riches. As they meet within this house, which they
have huilded, may all their dealings be regulated by in-
tegrity and truth, according to Thy 'Royal law.' May our
citizens recognise their dutie's to Thee and to each other ;
and may an enlightened public spirit be diffused among us.
Knit together the employers and the employed in a just
and intelligent recognition of each others' rights, and of
their mutual duties, as members of one body. May
brotherly love increase and abound among us. May our
differences be tempered with that most excellent gift of
charity. Bless the homes of our artisans, that they may
be homes of temperance, providence, peace, and godliness.
Incline the heart of those who may be prospered with this
world's wealth to sympathy and beneficence in communicat-
ing to the poor, and especially in the support of the charities
of our town. We implore Thy blessing upon our Queen and
her children, upon her advisers, and upon the houses of
Parliament ; upon the mayor, the magistrates, and the
council of this borough. Incline the nations of the earth to
equity, unity, and concord. Hasten the downfall of tyranny
and oppression. Make wars to cease in all the earth. Let
the Gospel of Jesus Christ go forth in all its purity, through
the power of Thy spirit, for the healing of the nations.
Especially and fervently we pray Thee for our brethren in
America, with whom many who shall meet from day to day
within these walls are closely connected by the ties of com-
merce. May they who are now arrayed against each other in
war be speedily united in the bonds of brotherhood, a free
and prosperous people. And may no selfishness of faction,
no prejudice, no words of passion, no acts of wrong, give
occasion for strife between us and them. Finally, we pray
Thee for ourselves that, amid the changes of this mortal
life, our hearts may surely ther© be fixed where true joys
are to be found, and that we may so pass through things
temporal as that finally we lose not the things eternal.
Hear us, answer us, bless us, oh God ! for Jesus Christ's
sake, our only Mediator and Redeemer."
The MAYOR then called upon the senior member for the
borough to address the meeting.
Mr. SCHOLEPIELD, M.P., who was received with cheers,
said that in the absence of those who would have conferred
far greater dignity on the ceremony of the day, he had no
hesitation in accepting. the invitation which had been
forwarded by the directors to him, because he felt that
whenever his services were solicited for any object con-
nected with the town of Birmingham he ought not to
forward any scruples of his own, but at once
to obey any command that might be laid on him.
(Hear, hear.) His duty on the. present occasion was ex-
ceedingly and would occupy their time for only
twoorthr simple,
three minutes, for he had received—he would not
say a broad hint—but something even stronger than that,
to the effect that what ho had to say in reference
to the beautiful building in whiCh they were assembled
had better be deferred till another—ho would not
say a more interesting—ceremony. (A laugh.) His
didpe
n hope
g thea Ind
dExchange,tri
duty on the present occasion was limited to formally
oateatheeatthhee
intercourse between the merchants and manufacturers of
st
the borough, and
the buildingan d
he
might would
tend simptloy in
not only facilitate the commercial rela-
tions between themselves and the people of this country,
but extend those relations among other nations. (Cheers.)
As had been over and over again stated, it was to commerce
they must look for the best bond of union between nations,
and the best security for peace.
sure that that building, if pro (Cheers.) He was quite
ile
no doubt it would be, by
themerchantsr eacni ad
t emd'a n au
fs a he
ten rheards
well
as by those who carried
on large concerns in the district u would be found
to be of essential service to all classes of the people, and
would produce the very best effects, '
f bulVortecl by the

people themselves. (Cheers.) Mr. Scholefield concluded
by formally declaring the Exchange opened.
The announcement was received with loud cheers.
The MAvox next briefly addressed the meeting. He ex-
pressed the deep regret which he felt personally, and which
he was sure would be shared by all present, at the absence
of Mr. Van Wart, who :was detained by illness. (Hear,
hear.) He had very great pleasure in having an opportu-
nity of congratulating his fellow-townsmen on the dedica-
tion to them of so handsome a building as that in which
they were assembled. It was not only an ornament to the
town, but would be of immense advantage to merchants
and manufacturers in facilitating their business transac-
tions. Hitherto Birmingham had been without a suitable
Exchange, and it was owing to the public spirit of
a few of the leading merchants and manufacturers that
that beautiful building had been erected. It had been
said that Birmingham, from the nature of its business,
did not require an exchange. Such an objection might
have been urged twenty or five-and-twenty years ago, but
since then the importance of the town had vastly increased,
and the necessity for an Exchange had increased accord-
ingly. (Hear, hear.) He concluded by expressing his hope
that the merchants and manufacturers of Birmingham
would meet there daily at a certain hour, which he be-
lieved would tend materially to facilitate the transaction of
business, and promote the best interests of commerce and
the town. (Cheers.) -

