The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-16 00:00:00

The Social Science Congress has opened as satis-
factorily as the most sanguine friends of the asso-
ciation could have wished. Failure in such cases
is in this country often laid to the charge of the
weather, and the plea might well have availed yes-
terday, for the rain poured incessantly from morn-
ing till night. But if it had any effect on the attend-
ance at the Mansion-house it was only to prevent
excessive overcrowding. The office of the associa-
tion was besieged the whole day up to the hour of
meeting, with persons seeking tickets. The num-
ber issued was for members at a guinea each, 285 ;
for associates, at 10s, 1,386 ; total, 1,671.
A large proportion of the latter were ladies'
tickets. Allowing a margin for life members of the
society and for those who had received invitations,
the attendance may be set down at about 1,800;
some of the reports say 2,000. The platform, which
extended in the shape of a crescent at each side of
the chair, was crowded with peers, judges, church
dignitaries, public functionaries, and the leading
gentry of the metropolis.
At a quarter-past 8 o'clock the Lord Lieutenant
arrived, accompanied by Lord Brougham and Vaux,
President of the Association ; the Lord Mayor, the
Duke of Wellington, Viscount Annesley, Lady
Caroline Lascelles, Miss E. Lascelles, Lady Geor-
gina Russell, the Earl of Bessborough, Lord Talbot
de Malahide, and Lord Curriehill, and attended by
Major-General Sir Thomas Larcom, K.C.8., Mr.
Haschell, Capt. Everard, and Capt. Gore. They
were conducted to the platform by the local secre-
taries, Mr. John Lentaigne, Dr. Neilson Hancock,
and Dr. Waller. The whole meeting rose and
cheered Lord Brougham very warmly when he
appeared.
Mr. G. W. Hastings, the general secretary,
having announced the number of tickets sold, and
some necessary changes in the programme, the Pre-
-sident rose and delivered his address (a copy of
which we published yesterday), at the conclusion
of which he was loudly applauded.
When the cheering ceased the LORD •LIEUTEN ANT
rose and said—My Lord Brougham, ladies, and
gentlemen—l have not risen with the presumptu-
ous intention of pointing out or portraying the
varied merits of that full, able, and eloquent address
to which we have just had the pleasure and privi-
lege of listening. (Cheers.) Its rich copiousness of
topics belongs to the several departments of inquiry
sow about to be opened in this present meeting.
The eminent and enlightened men who constitute
the sections will bring to that address all the dis-
criminating attention which its importance so am-
ply deserves. But about the author of that address,
the renowned president of our Social Congress—
(loud applause)—though he has himself given me
a warning that panegyrics are never popular, yet I
must be permitted to say what shall nevertheless be
a very few words. Those words indeed might be
many if they endeavoured to' follow the brilliant
track of his lengthened career, or to sum up the
diversified list of his powers, or the great amount
of his achievements. I will not rekindle the ashes
of any ancient controversies, nor run the risk of
awakening the sparks of new ones ; I will not utter
even one of these breathing and burning words
which have formed the battle cries of contending
parties ; but I will only ask, what great cause has
triumphed within the memory of the present cen-
tury which is not associated with the name, the.
labours, and the triumphs of Harry Brougham and
Lord Brougham ? (Great cheering.) Without
trenching too much upon what is merely personal,
I may mention the delight it has been to me to
bring to a meeting like this as my honoured guest
that person who, more than 30 years ago, was my
own colleague in the representation of what was
then by far the largest constituency in the United
Kingdom. Often have I heard him—as was said of
a great orator of old, whom he has been one of the
foremost to appreciate and approach—
_ _

" Torrentem et pleni moderantem frona theatri."

