The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-17 00:00:00

71L7 SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION,

honour to propose the toast of the evening—' The
Health of Lord Brougham and Vaux, the President
DUBLIN, FRIDAY. of the National Association for the Promotion of
Yesterday; after the delivery of Mr. Napier's ad- Social Science.' (Loud and reiterated cheering.)
dress, the business of the association commenced in It would be great presumption in me to say aught
the several departments. In the first, which is de- in reference to the subject of this toast, beyond
voted to jurisprudence, the chair was taken by the that I feel highly honoured in having his lordship
President, Mr. Napier. Judge Lynch, Vice-Presi- as my guest. The whole civilised world is aware
dent, was also present. Mr. Heron, Q.C., and Mr. that his lordship is the greatest philanthropist of
W. D. Ferguson, are the secretaries of this depart- the age, a most instructive author, a distinguished
ment. Mr. Melville read the resolutions of the statesman and orator, and most profound scholar.
Patent Law Committee as follows :-- We recognise in Lord Brougham the highest order
el. That all applications for grants of letters patent of human intellect. His name stands prominent in
should be subject to a preliminary investigation before a the history of these realms for the last 50 years,
special tribunal. 2. That such tribunal should have power
to decide on the granting of patents, but it should be open and has become a household word from the palace
to inventors to renew their application, notwithstanding to the cottage. (Loud cheers.) During a long life
previous refusals. That the said tribunal should be formed he has advocated practical social science, and has
by a permanent and salaried judge, assisted when necessary been the most ardent and active in advancing the
by the advice of scientific assessors, and that its sittings condition of the human species. My lords and
should be public. 4. That the same tribunal should have gentlemen, I give you ' Lord Brougham and Vaux,
exclusive jurisdiction to try patent senses, subject to a right -
and may he long be spared to pursue his useful
of appeal. 5. That the jurisdiction of such a tribunal should
be extended to the trial of all questions of copyright and re-
course, and to enjoy his well-earned honours and
gistrations of design. 6, That the scientific assessors for renown.' (The toast was received with warm and
the trial of patent causes should be five in number, to be long-continued cheering.)
ch.ien from a panel to be nominated by the Commissioners Lord BROUGUAM, who,„ on rising, was greeted
of Patents, for the adjudication upon facts, when deemed with renewed applause, spoke as follows—lt would
necessary by the judge, or demanded by either of the parties.
be using words of course were I to say how heartily
I feel grateful for the very kind and cordial recep-
of Exchequer Chamber, with a final appeal to the House of
Lords. 8. That for the preliminary examination, the as- tion which you have given to the mention of my
sessors, if the judge require their assistance, should be two name by his lordship. But I will add that I came
in number, named by the Commissioners of Patents, from into this country with every prepossession in its
the existing panel; the decision to rest with the judge.
9. That the committee approve the principle of com- favour—with a long and anxious desire to promote
pelling patentees to grant licenses on terms to be fixed by by all the means in my powerhe different happinessdtheerentranksof
of
arbitration, or, in case the parties should not agree to Ireland, the consolidation of t
such arbitration, then by the proposed tribunal, or by an Ireland, the union of the different parties and sects
arbitrator or arbitrators appointed by the said tribunal, in Ireland—(cheers)—with which I consider her
10. That a report be drawn up in conformity with the re- good, her prosperity, and the Permanency of that
solutions passed by this committee, and that the council, prosperityto
all my prepossessions in favour of this
be intimately bound up. (Cheers.)
if such report be approved by them, be requested to allow it B •
to be read at the meeting of the British Association to be u '
great and noble people, I confess that my expecta-
t with
held at Manchester this year."
tions have been surpassed. by what I have seen
my short visit—l may say of the few hours
Mr. HERON, in the absence of Mr. Arthur
Symonds, read a paper on " The Constitution of
only. I. have seen the people here in their glory,
Tribunals." The writer contended that the whole during
becausef in their freedom—(cheers) ; in the posses-
system of the administration of Justice in England,
sion of
ftheir rights, which other countries, un-
Ireland, and Scotland ought to be consolidated.
for
satyhemselves, do not possess, and
There should be only one profession of advocates
h thereforeP
f I have seen the people in their
and agents for the United Kingdom, and Parliamentl
.ory, or I have seen them loyal to their Sove-
reign,.
