The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-26


is greater devotion paid to the study OF our popu
lar Institutions, to the principles which have raised
10 the point at which we now stand, than there
IL paid to the monarchical institutions and princi
Piles Of government of every other part OF Europe.
America ia no longer undlstinguished for letters,
for literature. win not mention the authors Of
own day now living. who have SO much at
tracted the attention OF the world by their literary
productions. especially in the department of his
torical composition.
Rather a curious incident happened lately, in
which my name was enrolled with those Of men of
letters; for there is of end to blunders.
There appeared an article in the Royal Gazette of
Madrid, intended to be civil to the American
Secretary Of State, in which he declared
to be the author of that great and llustri.
Gus production, known and honored in most
countries as Webster's Dictionary of the Eng
lish language. Ye shades of Noah Webster
how will you not be offended at this intrusion ON
your rights and your repose. "He make my dc
tionary!" he will exclaim; che never could have
made my spelling book" And this would be true.
must beg leave, therefore. to dsclam the compli-
ment of the Royal Court Gazette OF Madrid, and
decline to be classed with men of letters. In the
literary sense Of that phrase, certainly am no man
of letters; although, when official duties require it,
it ID true that have sometimes written letter.
Well gentlemen, this is a friendly meeting. We
assemble socially, in friendly spirit, TO inter
change personal regards, and to congratulate one
another upon the prosperity and fair prospects OF
the country. Let US enjoy, both with cheeriulness
and gratitude. the blessings which Providence has
poured out around Us.
Silence, loathed melancholy!
But come, thou Goddess, fair and free,
In Heaven ycleped Euphrosyne,
And in thy right hand lead with thee
The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty.
Well live with her and live with thee
In unreproved pleasure free"
Gentlemen, the growth of this city is remarkable,
and in any other country would be most remar kable
came here 10 take my residence among you in the
year 1876. The population of Boston was then
ia A A In
wealth, in commerce, the arts and manufactures,
has kept pace with the increase OF the population.
And now what is Boston! What Ia the character
of Boston2 What the essential elements OF
her prosperity? Why she is nearly unrivalled, on
the face Of the EARTH for her important efforts in
behalf Of and extensive benefits for her own cili
zens, and for the Improvement OF mankind. What
will you say, which perhaps you all know, when
you informed, that the amount OF public taxes
in this city, for the purpose Of education alone,
amounts to one quarter OF the whole tax laid by
| elsewhere? Where do you find another Boston in
this respect? Where do you find one quarter of
the whole tax, paid by individuals, flowing from
the public devoted to education, in addition to the
very great amounts paid to the teachers Of private
| schools? Nowhere else that know Of
| The city of Boston pays more than 5000, 600
year for the support Of religious instruction and
public worship. Where do you find that else
where? Tell me the place, the city, the spot, the
country, the world over, where 80 great an amount
in proportion to the population is paid for religious
instruction. That is Boston. This principle, which
we Inherited from our ancestors, we cultivate. We
| seek to educate the people. We seek to improve
mems moral and religious condition. In short,
we seek TO work upon mind as well as on matter.
And in working on mind, it enlarges the human
intellect and the human heart. We know, when
work upon materials immortal and imperisha-
BILE, that they will bear the impress which place
upon them through endless ages to come. " we
work upon marbe, it will perish; if we work upon
brass. time will efface il. If we rear temples they
will ala tn he dus Rut fvevU
immor al minds, if Undue them with high
principles, with the just fear of God, and love of
their fellow. men, we engrave those tablets
something which time efface, and which
will brighten and brighten to all eternity.
And, my friends, that charity which scekoth
not her own, that charity which endureth all
things, beareth all things, hopeth all things, is
not more conspicu ously exhibited in any part OF
the globe than among our own people. The per-
sonal attendance on the poor, the bounties OF all
those who have the means to promote the happi-
ness of the necesstous, and administer TO their
welfare, are just themes OF praise. And above all
that, let me say, and let 1t be known to those
who wish to know what Boston has been, what
Boston is, what Boston will be, what Boston has
done and will do-let me say to those that Boston
has given within the last twenty. five years be-
tween five and six millions of dollars for educ,-
tiona, religious, and charitable purposes through
out the United States, and throughout the world.
| fCheers
Gentlemen, my heart warns, my blood quickcns
in my veins, when | reflect upon the munihcent
gifts, granite, and provisions made for the purpose
OF education, for the morals. enlightenment, and
religious instruction Of the citizens and for the
lief Of the poor, by the aflluence of Boston. And
never think of all this without having my atten.
ton attracted to venerable citizen now in my
eye, hon Thomas ii. Perkins. tCol Perkins oc-
cupied seat upon the platform. Three cheers
were given for him Will he, at my r. quest, rise
and show his benevolent countenance TO the people?
[Col Perkins arose and received three more hearty
rounds OF applause God bless him He is
10 hts atty ha.4 IN 90. t.tA
honor 20 his country His memory will be per-
fuIned by his benevolent actions, and go down as
sweet odor TO our children's children
Gentlemen, the happiness OF mankind is not al
ways in their own control; but something acc-
den sor rather, to speak more properly, proyi
dental, in the course Of things, governs il. We
live in an age 30 infinitely beyond the ages that
preceded US, that We consider ourselves now,
In this day and generation. 10 emerging from
the dark ages and just getting into The light. We
be gin TO see where We begin to see a new
world A new rush Of ideas come over u.s.
Gentlemen, when the great Humboldt stood on
the mountains Of the equatorial regions amidst
their gorgeous forests and foliage, their unsur
passed hOwers, their genial warmth, and under
the brilliant consultations Of the South, his heart
burst out la ofusion Of sympathy towards the
inhabitants Of tho other parts of the earth "How
unhappy" said he, "are those members Of the hu
man race who are doomed 10 live in those melan-
choly regions which we call the temperate zonesl"
And 80 this generation, gentlemen, appraised from
the temperate zones ofiormcr timos, and culmnal-
ing at the recently attained and lofty tops Of pres
cut knowledge and science, looks back with some
indifference upon the history Of pact times. We
think them torpid, uniformed, aud unentorpris
ing; and well may We think them 90, comparative
ly, IN the ohoigcnce Of tho splendid light of sci.
cncc skill, invention, enterprise, and knowledge,
which has hurst upon our times.
Gentlemen, MIR. Locke Gays that time 10 moa-
sured ~ the passage Of idcas through mems minds
II that IL 90, We live great lille in few rcvolu
tiona ~ the earth around the sun. II new idcas,
ne~ thoughts. contomplations, new hopes con-
sutute hle, shy then we have lived much, whether
we have lived mayor few years, according as
they are usually estimated. The age il remark
allie New thoughts prcss, and new inventions
crowd upon us We used 10 say provcrbially that
thing sas dome q quick thought; but that IL
lingering mode 81 expression now days.
great msny things are done much quicker than
men's thoughts. Thought cannot keep up
9th electricity While we talking the thought
csnnot uave a. fast electricity can give them 10
the void. While ! am nov speaking. the word
which lsst len my lips hs. already been seized by
bghtning. snd hsiOFe ! can utter few sentences
Issufs. oil ~ resd 40, only IN New York and ws.h
lngtsn. but nlso IN s4ysnnah, ees Orleans, Gin.
eipnsu, sud ~ Louis, aud my words will all be
fead 9Th -yIne interest, not because they are
mise, bot besa they proceed from faneuil
Hal lam al all hat Ia, i'm