The New York herald., 1850-12-06

imposS prerortioDate aut,es, well on you. the old
and peculiar people ~ that much larger cisss who
mansDt home amongst MS and whether those duties
have been adequately performed The speaker, then
in ipquirng how We have attained our present posi-
tion said :: When In the month OF September Of the
year l614 nearly two hundred aud ny years ago, ths
weary aud Sea worn bark Of Hudson rounded the low
SANDY point that gusrds the entrance TO this
port and proceeded north~srds through ths opening
waters we may easily imagine ths delight With which
he w.sehsd the rich aud Wooded Assht: and EVER ever
from the rising hills Of AQushonga his left, wac
poured flood Of sweet autunnsl fragrance, . steam
Of rich distilled perfumes which to his weary
might have seemed =
sss,ss sa.ss ss15: ssa irss s'... e. epic, shores
And when after penetrating through the pass
age the broad sheet OF the expanding waters burst
upon bis eyes with its three pushing nssrds
issnds, and bold projections all their natural mag
nince and beauty untouched by the hand OF man,
unmarried by the desscrstions OF art to comprehend
his feelings must ourselves back to hin
and his ooD Dpanions. Little could he have
the forests Of masts and myriads Of edces
which should thereafter cluster and crowd upon and
around that calm ard solitary point which lay the
image of reposs, amidst its gentle waters little I'm
sgips the rpres, towers and donss that should rise
above its roofs or the cares, crimes and remorse,
the sgones and resting struggles beneath them
little, that this spot, In brief, would be the
mighty metropolis OF . mighty empire powerful
for good or iearfuy powerful for evil ss the
the vices of its Inhabitants might control its des-
We snturer revisited the scene his discovery he
would have observed striking alteration In its
am and mo- pPo%ss of the
ment they have since exhibited Like the solid and
enduring oak so gradual was their growth, that it
seemed unlikely that thay would attain substan-
tisl strength or magnitude In the year l709, New
Amsterdam still village; Its population did not
exceed five thousand rersons one sixth of whom were
slaves Fifty years afterwards 1t had barely risen to
thirteen thousand In the whole. At this time the
whole population OF the State was less than ioo wy
II had irpd to reac DO
but rapid from that tine forward began 70 be the in
crease that twenty more its numbers doubled
and from that period the State, and more especially
the city, have sprung forward until the latter has
attained the prodigous size strength and Importance
strides vast and gigantic than any which have
gone before The speaker then went on to describe
the causes OF this and Increasing
Of the city and State, which mainly four The
geographical position Of this city the old colonial
races the of the coonists; and the system
OF laws and government. These, he said, would De
found be the elements of the physical prosperity Of
community. A temperate climate, wholesome
borhood fruitful soil and abundant products,
would make themselves felt in the steady ana gradual
growth OF an agricultural people but the superadaed
advantages Of capacious and secure barbor aecessi-
bic at all times, and possessing extensive and easy
communication with the and with the interior,
would not be bly, perceived until large and in
oustrious population had made IL convenient centre
OF commerce. These circumstances although essential
to commercial greatness rather means necessary
than active causes The island OF Malta similar
advantages and yet upon its splendid harbor stands
no imperial seat of commerce. In many commercial
places trade has declined and prosperity faded away
Mr.. Belts then went to show that its peculiar
adaptation to wealth attracted many to this city and
that other sweed the food of settlers here in
the Of the seventeenth century, which
was the time when they gan to develope a firm
topa character About that time the ducal had been
converted into royal government The races we
mainly descend from those from Holl and and Eng
land with a mixture Of French which impressed into
them q happy universslity. The English claimed
was OF Dutch origin. and for Dutch benefit though
the crew OF the bark was commanded by an English
man. He then described its condition at that time,
apd said that in old narrative of the settlement on
this isand In the year l0s5 Is spoken OF pretty
place for trade having more English than Dutch v
AS the colony increased both races seemed to be not
dissimilar. The Eastern were adopted from
England, and the Western IRON Holland and the
Dutch were the progenitors Of many distinguished
families yet amopg us The Dutch English French
the stock from which this city was populated.
The Dutch are people not unknown In the classic
annals Of antiquity The speaker here expatiated
upon their learning and their proficiency In the hne
arts and paio tribute to the genius and gentle ma
ture of the eminent jurst Hugo Grotius In speaking
CT the English coloDsts he alluded to the changes in
the religion OF that ountry in the time OF Anne the
diversity Of opinion In regard to the necessity
Of reform, and certain political questions which
invoked during the reign Of the rrst Charles ana
d.luged that kingdom In blood. IL was under
theto circumstances men came on to our colonies but
let u not bs thought they with revolutionary
ideas; the which they and their fathers had
witnessed sickened them and they learned to valu
the biestings OF repose aud were well adapted to
| ANS ignmss- with the citizens OF this nation Tne
.p.ah,f then spoke of the French refugees Of that
period as intelligent and talented Here, then, we
find the three OF the present character OF our
people, and IL becomes the descendents OF the men Of
those days to look back upon them with reverence.
The fourth Kay be found In their public polty and
laws. The imitation Of the English constitution was
by no means servile-the European colonial system
was then In Its infancy Newfork was the
nist announce by legislative enactment its repudi-
alton Of colonial servtude they declared that TO
extent whatever should external power be exhibited
i within this province. But prosperity csnRo OF
endure where morals are unsound Here Mr. Belts
| gave q beautiful and eloquent exhortation TO a
| moral life, and the fear and love Of God; and,
having dvelt upon the beauties of bay, And the
| msgrirotnce Of the surrounding scenery, aud
| our many works of art-our stupendous aaueduct,
rivalirg the splendor Of imperial Rome-he said We
should not forget that In proportion to the
ofo gts IL the magnitude Of duties After some
| ing Gould We be taught that the mind and heart
aone worthy Of that the objects OF this
life are yauelees they the prelude OF the
life to come and that acquisitions and possessions
nothing worth except as instruments OF kindness and
az mesrs Of good then would that religion an
learning the only foundations Of our welfare.
Than, without neglecting undertaking the charms
of elegant mplshments the indulgence OF inno-
cent luxures, and the appreciation OF beauty and
graoe proper enjoyment OF which Providence wisely
designs 10 elevate the sentiments and humsnizs the
| heart; then would we look elsewhere than to our
sics greatness for subjects Of grstuations and Of
pride. - II We do well, cay look for good
hut II we ~il follow the perncious examples OF Nine
yah, and BAbylo and Tyre, we should neither be
surprised nur, H. when perhaps least looked
for We meet their fearful fate.
At the conclusion Of this eloquent address the as
tendance. and performed some appropriate airs The
meeting concluded With bensdiction.
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National Convention of Journeymeu