Mr. BRIGHT, who was received with loud cheers, said—
I believe, Mr. Mayor, it is quite understood that this occa-
sion is not one for making speeches, but I feel it would be
particularly out of place just now to say much with regard to
the objects and value of this Exchange further than to say
that I agree with what has beeu said by my hon. friend and
colleague, Mr. Scholefield. (Cheers.) It would be impossible
I think, to add anything to the beautiful and touching lan-
guage and sentiments whickwe have heard in an address to
the Supreme from the lips of Dr. Miller. (Cheers.) I hope
there is no one in this assembly who is not willing to say
with me that he can agree with every word of that prayer,
and that his heart went fully with every sentiment that was
uttered by Dr. Miller. (Cheers.) I only wish that sent-
ments so full of charity, kindness, and love, of freedom and
of good, could be heard from the lips of all the Christian
men in this country—(cheers)--and that the people might
be, as I think we are capable of being, in some respects
changed to something better than we have occasionally ex-
hibited, particularly in our feelings in regard to events
that takes place in foreign countries. (Hear, hear.) I sup-
pose the committee are of opinion that we can all speak
better after luncheon than before it, and therefore, we are
not expected to take up your time in making speeches here.
indeed it is a very 'difficult thing to make a speech on a
question :and an occasion like this when we are all per-
fectly agreed. (A laugh.) It appears to be so, also, when
we are speaking in the Town-hall, for the audience there
is pretty unanimous ; but we know that outside there are
a good many who do not agree with us, and therefore we
are stimulated to efforts of oratory which in an assembly
like this are altogether out of place. We must confine
ourselves to the business of the hour.. My business—and
I perform it with the greatest pleasure—is to ask you to
pass a vote of thanks to the Mayor for his kindness in
presiding over the meeting this morning, and taking the
part which so properly belongs to him as chief magistrate
of the town on the opening of an institution like this,
which, I think, should enlist the good will and sympathy
of every person connected with the manufactures and
commerce of the district. For myself, I can only wonder
that Birmingham should not have had a good Exchange
many years before. (Hear, hear.) And what the Mayor
has suggested of having a particular time fixed every
day, when at high .Change, as it is called, men
engaged in the pursuits of commerce would have the
best chance of meeting each other within these walls, emi-
nently deserves your attention. (Cheers.) Such meetings
would not only be a great convenience, and are generally
adopted in Manchester, Liverpool, London, and no doubt
in all the great Exchanges of the world, but I am quite
sure that the more the merchants and manufacturers are
accustomed to meet here, making it a place of frequent dis-
cussion on other matters besides buying and selling, the
more they will increase their influence. (Cheers.) I be-
lieve it will be of great advantage to the town and district
beyond the mere transaction of commercial operations.
(Cheers.) I will say no more than to ask you to agree to
a vote of thanks to our most excellent Mayor for presiding
over this meeting, showing, as I may say, in the very be-
ginning of his mayoralty, a disposition to make himself as
useful as he can to the town and district. (Cheers.)
Mr. ADHERLEY, M.P., said he had been suddenly, though
most agreeably, called upon to second the vote of thanks to
the mayor, which had just been moved by Mr. Bright. He
did so with every sympathy for the occasion, and for those
who were present. He was proud to take part in the
opening of that great Exchange, and he was glad to see on
this occasion the representatives of every interest in the
country—of commerce, of manufactures, and of land.
(Hear, hear.) He could only say that he hoped the country
would more arid more show both in its local institutions
and in its central Legislature an absence of narrow, isolated
views and of class interests (cheers), and a sense that the
prosperity of a great and free nation depends upon every
interest being supported by a union of the representatives
of every class in the country. (Cheers.) He begged to
second the motion of thanks to the mayor.

The MAYOR having briefly expressed his acknowledg-
[lents the proceedings terminated.

THE LUNCHEON.
4 sumptuous luncheon -Was given by the directors at
two o'clock in the Assembly-rooms, to celebrate the event
of the day. About 250 gentlemen were present. The
Mayor presided, having on his right Mr. Bright, ALP., Mr.
Adderley, M.P., Mr. Bromley, M.P., Col. Mason, Major
Elmsall, Mr. Whateley, and- Mr. Samuel Thornton ; and,
on the left, Mr. Scholefield, M.P., the Rev. Dr. Miller, Mr.
Kynnersley, Rev. Mr. Evans, Rev. R. W. Dale, Rev. Geo.
Dawson, M. Latour, the French Consul, &c.
The Rev. Dr. MILLER said grace.
After the usual introductory toasts proposed by the
CHAIRMAN,

