Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-26

1916. The population of Boston was then AZ. 0OO.
| it Is now 100000; and its accumulation of wealth.
| in commerce, the arts and manufactures has kent
pace with the increase of the population And
now. what is Boston? What is the character of
Boston What are the elements of its prosperi-
| ty! Why, it is unTivalled on the face of the
earth for its important efforts in behalf of and ex
tensive benefits for, its own citizens and for the
| improvement of mankind. What will YOU say.
| (Which perhaps you all know when you are in
| formed that the amount Of public taxes in this eli
ty, Tor the purposes of education alone, amounts
to one quarter of the whole tax laid by the CITY
authorities Where do you find that else
where Where do you find another Bos-
ton Where do you find one quarter of the
whole tax paid by individuals, flowing from the
public, devoted to education No where else
besides in Boston. And this does not include
| the amount paid for private schools
Inc city OF Boston pays more than 100000 a
year for the support of religious instruction.
Where do you find that elsewhere! Tell me the
place, the city, the spot, the country, the worl
over where so great an amount in proportion TO
the population is paid for religious Instruction.
That is Boston; this principle which we inherited
from 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 well as on matter and in
working on mind it eniarges the human intellect
and the human heart We know we work upon
materials immortal and imperishable; that they
Will bear the impress which we place upon them
through endless ages to come. If we work upon
marble, it will perish. five work upon brass time
wileface it. live rear temples, they will crum-
bic to the dust. But if we work on mems immor-
tai minds, if we Undue them with high princi pies,
with the just fear of God and of their fellow men.
engrave on those tablets something which no
time can elface, and which will brighten and brigh-
ten to all eternity And, my friends, that charity
which seeketh not for applause that charity which
endureth all things, beareth all things, hopeth all
things, is not more distinguishedly noticed in any
part OF the globe than among our own people,
Inc personal attendance on the poor, the bounties
OF all those who have the means to promote the
happiness of the poor and administer to their
welfare have been great. And above all that, let
me say, and let it 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 you, that Boston has given
within the last twenty FIVE years, between five and
SIX millions of dollars for educational, religious,
and charitable purposes throughout the United
States and throughout the world. Cheers
Gentlemen, my heart warns, my blood glows in
my veins, when | consider the munifcent gifts,
grants, and provisions made for the purpose of
education, for the MORALS Enlightenment and rel-
gous instruction of the citizens, ana for the relief
OF the poor by the aflrence of Boston, and never
consider the subject without having my attention
attracted to venerable citizen now in my eve,
Honorable Thomas Fl. Perkins. He sat at ths
left of the chair. Three cheers were given for
Col. Perkins. Viii! he, at my request rise and
show his benevolent countenance to the people!
[Co Perkins in his seat. Three more
rounds of applause. God bless him, he is an
honor to his city, an honor to his State, and all
honor to his country. His memory will be per-
tuned with the glory Of his good deeds and 90
down sweet olor to our childrens Children
Gentlemen the happiness of mankind is not al
ways In their control, but something accidental,
or rather tospeak more properly, providentia, ia
the condition OF things, governs it. We live in
an age so infinitely beyond the ages that preceded
us, that we consider ourselves now, in this our
day, generation as emerging from the dark ages,
as Just getting into the light; rush of ideas
comes over us-We cannot remember the past,
because we cannot have time to investigate fully
the present, orto evolve the future. Gentlemen
when the great Humboldt stood on the mountains
OF equatorial regions, amidst their gorgeous foil
age, irunsurpassed flowers, their genial warmth,
and under the brilliant consultations of the South
his heart burst out in an efusion Of sympathy to-
wards the inhabitants OF the other parts of the
earth. "How unhappy," said he, sure those
members Of the human race aoho are doomed to iue
in those melancholy regions ace call The temperate
zone )" and so this generation, gentlemen, appraised
W tills temperate zone, Cullnatlng on these hap
Ply spots, look back with sort of interest upon the
generations that have passed away We think
them torpid, uniformed and unenterprisng; and
we'll we may think them so In the busts of the
splendor of science, skill, invention enterprise
and knowledge that has been generated in our
day.
Gentlemen, Mr.. Locke says that time is met
sured by the passage of ideas through mems
minds. Ii that be SO, IF THAT BE So we live a
in q cof+
the sun. If new ideas, new thoughts, new con-
temptations, new hopes constitute life, why then
we have lived much, whether we have lived MANY
OF few years according they are usually est-
mated. The age is remarkable. Thoughts press
upon us. Inventions crowd upon us. We used
to say, proverbially, that thing was done as
quick as thought; but that is lingering mode of
expression nowadays. Many think that things
are done much quicker than thoughts. Thought
cannot keep up with electricity. While we are
talking, the thoughts cannot travel as fast as cleo
tricity can give them to the world So, gentlemen,
we live much, though ouryears may be few For
my part. L do not envy any of the partiarchs for
their great number of years They did not any
OF them see half as much we see. They did
not any OF them enjoy halfas much as we enjoy
now. And in truth, do not think very much of
the years OF Methuselah on earth. There are
many now living who can measure favorably to
themselves their lives with his, thong they have
not been sixty years on earth. We ought to
know where we are We should conform in all res
poets to Christian duties, aud enjoy our priv-
leges thankfully and cheerfuly, resolving to per-
form our duty mer. Christians, and as patri-
OTIS. Gentlemen, must say to you, every true
American heart feels that it has country found not
only IN Boston, not only in Massachusetts, not on
~ IN New England, uniformed by that great union
OF these States called the United States of North
America. [Applause.] We rejoice in that
Who wishes to cut off, right and left, any part of
this great brotherhood! We see here to-day dele
gate members from OF the greatest Christian
denominations in the U. S., coming from the North
probably, certainly from the South and West Aud
who is not glad to see them! Applause They