New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-24

s'tAtrnl soc:,ty of Mechanics aud Ernde'-
tucr-Ese- opening Of the ipprentices'
gibrnry -Euproyeuatnts in the Rooms,
Speeches. COLLATION., &c. sc.
p15ius the Summer vacation o. tho Mechanics
seciety School, the edi6ce occupied by the Associ
s.ioo above named has been subjected TO tho
rough reformation, ne~ organization and IN tact
alno.t an entire rebuilding so far az the interior Ia
concerned From hasty glance at the various
Departments We should suppose that these I'M
provements were judicious and zach as would do
credit to the Committee, aud resui: in benefit to
the Institution. There is refreshing air OF order
and regularity throughout which promises we'll
Last evening the officers of the Society invited
large party OF the friends and patrons of the lnsti
tuition to be present at formal re6pening Of the
Rooms, and in consequence OF the Invitation, some
three or four hundred persons assembled ma
iority OF them, az we were pleased to observe
being the mothers and sisters Of the Apprentices
who reap the benefit Of the Society.
When the meeting had aettled into order, the
President introduced
NJ NJ NOAH, ESQ. who delivered the following
Address
LADIES AND GENrLEMEE: Thirty years have
elapsed since at the request OF the Difectord OF
his Institution, | delivered discourse on the
opening the Apprentices Library and now
perform the pleasing duty Of az ain addressing you
on the re opening Of the Institution under new and
important improvements, thankful to Provldence
for having 80 long spared US to witness the bene-
fetal resQs ofan Institution established Tor the use
of our youths, destined to learn the Mechanical
arts Of our City Thirty years is long period IN
the history ofour country how many millions have
been added to our population, how many States
have been Incorporated in the Union. how many
vast Improvements have been made in Science and
the Arts. and what rapid stridcs our country has
made TO power, wealth and greatness Nor does
the picture end hero we find ct the termination OF
thirty years that our States and Territories reach
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, that mig hty EN-
pire is apringing up in distant rsgions where but a
few generations ago the wild Indians OF the Sand
witch Islands and the cannbals OF Fegee roved IN
unrestrained freedom, unknown to the civilized
world and on the spot where Captain Cook fell,
pierced by their iayens, we find American ships
riding 1T anchor AID the American flag floating
over The blue waters of the Pacific. Thousand
sail Of ships and hundred and fifty thousand citi-
zens are at this moment in California, said TO be
the Ophr Of Scripture, AID gold ia flowing from that
section OF the Union in rich and rapid currents Ore
gon, once the boundary of the North. wsst Coast,
and the neghborhood of the Arctic region, is a
Territory of the United States. A Railroad 10
projected from the United States to the Pacific aud
a.
peton to unite the two great Oceans, shroughthe
Lake Of Nicaragua Since our last dlacourhe, the
ocean and rivers have been covered with our
steamers and wherever they go, they carry with
them the evidence OF our enterprise and genius,
industry and wealth. we compete with the world
in the great variety, beauty, and texture OF our
manufactures and the skill and ingenuity Of our
mechanics are the themes OF admiration and com
mendstion in every direction, and we are graphing
with the venerable experience and mighty power
OF MOtl or Engan 10 arrive at the same perfection
in the mechanic arts which she has achieved, and
we have succeeded in accomplishing in a few years
what she has required centurieE to perform. How
are we to account for the rapid progress OF our
country ia arts, civilization, literature commerce.
and sciencel By free institutions, blythe equal
ity vi laws, by do ada ptAton OF Sc f-goyetn
mept to the wants and wihhes OF toe community,
by the progress of freedom, by the acknowied5
ments OF the rights Of mar, aud above all, by that
free education which visits all alike, from the COT.
tage to the palace and places mankind on an equal
ity in all that relates genius and intellect Here
is tbe great secret OF our succesR we have no tt
tied rankE, 70 hereditary power, no labor by the
many to supply the ~ants OF the few; each man
is for himself, and the energy OF each combined
constitutes the wealth and power the genius, re.
sources and permanency of the Republic. Who
would lightly part with this heritage OF fre edom
What American would be willing to exchange his
rights az citizen Of the New " orld ior all that the
Old World can offer In exchange Our pains on
WErdlgreplOly !O6TShBlYS, anu W NC a. q 81 NC
to faith as nation and our integrity ae people,
while industry, intelligence, temperance anoVHsuo'
are cur guides-nothius can impede our mafcn ~
greatnegs and power nothing can prevent our b.
coming the frat nation on the ha6ltable globe
Our City, too the Empire City of the Empire
Ssate-the Commercial Emporium OF the nation
has undergone many grea. chanEas Wlhln thirty
years--many within your recollection, FROM
so 600 inhabitants, which wac the population OF
our City at she period when the General Society OF
Me chbnics aud Tcades men were frat incorporated
say the l4,h of March l792,-we have increased
nearly to half a million when the boundaries OF
our Civ at that time, scarcely extended beyond
Cbembers.st we have marched steadily onward
Il Rkipg Greenwich village part OF our City, ana
carrying our improvements Gmost within reach OF
the ancient Dutch village OF Harlem. bfookyn
then small village, is no esplendid CITY Epreau'
ing its broad arms toward Inc NafroWs " W., st9
south, and extending on the north through W ~
hsmsburgh, q prosperous town, and almost con
Meeting by its links Newtown and Flushing. Inc
face OF ev ery thing has changed in our Clty-the
old Dutch houses built OF brick imported by our an
cestors from Amsterdam, have all vanished, ana
stately houses, splendid stores and ponderous ware
houses have sprung up in their place. Spacious
hotels, magnificent private houeeE, great poohc
institutions ships OF immense tunnage, steam foun
dries river boats and everything denohng veal
thy, prosperous and enterprlsng people, nave
swelled the rank and Importance OF our HetroPo
lis, giving employment, comfort and Wealtn 10 tno4.
sands. To whom do we owe these great and I'm
portant improvements What has led to this ra
pid and prosperous current which liz carrying us
ahead Of all our sister States and cities Oar
Commerce on the one hand, aud the enterprise
and laborious Industry OF our mechanics on the
other. Shall we not do something for the BOTS
of these mechanics, who are nobly treadns in the
footsteps Of their fathers The time has arrived
q hen :: las become apparent that the destniea
OF our country, are finally 10 be placed under The
control Of the Mechanics and Lsboring Men OF the
Union. The liberal professions 50 called by which
is meant law, phySic and theology, are crowded
beyond the wants of the community and the sup