Mr. THOMAS LLOYD gave " the Health of the Bishop,
and Clergy of the Diocess, and the Ministers of Religion of
all Denominations," which was responded to by the Rev.
Dr. MlLLrat, Rev. R. W. DALE, Independent, the Rev. W.
BACHE, Unitarian, and Canon JEFFRIES, Roman Catholic.
Mr. J. W. WHATELEY proposed " the Army, Navy, and
Volunteers," which was drunk with loud cheers, and re-
sponded to by Colonel MASON.
Mr. GEORGE DIXON proposed "the House of Commons."
It was the most enlightened and the most powerful assem-
bly in the world, and one of which Englishmen might be
justly proud. There were men in this country—he dared
say there were some in that room—who would not object
to some reform in the House of Commons, but he was quite
sure that whenever the day came for a reform of that House,
as come it certainly would, and it might be shortly, they
would all unite in the feeling that the reformed House
should emulate the present one in many very important
particulars. (Cheers.) He trusted that the House of
Commons would ever remain distinguished for the spirit of
independence which at present characterised it (cheers) and that a seat within: its walls would ever be, as now,
the object of ambition to the *best educated, the most
highminded, and the proudest in the land. He trusted
that among those that England would return to occupy
the benches of the House of Commons there would
ever be found a large proportion of such men as they had
now among their guests, of whom he begged more espe-
cially to mention the name of the Right Hon. C. B. Adder-
ley. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. ADDERLEY, M.P., who was received with loud cheer-
ing, said--In responding to the toast of " the House of
Commons" at the opening of so great an Exchange as this,
in so important a town as Birmingham, one is naturally led
to consider how far the House of Commons may claim
fairly and fully to represent the commercial interests of this
kingdom. (Cheers.) It was the spirit of commerce that
first enfranchised the Commons of England. The growth
of towns through commerce had first created the House of
Commons out of the old feudal councils of vassals ; and as
the House of Commons is the creature of commerce it is but
natural that it should speak its language.:But it is a natural
and most marked feature of this talking age, in what is
certainly the freest and most vigorous nation in the world
—(hear)--that men should not be content to have their
public affairs discussed by only 600 representatives within
the four walls of Parliament. They seem to break outin a,
thousand local extramural Parliaments to discuss their own
affairs. (Cheers.) We have a Parliament of Social Science,
a Parliament of Natural Science. We have a Church Con-
gress—in Ireland at this moment, I believe, there is an
anti-Church Union ; we have trade unions and Free-trade
Leagues, and we have—perhaps the most lively, active, and
efficient bodies of all—we have throughout the length and
breadth of the land Chambers of Commerce. One might
almost say that the Anglo-Saxon race throughout the world
is at this moment sitting in a Parliament of some kind or
another. But it is these local discussions which are the
feeders of public opinion, and public opinion, when collected
into the central body, forms national legislation. We may
not, perhaps, satisfy all the political theories of perfection
that may be brought forward, and I should be the last to
say that we have, as to the basis of representation ; but we
seem to have arrived at the means of ascertaining the col-
lective voice and sense of the nation. It would be difficult
to name any interest so individual and so remotely local as
not to find access to the House of Commons. The Cham-
ber of Commerce of Birmingham and the midland district
has shown its vigorous action in the discussions which
have taken place, and it has recently issued a most able
and full report on the various political questions relating
to commerce—the proposed amendment of the bankruptcy
law, the railway tariff, the law of partnership, the patent
laws, and the relations which should subsist between the
Foreign-office and the Board of Trade in the interest
of commerce. All these questions have been very ably
dealt with, and the conclusions to which the Chamber of
Commerce have come will find able and efficient organs
for their discussion in Parliament in the members for this
town. (Cheers.) I am sure those gentlemen will be the
first to admit that the House of Commons has within the
last 20 years responded to the voice of commerce in removing
the shackles fro
practical from
measuresalmost every
may stillbranc hahovf
e to be
trade.
discussed
important
in the remaining days of a dying Parliament, and if it be
true that our life has not been fruitful of good works,

there is all the more reason for a death-bed repentance.
(Laughter and "Hear, hear.") No doubt reforms of vari-
ous kinds, Constitutional and representative, may be pro-
posed; but, although we may differ as to the conclusions
to which we should arrive on this all important subject,
we shall all agree in this, that the House of Commons is
likely to respond on that as on all other important ques-
tions to the will of the nation. (Cheers.) I will say of
this noble building that it is a credit to the town, and
standing as it does in juxtaposition to King Edward's
school, that they. both represent the true basis of political
rights—on the one hand sound education and intelligence,
on the other hand the circulation of wealth and the spirit
of commerce. (Loud applause.)
The MAYOR next proposed " The Health of the Members
for the Borough," eulogising them especially for their steady
and zealous promotion of the interests of Birmingham.
At all times they were happy to see those gentlemen

present among them, and more especially when they came,
as on that occasion, to take part in so interesting a cere-
mony, which had in view the advancement of the interests
and prosperity of the community. He begged to thank
them for the manner in which they performed those
onerous duties which were imposed upon them, and he
was sure they would all drink their health with the utmost
cordiality.
The toast was drunk with all the honours.

Mr. SCIIOLEFIELD briefly acknowledged the compliment.
He was very sensible of the kindness with which he was
received by his constituents on occasions like the present,
and also in the Town-hall, where, as his hon. colleague
stated in the morning, they were generally all of one mind.
(Cheers.) But when he met, as in that assembly, so many
of his fellow-townsmen from whom he differed in political
opinion, he was most happy t 3 think that, in spite of these
differences, they gave him credit for what he boldly
claimed—the doing what he felt to be his duty for the
interests and prosperity of the town he had the honour to
represent. (Cheers.) That was the highest praise he could
receive at their hands. The hon. gentleman then read a
letter from Mr. Newdegate, expressing his regret that he
could not attend upon that interesting occasion, and pay-
ing a tribute to the memory of the late Mr. Spooner, from
whom he had always derived the greatest assistance in any
question affecting the interests of Birmingham. After some
further remarks of purely local interest, the hon. gentle-
man concluded, amid loud cheering, by again thanking the
company for the kindness with which he had been re-
ceived.