should have attached to it a Minister and Commis- g
well disposed to one another, and affectionate
sioner of Justice. This paper elicited no discussion.
and kind—graciously kind to their well-wishers of
Mr. Whiteside, Q.C., M.P., then read a paper
on the criminal law, in which he dwelt upon the all castes and of all orders in society. Therefore I
cruelty by which it was characterised down to the
feel that all I had before dreamt, or rather conclu-
present generation, and traced the progress of its
ded by what I had heard, of the kind and affection-
mitigation by the labours of Bentham, Romilly, ate nature of the Irish people, has been surpassed
Mackintosh, Brougham, and Peel. He gave a by what I have seen and felt since my arrival
history of recent commissions for the consolidation among them. (Cheers.) Now, I consider that the
of the criminal law, alluding to his own labours, hospitality of the Lord Mayor, and the kind men-
andlVlre Napier. In the
those of his colleague, tion of my name in connexion with the association
course of an interesting address he strongly con- of which lam the head, are due to that association,
demned the confiscation of property as a punish- to the great merits, the great usefulness, and the
ment in cases of treason, as it caused the innocent great authority of that association, and not of any
to suffer. Referring to a debate in the Lords, in individual of it. It is, indeed, a most happy cir-
which Lord Brougham was engaged, Mr. White- cutnstance that we are here to prosecute our in-
side said he was present, and was so delighted with quiries in the capital of this great country, into all
a speech of Lord Brougham's that he was very near the questions, moral, political, social, and physical,
misconducting himself in the gallery, on which of the people—to prosecute those inquiries undevi-
Lord Brougham promptly remarked that it re- atingly, unmingled with any factious or sectarian
minded him of a case when Mr. Fox was so excited principle, with the sole object of doing all we
by a debate in the Lords that he spoke, and was in possibly can—little it may be, more we wish it
danger of being committed, when Rogers said to were—but doing our best to promote the happiness
him, " I wish you had spoken a great deal more, and prosperity of all ranks and classes in the com-
even though you were committed." munity. It is highly agreeable to me to have met
The RECORDER of Birmingham addressed the at this table not merely so many of the people of
meeting on the subject of the improvement of this country, but so many from England, from
the criminal law. He referred to a case that occurred Scotland, and, indeed, from the Continent—for ex-
when Lord Brougham was Chancellor. A person ample, from our worthy friends and neighbours the
found guilty of forgery was sentenced to death. The French (cheers), who are represented here most
Recorder went to the Chancellor's private residence worthily by men of all parties—lmperialists, Or-
and entreated him to use his influence with the leanists, and Republicans, or what used to be
Government to obtain a commutation of the sen- Republicans (laughter) ; but I believe Republican-
tence. " The case is so bad," said the Chancellor, ism is out of the question here, and is only mentioned
" that if this criminal escapes death no man can ever elsewhere because the experience, I am sorry to
again be hanged for forgery in England." " For say, of now nearly 70 years has shown that
that very reason," replied Mr. Hill, "I am the more Republicanism tends, in the name of liberty
urgent that he should escape." Lord Brougham and equality, to give the people very little
went to a meeting of the Cabinet and succeeded ; liberty. (Laughter.) And though at first sight
and no man suffered death for the crime of forgery it appeared to give them equality, it was an
since, the capital punishment having been abolished equality which consisted in having all ranks and
two years after. descriptions of persons reduced to a dead level under
The PRESIDENT expressed his concurrence in the one individual whom I shall not name, because he
views put forth by Mr. Whiteside and Mr. Hill. A was very nearly connected with my excellent friend
paper by Mr. Napier Higgins was then read on and Sovereign the present Emperor Napoleon,
having been his uncle. (Laughter.) But that
"'Tile Machinery of Legislation," after which the
section adjourned. uncle of his was certainly what I shall not describe
more than by saying that he was the only person
In the Department of Education, the President,
in the country, all the rest enjoying entire equality,
Sir J. G. Shaw Lefevere, was in the chair, the Dean
cf the Chapel Royal and Mr. Waldron, M.P., being being on a dead level without any exception what-
Vice-Presidents. There were four secretaries perma- ever, I trust matters will be better henceforth in
nent—the Rev. G. D. Boyle, the Rev. S. Nash; for that great country. They have made great pro-
Dublin, the Rev. Dr. Rees and Dr. Abraham. gress already ; they have still a good deal to make,
and I wish them well through it; but of this I am
Miss Mary Carpenter, of Bristol, read a paper on
" The Application of the Principles of Education to certain—that nothing whatever can interfere with
Schools for the Lower Classes." or interrupt, or cast any shadow of doubt on our
good feelings towards, and our earnest wishes for a
This paper gave rise to some interesting discus-
sion, in which the following gentlemen took part :_ perpetual good understanding with, our nearest
neighbour, who, to speak mercantilely, is our best
Professor Kavanagh (of the Catholic University),
customer, as we also are her best customers. (Hear,
Sir Baldwin Leighton, Mr. J. Haughton, and the
hear.) If peace were broken, we should be the
Rev. Nash Stephenson.
