The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-11-01

lASss u lre. srip 81 iros, { iorm shsk fks Nh
NJ p might bend but cannot break, Labor comes
70 this hall, 10 night ard we havc m1t 70 welcome
him. 10 grasp his hard-and hnesf hend tnl led him
70 hts throne. and here, In NE Old Domintoq, g.
crown him king.
Not Il tns eonG,tion of the nsehaassl clauses hse
Suffered neglect, contempt ed eyes oppression; ff
10 the triumphant march Of human society, the he
sies instead Of marching in the advances. have FOL.
lowed Ike RomAS csphves. 1t IT. chariot whees u
these architects Of civilization who havs covered the
often been without place tolay their heads Il must
% confessed thst great portion Of the responsibility
rests on themselves, and that they must vindic.te
respect Il they would corn rsnd that confederation
from others which IL mos. jSetiJ their due Aslong
they are TO labor merely for the means and
TO become, lie educated mem controlling class 10
she nation They must pa their hours OF leisure IN
studies which will render them more efficient n
a1d expand their minds; thy mat wolk with ther
brains as well n their hands; they must in woIa'
educate themselves bsfore they can attain Inc ns
spec. and influence they desire. And hers e. ~
remark. It 10 not the occupation that .fieSs .ne s
nifty or the stsndins of the man. IL the Pulpose
with whicha vocation Is pu,sued that alone de.ei .
mines its character There IL nothing in meehani-
cal pursuit which should make II nooier o, .au
any other usefaI calling ANY VOCATION aooptea ;iM
ply az the eesiest means of can ccrniy
Law no claim to eminent worth. 1t IL the h'gh aspi-
rat:ons which have in view intellectual elevation as
we'll as the good Of sScety which ashly .he .sna
unsbashed ave even msjestic, Ia the presence of
ROYALTY itself 1t the obscs Of this institution to
cultivate this elevation of aim and expansion OF mind
10 substitute this hail. with its blended instruction
and pleasure for those places of prohtess
now so often resorted TO BY mechanics ana appren'
tees and to Undue the soldiers in the creative vcto-
RES of peace with impulses at lesst a. lofty aud sg
unanimous as those which throw the only redeemsng
lusre over the features w ,dneaes
and the mechanical casse'. But the man VINO 10 az
the man who Is not educated must everywhere be as
e. aps5 :. Is oil ns For nv part
cordially respond to the desire expressed BY an ora
tor on this subject that the day will come when
man will require coegiaf education for the farm,
for the foundry for the shop for the ship, an much
AZ for medicine law. Ifa mans trade does not re-
oure such education then all the more the him
self reaaresit His trade will not educate him. and
he must seek it elsewhere" ! may add that the
success of such institutions as this involves not only
the mechanical interests but the welfare OF the
whole country. 1t has been remarked that one OF
the great differences between America and Europe
u.s. that the strength Of European society lies in the
government; the strength of American society in
the people. The mechanics ard the farmers are
the principal supports on which the whole fabric OF
our Iess and unless they possess t nat
political superstructure the stately and beautiful Re-
public will be like the great image in the vision
of the king of Babylon, whose head of fine gold,
his bre asst and his of silver his legs OF Hon
but whose feet. made part of iron ard part of miry
clay, broken by the stone that cut out with
its gold and its silver scattered with its clay and
iron, like the chat of the summer threshing floor
There is most abs 1rd notion entertained by some
and one which has proved injurious and sometimes
fat al to the of many Students that physical
exerton is detrimental TO intellectual pursuits Such
faacy Is scarcely worthy of serious rsfutstion As
pirng parents and aspiring youth should learn that
physical is almost essential as strength
to the attainment of enduring intellectual usefulness
and eminence Mechanics should understand and
appre ciate, great advantage, the opportunities
which they possess for both physical and mental ex
ercise. cannot doubt that those professions which
require the work of the head and not of the hands,
would be filled with greater efficiency If the frame
were invigorated by manly toll. Better infinitely"
said orator, that every department of intellec-
tua effort should he filed with men careless of their
appearance and slovenly in their dress, but whose
trin.set frames and brawny muscles II dictate their
sex. and whose original minds poise themselves on
iuted misunderstanding sentimentaty in albums
and lisping inspidity. Let the Sacramento Host be
led to victory by sturdy clowns in shaggy home
spun but of overmastering intellect and lofty daring,