Mr. BRIGHT, who was received with much applause, said
, Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,—When I received the invita-
. tion to attend this meeting on this very interesting cere-
mony, I without hesitation accepted it, for, to tell the truth,
I have always found Birmingham a very pleasant place to
come to, and Birmingham people a very good people.
(Cheers and a laugh.) And I say that with all the more
confidence after the long experience I have had of them.
But I felt myself under a difficulty because, after I de-
spatched my letter it occurred to me that I might be called
upon to speak--(a laugh}—and yet lam bound to say—
and I say it with confusion of face—that after 25 years of
experience as a public speaker I do not appear to, have made
one step in advance in the art of making those delicate and
pleasing speeches which men expect generally to hear after
they have comfortably dined. (A laugh.) But my hon.
friend Mr. Scholefield has thrown all the burden of this
occasion upon me, and truly I may say that I think the
occasion is one of very considerable interest to the town.
For I agree with what was said this morning, and also by
my hon. friend now on my right—that a building of this
nature is not merely a place in which men will meet to
buy and to sell ; but a commercial exchange, in whatsoever
part of the world it may exist, is a centre of local and even
of national influence, and its influence extends even beyond
the nation, for the opinion which is created, and which acts
here or in any exchange, naturally and necessarily pro-
duces some effect on other seats of commerce and industry,
even in the remotest parts of the world. (Cheers.) Now I
am myself a manufacturer, and therefore, if I say anything
to manufacturers which they think rather bordering on
criticism they will understand that I take a portion of it to
myself. (A laugh.) I think that manufacturers and mer-
chants, as a rule, have generally been either too modest or
they have not been sufficiently acquainted with their true
position. My opinion is, looking to the course of history,
that manufacturers and merchants in the aggregate are
gradually becoming much more important in the world
than warriors and statesmen, and even than monarchs
themselves; for it is obvious to me that the power of
these heretofore great authorities is waning, and that in
every part of the world the power, of the great industrial in-
terest is sensibly waxing greater. If we were to take down
the volume of history which may be called the chart of past
ages, we should see, I think, clearly that the stream of com-
merce runs close alongside the streams of freedom and
civilisation. It is a long time to go back to the old mer-
chants and mariners who were said to have come from the
coast of Asia to this country in pursuit of one of the pro-
ducts of our mines; but the Phoenicians were a great people
because they were merchants and given to maritime pur-
suits, and it needs but the most superficial knowledge of
history to enable us to remember that from them came the
arts and civilisation, and the, greatness and the commercial
splendour of the city of Carthage on the African conti-
nent, and from Greece came' the populous and commercial
colonies of Italy and Sicily ; and Carthage, though com-
paratively early destroyed, yet left its traces in France and
Spain. Then, coming down to a period when history is
more complete and accurate, we find in the cities of
Northern Italy commerce was attended by arts, letters, and
freedom, and civilisation to an extent which, considering
the condition of other parts of the world, is at least beau-
tiful to contemplate, and most remarkable, and the great
commercial Republics:of Genoa and Venice have left their
mark on history whiqi time itself can never efface. And
coming down to a period somewhat later, we find the com-
mercial cities of the Netherlands taking apart in the history
of Europe, equally important, and being themselves equally
devoted to arts, to civilisation, and freedom. And then
crossing the narrow strait, the narrow channel, and coming
to our own loved island and country, we find here that
precisely as commerce has extended and industry has been
respected, towns and cities have grown and populations
have congregated together. As has been said by my right
hon. friend, from that, source and not from monarchs or
from great lords of the soil—from that source mainly has
come whatever there is of social, or civil, or religious free-
dom to the inhabitants of this country. But it is not con-
finedjto those I am describing; it is not confined to England
or. Europe. Within that period which is called modern his-
tory our race has seen vast continents discovered, subdued,
and peopled; and across the Atlantic we behold a country
which within the lifetime of men now living contained only
a few scattered colonies, but has now grown to be a great
nation, that' an inevitable but temporary conflict within
its borders has well:nigh convulsed the commerce of all the
world, while mankind look on with wonder, and may I not
almost say with suspended breath at the varying fortunes
of that great struggle. ' But turn to the Southern hemis-
phere, to countries which aro still as the United States of
America were, colonies of England, being in some degree
dependant yet on English authority ; and there you find
that within a lifetime almost of the accurate discovery of the
great Southern Continent, there are flourishing cities, there
is a vast trade, there is almost all that is among ourselves
—States and Empires -that are to be, all growing up with
a rapidity unknown to ages that are past. Well, if this be
so, I should say that the English people ought to take
special pride in the greatness of these colonies, whether on
the American or on the Australian continent. They came
from us. They have taken all that is best of our institu-
tions and of our laws'and principles. Our ancestors were
theirs, and through their instrumentality the English lan-
guage ; and it may be—l hope it may not be—that when
the greatness of this country may have fallen, still there
may remain in those countries and those populations—
what shall I call it ?—the
people on the face of the earth. But
in addition to this,
posterity of what may now be
deemed the greatest
facturers here that not in England only, but in all Europe,
may I not say to merchants and manu-
we perceive the commercial spirit extending, and producing
great and beneficent results ? War is much less possible,
notwithstanding the writing of sometimes foolish news-
papers, than it used to be. (A laugh.) There never was
a time probably when during peace the armaments of
Europe have been so great as during late years, and yet
with all these armaments, so provocative of war, there is
the strongest possible disposition among European people
to preserve the peace. And although these armaments
are great, and although' they are nourished by exac-
tions on the commerce of all these countries, yet I con-
sole myself with the belief that as wars of conquest are gone
into the past and peace is now seen to be the true interest
of nations, so the jealousy between nations which keeps
alive these great armaments will also subside, and by and
by the Governments and States of Europe will maintain
only such armaments as a moderate and
peaceful and just
spirit would encourage and defend. (Cheers.) Well, I
take the liberty of saying to my brother manufacturers and
merchants that as a class, as a section, as a body in the
population, they are becoming every day more powerful
than they have ever been before. My right hon. friend has
said very wisely that there is a Parliament being held
everywhere. There is no doubt that every Exchange is a
portion of the Parliament of the world. Industry is be-
coming more omnipotent, or more near what we are per-
mitted to describe by omnipotence ; and it is desirable that
the wisdom of merchants and manufacturers, if possible,
should in some degree equal their power. Merchants
and manufacturers meet on an Exchange, I shall be told by
somebody, for the purpose of making money, and not for
the sake of philosophical and political discussion and ac-
tion. Nov, Ido not believe that because a man is a manu-
facturer or a merchant he is less than a man, and that he
loses in any degree the responsibilities that belong to him
as a man ; or that there is less laid on him th'e duty of
urging, using, and obeying, if I may so say., those responsi-
bilities with the added power which he derives from being
a merchant or a manufacturer. We stand on a loftier emi-
nence than our forefathers did. We stand, as it were, on
the shoulders of preceding generations. We see more, we
are bound to take a wider survey and a more exalted view
of our duties as between nation and nation ; we are bound,
I think, to establish the international law of the mercantile
world, which is to insist on the widest and freest intercourse
between nation and nation. (Cheers.) And it is our duty
to promote every quality, every principle, and every cour-
tesy that shall tend to the promotion of peace betwoon nu-

