The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-28
NEW YORK, TUESDAY MORNING. DECEMBER %, lS47
The Athenaeum sOlrse, In Manchester, Eng
Iand-Spesc hes Of Alison, the Historian, Cob
den, Emerson, and Cruickshanks.

The Ashenaeom se,r:s. In Manchester, Eng
den, Emerson and Cruick shanks.
From the Manchester Examiner Nov. 20
The 9Th annual sorse Of the Manchester Athens um
took place Thursday evening last in the Free Trade
Hail. and although 1t did not equal in magnitude some
Of Its predecessors was, on the whole very salts
factory and comfortable one As the former sOiIess
guishsd nobsmen or gentlemen who have presided
them so will the present one be frequently referred to
worthy 1t Of this distinctive title every who
listened to- reads the opening address Of the brilliant
historian OF the History Of Europe during the French
Revolution will acknowledge that more appropriate,
more forcibe, or more eloquent speech has not yet
been delivered by any chairman ofthe Manchester Athe
n@um seirees The number OF tickets sold each of
which admitted lady and gentleman, about $780,
that the whole company including invited guests
about 800 This number, We need scarcely say was
comfortably seated In the hail. and its vast af
forded ample for those Who after having listened
to the speaking remained for the purpose Joining In
Golden, this occasion, made his nrst in
public since his return home from his continental tour
and he was received In manner which showed that the
strong feeling Of admiration which IL felt for his cha
racter and abilities has not been at all diminished by
absence Amongst the gentlemen present vscount
Brackley, NJ r. Archibald Alison, Esq the President;
Richard Golden, Esq, NJ p; John Bright, E,q NJ p !;
Elksnah Armitass, Esq Mayor Of Manchester; r. P:
Ll.ngston, Esq s1,Msyor Of Stafford; Major General
Esq L. L. d. NJ r; Charles Swain, Esq; William Har-
Tison Ainsworth ESQ John Meors Esq F. L. 81 Ralph
The Chairman Mr.. Golden, MIR Bright, DR. Bowrng,
and the principal guests entered the hall about quar-
ter past seven O'clock and were greeted with round of
hearty applause.
At halfpast O'Clock, A. ALISON, Esd, the author
Of the History Of the French Revolution the chairman
rose, and when the applause with which he hailed
had subsidized, said Ladies and gentlemen. be-
fore we begin the business of the night, regret
that under the necessity of stating the apologies
the part Of Lord Nugent and of Mr. Dickens. Una.
voidabe absence the part Of both that noble
that highly talented gentleman have prevented them
hav fhn Of IL
am quite that the greft you will feel their
absence is shared by themselves from the expert
read the apologies from other persons before the
business Of the meeting begins.
Tho CHAIRMAN then rose again and addressed the
the company follows
Ladies and Gentlemsn-When look around me on
this magnificent bly-when recolect that It H. as
1t were the heart and soul of Manchester ITSELF the
tire of the commercial greatness of England-when call
to mind the splendid eloquence with which you have
ings Of pride or humility should be uppermost In my
bosom ;-of pride, that your directors have deemed
worthy to succeed the many eminent men who have al
ready filled this chair humility that should be in
most respects so unworthy to occupy their place
Though: known to you chiefly, If not entirely by
ure has been the delight but it has not been the
patton OF my life and the works which have procured
me the high honor which enjoy have been but the
amusement of evenings after days spent the
of laborious duties. (Che RS | can thus speak from
experience of the possibility of uniting business
personal knowledge
of the solace 1t affords to life Of labor and it
1t link between the active and speculative
world may perhaps possess one qualification for ad
dressing an institution which aims uniting the energy
OF commercial enterprise with the rehnements literary
thought There another circumstance which renders
the honor conferred In peculiar manner grateful
to me, and which hope may be forgiven for slludng
to- have lived long in Scotland that it is generally
believed that belong to that country; but though
ancestors we're SCOTCH was not born to the north
the Tweed and when your kindness recalled me to this
country recalled me to the land Of my birth ZAP
pause was born at no great distance from this city
in the neghboring county of Shropshire MY earliest
recollection Of the paternal home Is of the solitude and