first to suffer, and the people of France would be
The Rev. ALEX. POLLOCK, hon. secretary of the
the next to suffer. (Hear, hear.) Therefore, if any
Church Education, read a paper on " The Educa-
two peoples have an interest in the permanent pre-
tional Position of the Established Church, in Ire-
servation of peace, it is these two, because in peace
land," which he said was not only "distressful, but
they can be of more use to each other, and in war
wholly anomalous." He went at length into the
statistics of popular education, and compared the they can be of more harm to each other, than any
Church system with the National system. This other countries in the world. (Loud cheers.) I beg
essay was the subject of a lengthened and animated your pardon for having digressed from what was
debate, in which the chief parts were borne by Pro-
my original.intention when I rose, of expressing
to you my hearty thanks for the manner in which
fessor Kavanagh, formerly Head Inspector of the
National Board, who advocated separate education; you have received the mention of my name this
evening, and in which you have received the asso-
the Rev. A. D'Orsey, the Rev. W. Mg] waine, Mr.
Lefroy, M.P., the Rev. Mr. Frazer, from Scotland, ciation with which I am connected. (The noble
Mr. A. M. Sullivan, Professor Gibson, of Belfast, lord resumed his seat amid loud and enthusiastic
Mr. Whiteside, M.P., the Rev. Dr. Willock, Mr. applause.)
P. O'Brien, M.P., Mr. Henry Dennitt, the Rev. J. The day's proceedings were brought to a close
hail, Commissioner of Education, the Rev. Profes- by a conversazione, given to the members by the
sot Foley, Trinity College, Dublin ; the Rev. Dr. Royal Dublin Society. There was a brilliant and
Quinn, Roman Catholic. This discussion, which numerous assemblage, numbering about 2,500
will he resumed to-day, is remarkoa, le for the fact persons. At half-past nine o'clock the Lord-Lieu-
so novel in Ireland, that on the most exciting sub- tenant, accompanied by Lord Brougham, the Lord
ject that still divides our population extreme Justice of Appeal, and the Lord Mayor, arrived, and
parties meet face to face, and speak their sentiments was received by Mr. Saunders, chairman of the
freely with the most perfect good feeling, and with- Exhibition Committee, and the members of the
out an offensive or even a discourteous word on Council of the society. Among those present were :
either side, which shows one beneficial effect of the —The Right Hon. Joseph Napier, the Right Hon.
Social Science Association. James 'Whiteside, M.P., Mr. Justice Hayes, Sir
In the Department of Reformatories, over which John Shaw Lefevre, the Right Hon. the Attorney-
the Attorney-General presided, there was a large General,: the Solicitor-General, the Hon. Judge
attendance of ladies and gentlemen. Papers were
_Lynch, the Hon. Judge Berwick, Lord Talbot de
read by the Rev. J. Hunter Monaghan on ai abide, Mr. William N. Hancock, LL.D., Secre-
tary Social Science Association ; General Larcom,
"P ro-
M
tcstant Reformatories," by the Rev. Mr. Fish, from
General Yorkshire, on "The Disposal of Boys from Reforma- C' B•,
h ewral Colomb,o &c., and the distinguished
strangers
tories," and by the Recorder of Birmingham, on have visited this city for the purpose
of taking •
sent The Pre-
the part of his daughter, Miss Hill, on '
The following is
sent Position of Mettray." A conversation followed
address, delivered in abridgment of Mr. Napier's
on the working of the Reformatory Act, in which
Prudence yesterday i-- the
Department of Juris-
Judge Berwick, Mr. S. M. Greer, and the Rev. Mr.