tion and nation. Look here, in this very building, what
will be the condition of merchants and manufacturers only
to-morrow ? They will have before them, at the cost of
a single sheet of paper, a chart of the doings of the world;
drawn with, I should say, marvellous accuracy in the main.
They will have on their table to-day every single thing
of any importance that happened yesterday in any consil
derable town in any part of Europe, and in all probability
before this year isout they will find the continents of Asia
and America. brought so near to them that to-day they will
be able to discuss' among themselves the events which
happened yesterday in Calcutta and Washington. (Cheers.)
Why, such are the triumphs of science in our day, such is
the enterprise which commerce creates, that the most
o boundless tracts of the earth's suface, the most measure-
less wastes of ocean, are no longer barriers to prevent the
free and instantaneous transmission of thought among man-
kind. (Cheers.) At home, keeping ourselves for a moment to
this district, which has many features in it so extremely in-
leresting. Looking to the erection of this building and the
probability of the daily meeting here of many merchants
and manufacturers, and many others—for many others will
come to an Exchange like this, professional men, and I hope
also those gentlemen who, under the character of ministers
of religion, have addressed this meeting to-night in a man-
ner which has given extreme pleasure to all of us—they
will meet here, and will have an opportunity of doing that
• which I say merchants and manufacturers should do in
promoting peace between nations. They should exert
themselves to preserve and promote peace among the various
classes of which the community is composed. I would ad-
vise them to look carefully at one great question, and that
is the question of the instructing your people. They should
endeavour by all means to promote justice in the law, and
that which never fails, I believe, when the law is just—re-
verence for the law among the population. Now, you have
in Birmingham a remarkably varied and yet, I should say,
a very solid industry. There is no great town in the
kingdom where manufactures are carried on where I be-
lieve there has been so long-continued a course of at least
what I should call fair and moderate success and pros-
perity. (Cheers.) You have at the same time an inter-
laced and compact community, but still there is in this
district that old• question, which will meet us for many
a day yet—the question between the employer
• and the employed, or, in more familiar language, between
the master and the man. Now, I am one of those who do
not expect to see the strikes of workmen readily or entirely
abandoned. I have said before in public what lam ready
, to repeat here, that lam not sure that it is desirable-that
• the idea of strikes should be absolutely abandoned. I call'
• the power of strike among workmen the reserved power
which under some circumstances it may be their duty to
exercise. At the same time I am willing to confess that,
in my experience, in 19 cases out of 20 at least the exercise
of that power may be fairly questioned ; 'and in many of
those cases it has been a merciless curse to those by whom
it was exercised. (Cheers.) I will not say that education
would wholly remove the causes or action of strikes, but I
believe it would make them much less frequent—very much
less evils—and if there be one thing in our social history
that convinces me, and must convince all, of the great im-
provement which has taken place in the intelligence and
temper of the working men in your counties as well as in
Lancashire, it is to be found in the fact that if a strike does
occur it is not accompanied with one-twentieth of the bit-
terness and the violence with which it was accompanied in
past years. (Cheers.) Well, I believe that education among
workmen and a little more.education and thought among
employers would be a very excellent. thing in connection
with this question. (Cheers.) My own impression is that
if it were possible—and looking at this table one might
fancy it was possible—if it were possible to have estab-
lished in our great manufacturing districts a grand system
of common schools, through which every boy and every
girl that desired it should pass, I cannot but believe that
we should find our population, :even those thousands that
spend their time mostly in the working of your mines, might
advance so much in instruction, in culture, in gentleness,
and in the love of justice, that society in these districts
might be even better interlaced and compacted together.
Those contentions which occasionally arise would be for the
most part abandoned, and if they did unhappily arise on any
occasion they would be pursued in:a generous, temperate,
and, I would say, courteous spirit. (Cheers.) Now, in the
United States they have, as you know—l speak of the free
States—a great system of common schools such as the world
elsewhere has never seen ; but there, even where the artisan
class is more highly instructed than our own, they have
occasionally and not unfrequently strikes and contentions
about wages. But, judging from what I read in their papers
they appear to be very soon settled. I think, under the
circumstances I have described, employers would be more
courteous to their workmen, and workmen possibly more
open to facts and arguments. Thus causes of dissension
might be removed without inflicting that terrible loss on the
people and the district which has so often been occasioned
in this country. Now, perhaps, I have touched on sub-
jects which some may consider foreign to an occasion like
this ; but I hope not. I have lamented often in the county
from which I come what seemed to my mind the narrow-
ness of what I may call the leaders and captains of industry.
Upon these men, as appears to me mainly depends our pro-
gress for the future in freedom and civilisation in this coun-
try. It is impossible that the great bulk of our population
can greatly improve if those by whom they are employed,
and by whom they must be much influenced, are not them-
selves also in a course of progress and advancement. On
them depend our hopes for the future of our country ; for it
is by their intelligence and energy, and by their capital,
that the IVOrlti grows in wealth ; comfort is more widely '
diffused ; populations are raised to ahigher level ; darkness
and barbarism are driven. away ; light and civilization en-
ter ; war recedes, as we see it is receding—notwithstanding
exceptional cases in the world—into the past, and peace
comes before us promising to bless the future ; and thus,
when I am in what. I should call my happier mood of
thinking, I think I discover that the world, slowly it may
be, but still sensibly, moves on towards a happier time.
(Cheers.) Here, then, not to prolong a discourse on what
we aro probably all agreed, I would ask, may we not hope
that your Exchange will be a centre of great good ? May
we not ask and belieVe that they who frequent it, although
they came here "to buy, to sell; and get gain," will yet
faithfully maintain the principles tby which alone you can
give security and its best reward to labour, and that, by
your courageous and prudent enterprise, you shall give con-
tinually to the population by whom you are surrounded a
larger portion of those blessings which in all countries and
in all ages have waited on the steps of ;commerce and of
freedom ? (Loud cheers.)
Mr. SAMPSON S. LLOYD, in- proposing " the members for
the northern division of the county," remarked that they
represented a peculiar constituency, a constituency of mixed
interests, agricultural and manufacturing. They repre-
sented a constituency whose political views differed in a re-
markable degree, but it was a more interesting constituency
on that account. They had been told by their much re-
spected representative (Mr. Bright) that industry waxed
when monarchy waned. Now, he hoped the:hon. member
would permit him to say that he differed from that view,
because he thought that the remarkable progress which had
been made by the industrial interests of that town formed
a very good illustration of the fact that commercial inte-
rests waxed, while he was sure the monarch's power was
not on the wane. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman had re-
ferred to the Republics of Venice, Carthage, and North
Italy, and with his usual eloquence had stated that their
greatness was owing to their commerce. Now, he (Mr.
Lloyd) thought he had read that the prosperity of those
countries, instead of waxing, very soon waned, and with re-
gard to the Republic of North Italy it soon merged into
the worst of despotisms. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman
had told them that Carthage and Venice had gone and had
left their mark in history. Undoubtedly they had, but the
mere wealth obtained by commerce would inever give that
security nor that true liberty which were best to be found
under own constitution and limited monarchy. Another
remark of the hon. gentleman's was that their liberties did
not come from the lords of the soil. Now, with reference
to that he thought they must all 'have read when boys at
school that the Barons of England, in obtaining from King
John the Magna Charta, when they might have sought
liberty only for themselves, were generous enough to seek
it also for their less powerful neighbours. (Cheers.) In
conclusion, Mr. Lloyd spoke in very high terms of :,Mr.
Newdegate, who had represented the northern division of
Wa7rWickshire for 20 years, and whose absence- on that
occasion he deeply regretted, and proposed " the Health
of Mr. W. Davenport Bromley," for whom, although but
recently elected, he entertained a high esteem. (Hear.)
Mr. W. DAVENPORT BROMLEY, M.P., on rising to re-
spond was received with loud applause. He said,—Mr.
Mayor and Gentlemen—lt would ill become me after the
very eloquent speeches to which you have just listened to
detain you at any length at this period of the evening. I
can only say that it is a matter of great regret to me that

