New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-27

SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
Mechanic Arts, Education, &c.


Hon. GEORGE BAscROFr, the Historian and
late Secretary OF the Navy Tuesday evening dev.
cred lecture before the Mechanics Institute at their
rooms junction OF Bowery and Division. 81, relative 70
the pr gross Of the Mechanic Arts, Common school
| Edueaton, &c, in the United States.
The speaker after assuring his audience that it a0r-
ed him the most unbopnded sratidcaron in appearing
before them, in compliance with invitation gwen him
BY the Institute which he most cheerfuy accepted Of;
he remarked that it not the it time that he had
visited their hall, for curiosity had partially led hun
thther sndhe was exceedingly pleased nd tdA,they
had collected together many valuable works and
specimens OF Mechanic Arts that they had founded
This establishment strong basis and formed go
excellent library. and established school with in
! fuoEce 30 widely extended.
He lad not however prepared anything very elaborate
IN the way OF address be had merely come forward
10 express lew OF hs thoughts in familiar talSOr ia
ofer vOrds offer Few suggestions relative 10 the cul
tire and public duties OF Mechanics but before pro-
ceeding further, he thought would be well 20 inquire
what constituted Mechanic and where was their dwell
ing place. lie considered Mechanic one who applet
tt lO"ers OF nature ~ the service ~ the lrget
view, and with regard n his dwelling place he generally
tashioLed that himself according 10 the nature of hi
pufsLs but he viewed the town or the cry especially
~ The home ot the Mechanic That Il Il IN the town or
city we md great gatherings OF mechanical genius
In the city, mind Is kept nearer TO mind In the city
there are better opportunities for intercourse with each
other, sId friends are more numerous Poets had SAID
that God made the country, but made the town.
He did not think it very good poetry nor very good
common sense, for Gpd j. found IN the town a. well
a. IN the country. In the country PRIOR 70 under
going the culture OF man, all is Wild maguiacence
useless domain allowed to run waste The country does
net sssuue beautiful aspect until hrs devoted Ia
bor 10 ns improvement; not until science had been
called IN 70 old IL this matter The wonderful working
OF ant and scitLce wa manifested 10y man m the country
AZ In the 10 Them ?, sapur hos
ma'ely we become bonded together aud work harmOni
ously Tor the coed OF ALL Illustrated by tho fact ths il
you drop letter to the Mail here with proper direc
mons, Il would md IL way 20 your friend az the He
brides, or The BospECruslt the foot OF the Hmmalaya
Mountains or far away at Puge'e Sound These facts
he sad, lead him 10 inquire whether there ev
dence here OF the great commandment aud the presence
Ct Gcd among Us Ia the cy but il these were not con-
sldeIod clear and convincing proofs he would say enter
the workshop Of tue mechanic and there witness the
great powers thar there display the laws of the
Juvere-aws by which you viii the III schanic in
every act OF life rendering tribute TO Divine Worship
aud how various are its applications and wonderful
in liz extent IL YVES seen IN he computation OF forces
end restancos in the which could control
the clements Of fire earth air water, &C. la witnessing
how whter checked in it, course arc made 10 work
Its passage through the land TO new points, and for
special objects Of utility and how fire made avail.
able In wOTksO OF art of the application of the powers OF
nature 10 the service OF man. nothing had brought the
subject more fully to his mind than the manner in which
the products Of the min Pennsylvania brought
Of gravity fully illustrated by the cars freighted
with mineral wealth without power and without guide
ns were defcend the mountains md after dischargag
their cergOes made 30 return for other burdens OF
like character, with clockwork regularity all by the
power OF erayifstOn gain, IL might be observed that
within few hours of New-YoTk we could have access
to some Of the most beautiful scenery in the world The
magnetic htld, too little particle Of which made
10 convey message 10 distant friend faster than the
round the EARTH and ireghted with an.
swer than the would have Travelled the dis
he had a.
progress Of science He next alluded ~ visits he had
PAID TO some OF our large printing establishments and
witness ell the advancement of science in the working of
one OF these stupendous presses capable of printing
copies OF newspapers at the rate of 10000 per hourx
copies ID second SO that In wcntyiOur hours these
machines would issue greater OF matter to be
read than existed IN the whole world in all the libraries
before the invention OF the prnting.prcss Mechanics
too, had found the OF controlling m air
mechanic from another hemisphere, who had come
among us and cheeIed on by American capital had re-.
Gently boxed up the wind and taught the cylinder 10
breathe in and breathe il out ana thereby make the
ar eii 70 work and ready 10 his vessel rounthe
globe All this relates 10 city esll the result OF mech.
snica genius brought to Light by the influences OF city
enterprise
The speaker then alluded to the many and important
advantages o our common school system as the foun.
datop OF the liberty enjoy; that had NOT been for
the Tree school system there would not have been any
united American revolution would there have been
meeting under such happy and favorable auspice, A
the nsseinblnge On tins occasion lie felt ne could
SCHOOL, and II should be- carried forward 10 It's f, de-
y0lolment-no n stem OF charity schools bu a.
system Of public estub hnenis oelsysted character He
himself had received his earliest instruction in me com
schools a Massachusetts and his ,on had At
tended the free schools long they remained there
lie was IN iAYo< u making public school. such "a
our wealthy citizens would be- glad TO send their sons
10, and there study sdc by eide wi,h those Of more
humble sphere IN sccC;y where there would be no dis
unetion Of peIFOns where the master will be true and
Jus III awarding merit, though that merit springs from
Ire humbesi cOttsge IL the place
There were those who objected 70 our free schools
because religion IS not prominently introduced
MO them Again, there those who are in favor OF
public schools placed under the direction of different
denouineiicns OF religion, according to the wants of
eech particular sect lcruasiCn but under our sys-
ten. that Is impossible. We know no difference in our
schools. All, ell are brOibers-an all are Americans
there We claim for each the liberty OF his own con.
science and creed bur when we stand before the law
and The Consultation, We recognize united people
end may L ever be 20. IL was, perhaps passing too
mr. perhaps treading upon delicate ground to Offer his
views or the subject II giving expression Of his doubts
u The prOprey OF cstabshng free schools upon any
sUch principles Ia this country Tue Church of England
e estabished by Act o. Parliament bur here there
not member OF the Protestant Episcopal Church OF
the Methodist Church Of the Calvinst Church,
even the R0msn Catholic Church, that would no
II Cnee firmly protect against the establishment
81 any Iartic sect Our Institutions cannot Cypress
any on account Il their religious views We have a
Feiieet .ight 20 THINK ~ Ike and thus we remain
united people. Take what l. trsnspirng in boston Tor
eXsmpe; Ia Old PuIiten Boston where the number OF
Romsn Catholics was formerly very limited indeed;
but how maOriy Of children are born there of Roman
Cathode psIeEi, and therefore what an advantage il
must be Ia them 10 enjoy all the privileges and blessings
realized by ourselves What an education Is provided
Tor their children whG: tribute FOR their good charac
ter Those who have been driven from their homes By the
European jesPos have sooEeTsepped upon our shores
ttan they ar found teafn. al the Institutions which
New EEgbud has been cspsble Of establishing; and he
veEtJrsd to Predict that our RoInan Catholic friends
would not seIarse nom the Constitution but that they
VII 20 along toscthe. n favor OF establishing the avs.
tenn Of public educs,oc. lie conteuded tina, we must
have Universities Stuffed 70 mechanics Universiiies n
which they could learn those branches OF educop and