I)
The limits of an opening address
will not permit me to
Fish took part.
enlarge on the great theme of jurisprudence. M
In the Department of Public Health, presided duty is simply to clear the ground for the discussions') rwe his nht
over by Lord Talbot de Malahide, a paper was read are expected to take place in this section, and to prepare the
by Dr. Moore, on infant mortality, in which he way for giving to the results to be
of the law,
at their proper
dwelt particularly on the prevalent neglect of vacci- effect in the systematic
amendment
since the subject
awt las.Ttwo ecu-
nation by parents among. the poorer classes in turies halfanda h
attentionve elapsed
of Lord Bacon. In succeeding times
Hale
Ireland. Mr. David Smith, Dr. Lankester, Dr.
to engaged the
and Prynne, Bentham and Mackintosh,
Romilly and
Makessey, and Dr. Lyons, spoke on this subject. Brougham, have kept on foot a standing protest against the
Dr. Harken read a paper on births, deaths, and complexity, the incoherence, and the still graver defects of a
diseases, urging the necessity of registration. system of laws which ought to be a model ofjurisprudence for
In the sth Department, Social Economy, Judge the civilised world. Lord Bacon's elevated and comprehen-
sive mind sketched the outline of a great reform—the statute Longfield presided. Papers were read by Mr. H.
, law to be expurgated, classified, and consolidated ; the com-
R. Reid on strikes, and by Dr. Hancock on bakers
night-work.
mon law to be digested and methodised ; a standing corn-
mission to be set up in aid of current legislation. In later
In the 6th Department, Trade and International times commissions for the purpose have been appointed,
Law, Papers were read on gold discoveries, the but they have been used rather to stop some troublesome
rights of
aliens,
weights and measures, &c. leak than for sufficient repair. Notwithstanding all that
In the evening a distinguished assembly dined in has been done the weeds increase and multiply. When will
the Oak the good work of clearance and cultivation be taken up with
-renal, Mansion-house, on the invitation of
the Lord Mayor. the spirit and in the wa which can '
y insure success ? The
The'
guests numbered about
including the Lora-Lieutenant 130, remedy which our president has so often and so ably advo-
M. Gamier
enbant, M. , Panes,, rated was many years ago approved by the House of Corn-
one of the leading me
of
rmlBe4rs of the French I ro- mons. In the session of 1857 an address to the Queen was
vision al Government
3 ; M. Desmerest, an presented by the House, which led us to expect that a de-
eminent
M. Michel Chevalier, partment of administration for the affairs of public justice
,s•l-yr of
~ iii Fr -,-cr-1 . the Iseaa :lees would soon be constituted. Such a department has become
%-,1-171:"!ts•!)c-1 Ty•reons
1010:1,,,-, ,isitt d this sit for the pric,,o,f• 0` tal.• a necessity, t.t. is now ge•terallv allowed that it is needful
, :., , t 5,,,,,,i ,J SeiP nee te,,,:,„ - - ' -ing 'to collect, register, and digest the results of experience as
pert ii, , . srts', ~.nd qiqo n '
• the -rofessiona • 'airr to the workingof 11 eI• • I
t (0,•. he proposed department would
of the 6,1163 01 p l and mercantile classes discharge these function, Deceets in the saw would thus
of Dublin. The usual loyal touts having been pro- be disclosed, remedies . * '
would be discovered, obscurities aris-
es
the Lord-Lieutenant having responded inn from imperfect legislation (which, under the present
to the toast of ill-- ow . . Was warmly system, rather provoke satirical exposure than induce rem-
1f a •or in rising to pr 0...,
rose the dialcomment) might hereafter be noticed for the plain par-
received, the Lord -.- 3
pose of prompt amendment. It would be enabled at stated
toast of the evening, said :
,--I have now the intervals to make a report to the Crown on the state of the law .
"My Lords and Gentlemen
as administered by the Courts, and lay the foundation for