my colleague, Mr. Newdegate, is not present to-day—(hear)
—and I. feel that it throws a weight and responsibility
upon my shoulders which I am very unequal to bear. But
I beg to say that it has afforded me great satisfaction to
be present to-day at this ceremony of opening this build-
ing, and to identify myself with the interests of Birming-
ham. (Applause.) I think it is a most interesting thing to
see the formal opening of a work of this kind, which will
be handed down to posterity as a monument of the labours
of their forefathers. Gentlemen, the hon. member for Bir-
mingham has stated that in these days the march of civi-
lisation has increased so much that we shall soft be able
to send intelligence in a few minutes to the uttermost
parts of the earth. I can say that it affords matter for
much reflection to me to think that these walls now
around us will one day echo to the footsteps of
unborn generations, who will listen to speeches in these
rooms when they may, perhaps, be in possession of secrets
as incomprehensible to us now as the secrets of steam
and electricity were incomprehensible to our fore-
fathers. (Applause.) It is not the empty shell of this
building which will go down to posterity ; with it
will go improved commercial laws—laws improved and
added to in every respect, as has been evidenced by the
work that has been done by the Chamber of Commerce in
this town. (Loud cheers.) We must remember, gentle-
men, that whether our interest be centred in commerce, or
manufactures, or agriculture, we are mere tenants for life,
in the Divine entail to man ; and as we have received our
inheritance in an improved condition as compared with
that in which our forefathers received it, so it is our boun-