rather than be differed by knights OF the reticule,
vaorous in onsets on cologne bottles and prodges of
proves anon sprigs of rosemary"
We are surrounded here ON all sides BY beautiful
specimens OF the handiwork of man. What pedi-
gree has each OF these articles! In almost every
one of them you will find the result of ages of
thought and labor. What history has every great
and useful invention from the time when, like the
faint, twinkling light of distant star it first broke
upon the darkness to its present perfect and full
orbed maturity. What clouds of ignorance and pre-
JUDGE has it encountered and dissipated! What
ternatons Of hope and fear have distracted his heart
How the tongues of men have scofed, and the obsti
nate materials with which he has worked resisted
him; and Poverty, gaunt spectre-alas, not spec
tre but terrible reality-has confronted and para
lived him. At last, the of victory has lighted
his withered cheek, often too late to restore its
bloom, and he who has given to the world bless
in has gone down to the grave in penury and de-
spair. Scheming politicians, with their pretentious
'continualy obscure public windows with me shes of
mischief" the inventor Of useful arts may be COM
pared to the silk worm. which dies itse f in weaving
the decorations which adorn aud comfort the chill
dren of wealth. The history of many of these arti-
cles around could tell tale of struggle and want
and sorrow, which should teach the world to recog.
nze in the Of toll and skill its real berefactors
and cheer them 10 efforts like this to elevate them
selves and bless mankind.
Gentlemen of the Mechanics Association, we hear
great deal in these da, of the Emission" of various
classes and individuals in society," but think it NAV
be said without cant afectation, that you have
mission" noble and dignified any ever commit
ted to human hands 1t is yours not only to give in
teigence to industry and thereby to elevate the
mechanical classes to their true position and iDu
ence, but to contribute to the advancement and glory
of your country. Her sciences, her laws her know
ledge her civilization, must walk hand in hand with
the development OF her arts The most substantial
and the most permanent memorials of her greatne S.
memorials which will resist the shock of time and
soften end humarize even the destructive spirit Of
war Il s for you to build The hostile legions which
surrounded Athens were charmed and subdaed by her
temples and her palaces, and spsring the glorious
achievements OF her geniua the Ioueh-tide Of battle
sanci6ed and halowed the beautiful city of Greece
They erected it shrine in Rene at which the con.
querOrs of the world delighted to worship Rome in
her turn has fallen, but Art buried for awhile be-
meath the avalanche of barbarsm has been avs.
kened By Christianity to glorious and in
land has her temples and her votarss At this
moment the most illustration of rtsh great
s. Is not In the mighty equadrons that are psurpp
their devastating hunders upon the shores of Russ
but in that structure of glass in Sydenham in which
the products OF human ingenuity and industry from
every cline have been gathered, in which Peace has
Joined her bright and beodless trophies and in which
Labor. so long held in degradation and bondage has
come forth. like Joseph from his Egyptian prison.
house, and the monarch has given him palace and
throne has placed him in his second chariot his put
a gold chain about his neck. and cried before him
Bow the knee, and made him ruler over sll the
land.
In conclusion, gentlemen of the Mechanics Assoc.
ciaon in the success of such enterprises this the
independence and even the security of Virginia. are
concerned. The signs of the times in the political
heavens, warn us that crsis 10 approaching in pub
Inc attain. which will test as 1t has never yet been
tested the strength of our government. The wa es
of sectionaiis which tn eaten the institution. Of
Republic. are rising higher and higher every hanr
and the gale OF fanatcism which sweeps it on rosrs
over the great deep as If eager for l. prev kno,v
that Virginia has gallant hearts and strone arms
hich, In the hour of battle, would prove fhe m.
selves worthy OF the warriors who led the vanguard
of American liberty, and cemented with their sweat
and blood the foundation of the grand fabric &c
State know that she has statesmen. whose vyisdom
must prevail, where reason aud patriotism bave rot
deserted the public mind, and orators whose s1o
quence might melt eli but the most malignant and
stony hearts. BUT her statesmen have failed to ar.
rest the aggressive tide OF sectonssrn and her ora
tors have been laughed to scorn by the howiins
storm Of abolit on msdnes.. Long ions have the1
stood upon the sea shore and like Canute exclaimed