The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-09

O~~o
msy appear, such 10 bis great fame AID high rsputa
ton that the public curiosity win be on the tptos 70
hear tho man mo has leo courts pfincss sno 81
his genius.
The Surrey theatre is in such state Of decadsnOs,
that the scenery "properties costumes dscors'0n''
&c. have been brought to the hammer.
Meeting or the Historical society-Speech
OF the French minister.
The November meeting Of the New York Historical S
Society was held at tie rooms es the snrstv In Ins
| University last evening The venerable President
| Hon. Albert Gsllatin, being absent on account OF
dangerous illness. Hen luther Br:asn one Oh
came to order M. Poussin the first Minister OF the
French Republic to the United States. entered the
hall supported by Gen. Wetmore and George Gioos
Ed and by the former to the presiding
ofncer, who welcomed him in q felicitous speech In
which he referred to NJ. Poussins honorable and dis
tipguished career while in the American army, and
more recently In his native country, and to the plea
sure and honor the American people received IN ms
appointment Envoy Extraordinary and minister
M PoussIr replied IN the following speech, delivered
| with great force and animation -
Gentiemen-I am happy in meeting, in the city Of
Jay, and Hamilton and Norris . society so distin.
trous Of those men who by birth were countrymeu of
mine and for their love Of liberty are countrymen OF
yours; mean the great Gallatin' who came mere In
again into the glorious nationality which is the admi
ration and hope Of the world. And it is pleasure
lied chiefly for the purpose Of preserving all the
facts that relate TO the birth and nurture Of liberty
and her noble obildrsn-ths institutions of the
| American republic. Your labors in this respect,
| commend the interest and coed wishes Of mankind
Gentlemen-I rejoice ct nnding myself once more IN
lege it is to give the world the most satisfactory
evidences of The praciicabity Of large nation go.
yernpg itself Yes gentlemen, the incon testable and
merit of your democratic institutions the
proof Of influence society At large,
as on the Individuality Is that they founded on the
equal diffusion OF 60 tbrough ut all ranks,
mercia agricultural or manufacturing, mechanical or
operative olasse That is the true Of your
contest the saying of certain WRITER'S who are san.
gupe in ascrbipg to the privileges OF your favored
land the origin Of your race, or to the Pc
cuar structure of your nerves muscles, your
| cessful and prosperous march se nation under the
glorious banner Of liberty All these exterior elements
are the invention numerous enemies, who watch
with some apprehension for their long enjoyed privi
eges the ascendant march OF democratic principles
broup bout the world reject them all unfou nded in
truth and because they have for their to dscour
age the human lawful efforts to raise itself
in the scale of sef estimation and dignity. God gen.
temen has made liberty for set Of peope-for
class of All men have been created and are born
TO be Free and to enjoy equal rights all over the world
Your favored land, they say Surely most assuredy
may they say favored but not more So permit me to
say in the point Of utfulness adaptation to all the
arts and TO satisfy all wants Of men, than any other
psrt Of The two great continents Look at your own
door Mexico or Central America farther South the
rich basin of the Amazon, the Oronoco Cast your
eyer on that all beautiful spot of Europe occupied by
my glorious country and inhabited by my aborous and
spirited countiynen cross the ryieness or the Alps
Of the Po and tell whether the Almighty has been
bountiful to the one people than to the other
ton Of goods here below ssley depep ding upon the
will of the people, The origin Of your race! but how
thirty brilliant stars Of your constellation whole
roIes settled by men Of as great diversity Of origin
as old Europe gan present DO not read ne daily
local personal interests German French, Spanish,
Italian, Scandinavian, or English newspapers! And,
in fne II turn the leaves Of your history, do not
End in all those glorious records, cla.sed with
| that Of the model Of men, the great Washington"
ard which my national and official character will not
| allow me to recall here. Your nerves and muscles,
Since when, then will this new distinction be started
by stolid minds which are always devisng reason,
false or true for what they cannot comprehend! In
deed this 10 the last blow aimed at chasing people,
these who can be tree, and those who cannot. Why
work and thots doomed to work. My nature, gentle
men, evolts at this extreme Of sefnfatua and
Of the m. nsuration Of capacity this or that
avocation, by the actual development Of his
and mufcss: ,. NOW, gentlemen, permit me to touch
Stances in which the whole world carried by the
example Of my noble country; and to arrive 1T my
end. allow me to retrace, in very few words the
influence which the press rightly exercises in your
own country. In your happy social organization,
where these who cannot read write form very
small minority, the newspapers have become the
ordinary channel Of all free discussion, referred
to by every one, and supported by all 1t Is
to lead the opinion it is the opinion Of the people
that gives liie on the contrary, to such or such
|
follows that on all great questions the writer's edi
tors Of papers form instinctivey kind Of great con-
gress or m. etpg charged With discussing its merit
demerit and thus prepare the conc. ited action Of
the great fractional portion Of tn -. Iunty on the
must acknowledge, great privilege enjoyed by the
press in this enlightened society and which must tend
to give it more and more high and dign6ed charac.
ter IL it will pond to its great responsibility The
enlightened society is, the more impor,an it is
for the conductors Of the to be dign6sd by in
tellgence as by personal character and am proud
to say ger tlemen such is the tendency of all public
organs in The United States They all aware that
If your system Of common schools general
is The great basis on which rest your democratic ins,
buttons is likewise on the great trading principles
and the co-existsnce of free and enlightened press
that your astonishing prosperity rests Now, then.
gentlemen for the point the most at my heart and I
am at yours If the press exercises such in
have very imrerfsctly suggested, Of how much more
importance cannot it be TO the success Of great
of rational liberty in Europe our true beacon guide
cheering star The labor Of the press in this happy
land Of yours is almost accomplished you have but
keep up the sacred fire where elements abound but,
my side ofthe water on our great Eastern CONT.
Ien every thing is to be achieved How is that to be
accomplished? BY attacks, by threats, by declama-
tions Tor against this that form No. gentlemen
nothing is to be gained by levelling daily attacks
excite passions hatred OF prsjuGices. higher order
Of assistance indeed Of brotherly duty devoved
you alude to the actual moral and practical aid that
the American press can give us in the transformation
going Of monsfchieal into democratic insttu-
tons 1t by daily efforts, in pre-.
senung our people with the more parallel features OF
your own history with present struggling State,
that you can advance the area Of rational general
liberty, and not by assaulting and rending yourself
the distant ecboes of minds
ed enemies to the new Institutions 1t by allowing
largely for the immense difficulties which yet our
path, and cheering partial in
them or turning them round, that you impart
abilities to our men, TO our society We cannot dis
simulate fact -" The light which strikes old
| Europe as a soar ray comes from the Westn That
light has already produced first and marvellous effect
has measured by 1t the shadow Of his neigh
Dor the land of his birth ne
fere in the projection Continue then keep the
intensity Of your light, and am certain people
Will succeedn reading the pages Of the great book Of
truth in the tame light as you.
! NJ Poussin received with much enthusiasm, and
was frequently interrupted by the applause of the
society Our limits will not permit farther detail Of
the uistorical SocietYa nroceedinna excent