den duty to transfer that entail and inheritance in a still
further improved condition. (Loud cheers.) Gentlemen,
I feel that, after the manner in which Mr. Scholefield has
been kind enough to introduce my name to you as well as
that in which Mr. Lloyd has spoken of me, it is very diffi-
cult for me to make any remarks to lead you to suppose
that I am at all worthy of the compliments which you have
paid me ; and I can only say, in reference to the practical
part of Mr. Scholefield's remarks, that I shall always be
happy to meet him or any gentleman in connection with
this town, and exert myself in their favour to the best of
my ability in the position I have been called to occupy.
(Hear, hear.) I here pledge myself, as I have done before,
that however great my deficiencies my abilities shall be
exerted for your interests and for the general prosperity of
this country. (Loud cheers.)

The concluding toasts were " The Mayor and Corpora-
tion," proposed by Mr. George Dawson, and responded to
by Mr. Henry Wiggin, the Mayor ; " The Exchange,"
proposed by Mr. Scholefield, M.P., who spoke of Mr. E.
Lander as the promoter of the movement which led to the
erection of the building, and whose name must ever be
honourably associated with it ; " The magistrates," pro-
posed by Mr. Edwin Gwyther, and responded to by Mr.
T. C. S. Kynnersley, the stipendiary ; " The Chamber of
Commerce, and the Consuls, &c., of Foreign States resi-
dent in Birmingham," acknowledged by M. Verdier ds
Latour, the Consul of France; and "The Chairman," 1,3,
Mr. Scholefield, M.P.

The proceedings concluded soon after six o'cloct.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOIANALS.