seclusion ofan English parsonage house. and anything
have since done has rendered worthy your favor
Is owing to the example then saw and the precepts
then received Nor has the long period which has
interviewed weakened the rscoecions of infancy;
long soJourn among the mountains OF Scotland the
the grandeur Of the Alps nor the bsAutis. of the Appe
mines have been able to dim the image Of its surpsss
ing loneliness still in dear vision the Severn
ing through its grassy meads the sored SUBMITS Of
Caerdoo and Lawley, the woods of Acton Burne Hill
solitary majesty the sun setting behind the ridge Of
Csder Idris. (Cheers) l see that the names have
Ion are as household word. to many who hear
who recalled to their vicinity after an absence of go
many years, to ill place which the descendants of the
semblies this must be at all times and In all places
there Is something peculiarly appropriate for them in
great commercial city such as Manchester. There is
natural connection which has made itself manifest in
every age between commerce and intellectual
and the greatest steps IN human great
1t was to the commercial city of Tyre
that we the invention of letters-that wonderful
and almost superhunan discovery which first gave per
manence to the creations Of thought and sends forth
the winged words Of genius to make the circuit of the
globe and charm while 1t endures It was its fortunate
situation on the highway from Asia to Europe since
opened by British enterprise which gave its early
ebrity and enduring fame to ancient Egypt ana we
to the caravans Of the DESERT than the
power OF the Pharaohs these wonderful structures
pyramids Of Cairo and Temples of Luxor which, after
the lapse Of four thousand years still stand erect and
mistaken above the foods Of the Nile"
Rome herself the mistress OF the world owed her vast
and enduring dominion mainly to the energies of COM
merce ana we have only to cast our eyes on the map
the Mediterranean to be convinced that than
to the arms Of the legions her power owing the
strength Of the maritime cities which differed along
shores 1t the of the desert which raised
those wonderful structures which STILL at Tadmor and
Palmyra, attest the magnfcence Of the queen Of the
east and attract the admiration Of the European ira
weller 1t was In commercial Alexandria that alone
library was formed worthy Of the stores of ancient
knowledge and when the dominion of the consuls had
fallen and the arm Of the Roman could no longer defend
Italy from the swords the barbarans the
bic situation and commercial OF
OF barbarian wilds the empire Of the east Nor has
commerce. In modern times fallen from her high yoca
ZION as me CHIEF spring Of social Improvement most
powerful humaniser Of man. (Cheers) 1t was in the
city Of Florence that rival was found
Dante to the genius Of ancient poetry in the mercan
ustre the Of Titan Genoa sent forth
daring spirit which first burst the boundaries Of
and exposed to European enterprise the
wonders Of another hemisphere 1t In Lisbon that
there was at once found, in vasco de Cana, the
courage to brave the Cape Of Storms, and open the
path to the regions Of the east and the genius Of
Camoens to celebrate the glorious enterprise and for
ever enshrne 1t in the hearts OF (Appaus) Great
these sre there yet greater things
than these 1t In the north that the chief triumphs
of the alliance between commerce and intellect are to
be found To one commercial city OF Germany we owe
the art Of printing-to another the reformation The
drs has ndered certain the diffusion Of
last impossible the slavery of thought loud cheers)
Painting has again In the north reached It's highest per-
lection In commercial cityin Antwerp where the i'm
mortal genius of Vandyke and Rubens exhibited
Commerce In Holland achieved glorious victory alike
over the storms OF nature and the expressions Of
But why should we travel to other times and distant
lands for confirmation Of the eternal truth? In
age, In this country In this city highest gores
have been found Here 1t was and here alone, that
successful stand was at last made against the
OF revolutionary France; 1t the discoveries of Watt
OF Arkwright, and Of Crompton, which arrayed the
forces which the arms Of Napoleon unable to sub
due. 1t was q company OF British merchants which
subjected the vast realms Of Hndosan to the sceptre
queen Victoria, aud exhibited the prodigy Of single
Dehi Gazette announcing in day the capture OF
Caboo the heart Of Asia be aston he