The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-23 00:00:00

selected on this occasion to move the vote of thanks
with which I shall conclude the few observations

with which I shall trouble this meeting. Your

lordship's services are, I will venture to say, in-

capable of appreciation ; but I echo the public sen-
timent when I say that they are deeply sensible of

the great value of your lordship's services, and that
the recollection of them will be paramount, and
that the obligation of them can never cease as long
as the important objects of this association shall
be dear to the interests and the affections of the
human race. You have devoted to this important

subject, I may say, the exclusive attention of your
later years, the fruits of your vast experience,
and the energy of that great intellect which
is only to be equalled by the philanthropy
with which its exertions have been always cha-
racterised. (Hear, hear.) We are proud,
and justly proud, to see such a man, so gifted
—gifted with all the ornaments which tend to
decorate and to elevate the human mind, dis-

charging at your period of life, and with such ability
duties so important to the interests of your country.'
(Applause.) Permit me to say that as long as your
Lordship has lived we have witnessed with the
greatest satisfaction in your person proofs of an in-
tellect unimpaired, of a wisdom matured and im-
proved by the taste and experience of a long life.
With these few observations I shall propose what I
know will be received with acclamation not only
within these walls, but with the universal concur-

rence of every person in this empire to whom your
Lordship's character and services are so well known.
(Applause.) I have the honour to move, ' That the
marked thanks of this meeting be given to Lord
Brougham for his services as President of the Social
Science Congress., " (Warm and prolonged ap-

plause.)
Mr. LENTAIGNE, D.L., seconded the motion.
Sir ROBERT PEEL, whose appearance for the first
time as Chief Secretary before a Dublin audience,
was hailed with a burst of enthusiastic applause,

said,—
~ I have been unexpectedly requested to put the
resolution which has now been submitted to you by
the hon. gentleman who proposed, and by the gen-

tleman who seconded it. Of course it is needless for

mp_—it No/mid bo, in fact, misplaced in a stranger, to
offer any observations upon the meeting which has
elicited,'as we have known and heard, such marked
approbation on the part of the citizens. (Hear.)
But in putting this resolution to the meeting I can
assure the noble lord in the chair that what has
been so well expressed by the mover of this resolu-
tion is universally felt by every one in this hall.
(Hear, hear.) We have many of us—whatever may
be the length of our lives—had before us the emi-
nent services of that most distinguished man.
Whatever works for the progress and the elevation
of the human mind in this great empire have been
associated with public meetings, there the name of
Lord Brougham has been conspicuous in advocating
those measures which may tend to the improvement
and the advancement of the people. And, although
he has now arrived at that period of life when, in
in the course of events, naturally he cannot expect
much longer to give this country and the world
generally the services of his great intellect, he may
rest satisfied that he will leave behind him a name
which will not easily be erased from the recollection
of his countrymen. (Hear, hear.) He will know
that, although he has lived to the great age he has
now attained, he has rendered immense services to
his country, and that, whether in connexion with
this association or with other great works in Par-
liament and in the law, the name of Lord Brougham
will be recollected as long as this great empire
holds the position which it now so magnificently
sustains. (Applause.) 11 cannot refrain, ladies and
gentlemen, from saying one word as regards the
kind manner in which you have received me when
I rose. (Applause.) It may he misplaced in me
to make an allusion of this nature on such an occa-
sion as the present—(cries of " No")—but I cannot
refrain from thanking the hon. gentleman who
spoke in the early part of this discussion for the
remarks which he made in reference to the public
services of my father. (Applause.) No doubt in
this country my father's services have, happily for
me, left behind them a very grateful recollection,
and one of the most earnest desires that I have will
be to endeavour to render myself, as far as the
abilities that I possess render me capable of doing
so, in some way worthy of the great fame he has
left behind him—(applause)—and although it must
be at a very far distance, yet still I shall endeavour
to novnip 1110 nhilit j, r.s.t I Lure: (Al (Lc biAllle
course which he so eminently and so successfully
followed. (Applause.) I wish, therefore, ladies
and gentlemen, with your permission, to put this
resolution that has been plrced in my hands to
the meeting, and I am quite certain that the
universal feeling of every heart in this hall will
respond to the expression which it contains."
Sir Robert Peel then put the resolution, which
was unanimously carried amid enthusiastic applause.
Lord Brougham responded—
" I feel," he said, " personally grateful, but, on
the part of the association at the head of which I
have the honour to stand, it becomes me to reiterate
those thanks tendered to Dublin in the report, for
the kind reception and the useful co-operation of all
classes, of both sexes, I rejoice to say. (Applause.)
We have met with the kindest and most cordial re-
ception from the Lord-Lieutenant and Lord Mayor
downwards. Every rank, every description of per-
son, seem to vie with each other and rival each other
in the kindness, and the usefulness, and the activity
of co-operation with which they received us. (Hear.)
I have many causes of regret personally, and on the
part of the association I have one cause of regret of
the same sort—namely, that the period has come at
which our labours cease and our residence here is at
an end—l mean that it has happened just on the
eve of the arrival of her Majesty our Sovereign.
(Hear, hear.) It would be the greatest possible
pleasure to this association—a pleasure in which I
am sure all here present would partake—if we had
happened to be so situated as to pay our respects
and to testify the loyalty of our affection t) our
Sovereign. (Applause.) For I may truly say upon
this occasion I lament the impossibility of our ten-
dering our devoted services and homage to that
illustrious Sovereign, than whom, in every respect,
both in her public capacity and in her private, there
never was a Sovereign in this or any other country
more entitled to the admiration and the gratitude of
her people ; as a Sovereign, ruling upon true consti-
tutional principles ; as a parent, educating her
family to be an example to every other family in
her dominions. The Prince Consort is also truly
deserving of the respectful attachment of the people.
He has been a patron of the sciences and the arts,
and of social progress, and has been himself the
founder of an international institution, which met
at the beginning of the summer before last-1 mean
the International Statistical Congress. I cannot
conclude without expressing once more my grati-
tude, not only to the principal secretary, but my
gratitude to the local secretaries and presidents of
departments. Their core and attention have been
most constant, and their services most useful. I
hope we shall not part without tendering a vote of
thanks to them, though the reception you gave to
the address, in which they are thanked, will amount
almost to the same thing. I would wish also, as
it has been the custom upon all former occasions, to
tender our thanks to the press—the local press—
for the aid which it has afforded. That has been
constant and most useful ; but I ought also to state
that we have received from the more distant bran-
ches of that large establishment—l mean the metro-
politan press—and from the press of Glasgow and
Edinburgh a constant and useful help. With
respect to newspapers—to the great established
newspapers in London, Ireland, and elsewhere—
we should he guilty of a sin which has been said to
be more serious than witchcraft—ingratitude---it
we did not acknowledge the help that they -have
given to the progress of social science, and the
help which they have given, one and all, I am sure,
with few exceptions, to the Social Science Associ-
ation and the National Association. There is a
sin even worse than ingratitude, which is worse
than witchcraft, and that is injustice, and it
would bo the height of injustice if I did
not acknowledge our obligations to that press.
There is another, not a sin, but a defect, which is
even worse than injustice, and that is—folly; and
7 it would be an incredible folly in Olio a*eocigion if it