,--
TIMES.—The protests which invariably follow
any public notice of the Post-o.. 1: and its proceed-
ings bear testimony to the peculial'interest taken
by all classes of society in the adminiztration of
that Department. No sooner is the subject started
than our correspondence teems with complaints ex-
postulations, and remonstrances, all of which ap-
pear in direct contravention of the credit claimed
by the office for its own good work. To listen to
the Postmaster-General, you would think that no
Department of State ever performed such success-
ful, meritorious, and disinterested service as that
over which he presides ; to listen to the public, you
would imagine that never was overpaid work more
grudgingly executed. Nor is the conflict of opinion
in any degree extraordinary. It is but the natural
result of arrangements which are not really injudi-
cious or impolitic, but which have no-parallel in our
institutions. The misfortune of the Department is,
that it serves two masters—the State and the pub-
lic. The State looks to the profit realised for its
use, the public to the accommodation furnished in
return for the charge. On the former of these
points the official report .of the Postmaster-General
must needs be thought satisfactory. Mr. Glad-
stone will get a clear million of money from the
Office, in fact something more, and he may well be
content, but our columns have shown for this week
past that the sentiment of gratitude is not exactly
shared by the public. If we had to decide between
these opinions, we should say that the Post-office
really does as much for the public as is compatible
with its obligations to the Treasury, but that it
takes rather too much credit, and assumes rather
too patronising a tone in describing its perform-
ancces. It could do a great deal more for us if it
was less anxious to' make profit out of the work,
but the profit must be made, unless the whole
theory of the service is to be revolutionised.
The first great change in the system was all in
favour of the public, to the detriment of the state.
The introduction of the penny postage was one of
the greatest and most palpable reforms of our
times. Everybody felt it directly and immediately.
No relief that a Chancellor of the Exchequer could
devise would come home so quickly and sensibly as
this did to every man's door. But the boon was
given once for all. Since that time the modifica-
tions or developments of the system have been con-
ceived as much in the interest of the State as in that
of the public. The loss to the State had to be made
up as far and as speedily as possible, and this could
only be done by extending the business, or, in other
words, multiplying the number of letters transmitted
through the Post. The inventor of the new system
had set his heart upon bringing things to a balance
and realising ultimately for the benefit of the Ex-
chequer all that the Exchequer had surrendered in
the first instance for the benefit of the public. A
letter was to be carried and delivered for a penny
instead of eightpence, but so many letters were to
be carried and delivered that the product from the
pence received for the service was to be as great as
before. This was the policy which has governed
the proceedings of the Post-office for the last five-
and-twenty years. The object was the multiplica-
tion of letters, and to this all the energies and de-
vices of the Department were directed. It was re-
quisite, in the first place, to facilitate the work of
the Post-office servants in order that they might
perform a greater amount in a given time. To this
end the " co-operation " of the public was " in-
vited," as they say in Paris—that is to say, we had
to do as the Post-office told us. Rules of greater
and greater stringency were introduced as to the
prepayment of letters, and as to the affixing of the
right stamp in the right corner. Penalties for the
infraction of rules were multiplie or increased. Ac-
curacy and distinctness of. addre ' were rigidly ex--
acted, and the Office took less tro able to rectify the
defaults of its customers. In Lon on a little diction-
ary had to be purchased and studied in order that a
nomenclature more convenient to the Office might
be understood. Even. every householder was ,ex-
pected to fit a private letter-box to his front door,
in order that the letter-carrier might not have a
minute to wait. All this shifting of small troubles
from the Office to the public rendered the work
of its servants very much easier, and enabled
them to carry and deliver many more letters than
before. So, then, new receptacles were devised for
the deposit of letters, new branches opened, and
new shops organised in all quarters for the solicita-
tion of our custom. The accumulation of letters
thus created entailed the multiplication of deliveries,
till most towns had two posts a day and the chief
cities of the kingdom many more. The office, in
short, did really expedite the collection, transmis-
sion, and delivery of letters. to such good purpose
that they increased in number by millions ; but, as
each letter was carried at a profit, the gains of the
office increased also, and the end was attained. It
is not to be disguised that the public had its share
of the advantage. The post-office did not reduce
the price of its stamps by a single farthing, nor did
it, we believe, in a single instance increase the
weight which a given stamp might carry. These
conditions of service were kept unchanged, so that
as the business which etas thus increased had been
a remunerative business to begin with, its profits
swelled in proportion. What the public gained was
a quicker and more frequent delivery. It paid the
same for the carriage of a letter as before, but the
letter was carried in a shortq time. Two or three
letters, in some places a dozen, might be inter-
changed where only one despatch daily had been
possible before, and the latest concession of the
department has been an extension of the hours
within which letters may be posted in London. All
this is true, but still the paternal solicitude of the
Office for our accommodation and convenience is
accompanied, if it is not created, by a distinct con-
cern for its own interests. A baker who sold penny
rolls or muffins at a profit would think himself
rather than his customers fortunate if he could in-
duce them to take rolls and muffins ten times a
day instead of at breakfast only, and this is what
the Post-office has succeeded in doing with its letters.
Nevertheless, the communications which appear
in our columns prove this much on behalf of the
Department, that this facilitation and expedition of
deliveries is what the public chiefly looks for. There
is not much grumbling about postal charges. Nine
complaints out of ten refer rather to sharp practice
or stingy service. The deliveries, it is said, are few,
or slow, or circuitous ; or a slight inaccuracy has
been allowed to vitiate an address, or a penalty has
been too severely exacted. The general tone of
these protests shows that the public wishes the Office
not to charge less but to perform more, or, in'other
words, to proceed in that very course which its own
interest has already dictated. But the Office is de-
barred from being too liberal to the public by its
duty to the State. The Exchequer cannot dispense
with the million thus pleasantly brought in, and,
besides this, the whole Department is animated by
an undying desire to bring up the profits to the
standard of old times, and to keep them there.
Unless this is done, the pledge given at the origin of
the reform is unfulfilled. So, though the means of
the Department increases its economy is not miti-
gated, and it still, though it is a Government esta-
hlishment,;lies under the anomalous and unparalleled
charge of pinching and screwing and turning every
penny to account. Perhaps, upon the whole, the
reader may think that this is not so bad a character
for a Department to possess ; but, unluckily, its
parings and scrapings, when they are felt, affect us
all, and we are apt to think that a few thousand
pounds had better be saved elsewhere,. or not saved
at all, than at such cost to our daily convenience.
HERALD.—New Year's-day has come and gone ;
and the Emperor of the French has made his annual
reply to the Compliments of the diplomatic body ;
speculators, political and monetary, breathe freely
again. Ever since half a dozen words addressed
to an ambassador proved the prelude of a great
war this New Year's reception at the Tuileries has
been looked forward to for several weeks with
intense anxiety and interest from all parts of
Europe. What had been once done might be
done again. The absolute ruler of the most ambi-
tious nation of Europe might again, men feared,
give the signal for. a conflict, or he might, some
hoped, spread confidence by emphatic assurances
of peace. And the interest has kept up, although
since that memorable Ist January, 1859, the