Daily American telegraph., 1852-08-25
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
The Mechanics OF Warrington.

The Mechanics OF Washington.
We cheerfully comply with the request to give
place to the following article from the lntelli-
gencer, as we shall to any other devoted to the
subject of which it treats. The effort now in
progress is creditable to the enterprise OF the
intelligent mechanics of this city; and we earn
estly hope that no encouragement may retard
the consummaton of their present plan.
MECHANICS INSTITUTE.
On Thursday evening, the 18th inst, meeting
was called at the Smithsonian Institution, for the
purpose of taking measures to organize NE
chanics' Institute in this city. Owing 70 tne
short notice given, and to other causes tne at
tendance was SO small that it was deemed aaVisa-
BILE merely to organize and ADJOURN 10 iu,uie
evening CHARLES F. STANsBURY was cailed 10
the chair, and T. NJ O'BRIEN chosen secretary,
and the meeting adjourned to await the can oi
its officers. =
The adjourned meeting was called for Tuesday
evening last, the 18th instant. Ample notice
having been given, there was very respectable
attendance, amounting to several hundred Of the
leading mechanics of Washington as well as OF
ladies and gentlemen of all classes Of our COM
munity
On taking the chair, Mr.. STANsBURY returned
thanks for the honor that had been conferred
upon him in being called to preside over so large
ana reSpecLuDle u uettluR VI ulS icHoW-oiu1oiS
of Washington, assembled for the high and Wor-
thy purpose which had brought them together.
Mr. s. then gave an account of the effects OF
the great London Exhibition upon the industry
Of Europe: instituted brief comparison be-
our national industry and that OF the leading Eu-
ropean countries as illustrated at the London
Exhibition; narrated the efforts now making
abroad to improve the arts and elevate the char
acter and position of the artisan; urged the ne
70 acurp here hr6f1V sketch
ed the history of the rise, progress, and organl-
cation of such institutions in Europe and IN this
country: and concluded by explaining the OBJ
ject of the meeting and the character OF the IN
stitution it was proposed to establish.
Hon. Joseph r. Chandler was then introduced
to the meeting and delivered a most appropriate,
practical, instructive, and eloquent address,
which was listened to with undivided attention,
and frequently elected bursts of applause. Mr..
Chandler argued with great force that the pres
ent social position Of the mechanic and working
man was the result, not of any disposition on the
part of other classes to keep them down, but of
their being untrue to themselves. He illustrated
his meaning by the common practice OF mechan-
les who had attained to wealth educating their
children for the professions, thus deprying their
calling of the advantages which would result
from the cultivation of its members. The adj
vantages Of mechanics institutes were Illus
trated by an account of the Franklin Institute of
Philadelphia, and of its eevating effect upon the
mechanics, and especially upon the apprentices,
who belonged to it.
Mr.. c. urged the motives that should induce
the establishment of such an institution here, at
the metropolis of the country, the centre of our
governmental operations, and hence the focus of
the intelligence of the country; and concluded
by pledging his assistance at any future time
when the association might require it.
M s1uht sketch cOuld do iustice to this able
and fervent appeal to the mechanics of our city
to unite in an earnest effort for their own i'm
provement
Professor HENRY was then introduced and
said that, after the instructive and eloquent adj
dresses which had just been delivered, he should
not detain the meeting by any heightened re-
marks. He had risen simply to express his
pleasure at seeing so excellent an institution as
it was proposed to found starting under such
favorable auspices and he desired to record his
name as one Of its working members. He pledged
the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to
afford every facility in their power to the young
association their hall, their library, and their
apparatus should be Mt its service long as they
were needed but he hoped thatit would not be
long before the Mechanics Institute of Washing
ton would have a building of its own. 1t would
be more independent, and would feel more self.
respect when il was able to go alone. He felt
that nothing but effort was needed to ensure
success, for God helped those who helped them
selves.
Professor Henry's remarks we're received with
great applause.
After some further explanations by the chair
man the details of the plan, the following reso-
luton was unanimously adopted:
Resolred, That a committee Of not less than
twelve members, majority Of whom shall be
practical mechanics, shall be appointed TO draw
up constitution for the proposed Mechanics
Institute, in accordance with the principles which
have been indicated in the addresses delivered
this evening; and that said committee report to
this body at a future meeting, to be called by
their chairman.
On motion, it was ordered that the committee
be appointed by the chair, and that the chairman
be member of the same.
The following are the names of the committee.
Charles F. Stansbury, I. b. Entwisle, w. H.
Hayward, - McKinstrey, Zeph. Jones, NJ. G.
Emery, w. H. Winter II. Polkinhorn, N. M. Nc
Greggor, John Wilson, VIM. r. Riley, ]. N. Trook,
]. 7. Mitchell, w. d. Breckenridge, and I. NJ
0'Brien.