(Applause.) Audit is now, indeed, a rare and re-
freshing spectacle to see him, at the period of life
which he has reached, with a milder and a mellower
wisdom, filling up the large outline of his past
career, and crowning his life-long work of public
spirit and benevolence: (Renewed applause.) A
few words more I feel to be due to the occasion of
our being here assembled, and I may, from the cir-
cumstance of the post which I now have the honour
to fill in this country, avail myself of a somewhat
representative capacity in bidding welcome to the
Association for the Promotion of Social Science
within the ancient capital of Ireland. (Applause.)
It has been my lot to serve in the ranks of this as-
sociation when it held one of its meetings upon
English soil, in the great town of Liverpool, and I
have formed a high estimate of its capacity for use-
fulness. (Hear.) Besides the amount of actual
knowledge imparted and of ideas interchanged, the
main advantage gained from the concourse of so
much intelligence and benevolence is the stimulus
and guidance which it affords to private effort; and
it may well happen that statesmen and legislatures
may derive some of their happiest and most preg-
nant inspirations from the hints thrown out and
picked up in the quiet and earnest gatherings of the
sections of this association. The association, ladies
and gentlemen, has, for two or three successive
years, held its meetings in England and in Scotland.
It now opens this evening its beneficent mission
among a quickwitted, an impulsive, and a generous
people, and I firmly trust that the results of it, be-
ing gathered, in Dublin and in Ireland, will be mu-
tually satisfactory and salutary. (Applause.) I now
beg leave to move—" That this association offers to
the
Brougham, the President, its warm thanks for
ael.oquent address now delivered, and for his un-
wemed exertions in its support." (Loud applause.)
The Right Hon. Mr. Justice FITZGERALD
seconded the proposition. He said—Ladies, my I
lords, and gentlemen, I have the distinguished
honour of being permitted
to second this vote of
thanks to the noble lord, our venerated President—
(hear)—and I may at once say that even if I had
the power of any of the great men around about
me, I could not add anything to the impressive
and classic address which we have just heard upon
this resolution from our noble Viceroy,_ an addrss
giving a due meed of praise to our noble president,
and which comes with peculiar force,—which comes
with weighty authority from the Earl of Carlisle—.
(hear)—because he is one who has himself fought in
the same ranks,—fought with Henry Lord Broug-
ham in the first rank—(applause)—and has with
him contended from the earliest portion of his
career in the same cause of social science, and the
advancement of the best interests of his fellow-crea-
tures. (Hear, hear.) But, though my 1701C0 may
be feeble, and may carry with it no authority, there
is one portion of the career of Lord Brougham, in
reference to which, with your permission, I would
give expression to a single sentence. It is not my
intention, as you may guess, to speak of him as an
orator, much less as a politician, nor yet as a writer,
whose pen has thrown a light upon the page of
science, and illustrated the history of his country
—(hear)—but I may speak with more appropriate-
ness, and, perhaps, with some little authority upon
his career as a law reformer. (Hear.) Let us not
treat lightly this subject, for it is one of the most
important branches of social science. (Hear.) It
comes home to every one, whether he is high or
low—the improvement of the administration of
justice—the rendering of that administration eco-
nomic, speedy, and pure. And for 50 years of his
ife henry Brougham and Lord Brougham has lent
abilities, and the aid of his great station and of
11.1' Oi
at
mnd to the advancement of social science.
,1„
t'''''ar•) If thereh
were one among us who was un-
acquainted • t
on this,
in
der to blest,
with the extent of the debt we owe him
Lord
and the obligations which we are
üßrougham, we might refer to his
speech deliveredin
1828—now 33
p.O years ago—in
mo 'zing for a
Sal Commission, the result of -which
has laid the felmdati3
ofth every law reform that
we have had fro
sent. (Hear, hear.) I
am day to the pre-
at
will pardon a member m sure this meeting
making an
Association, him-
self a lawyer, for
an observation or
two f,-)n this subject. As I hare said,
we cannot over-
estia tate its importance—it comes home
o tor
justice
and pure administration every
one— -the speedy
And if I wanted authority upon its in, •
portance, I
might refer to the well-known =and oft-repeated