The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-07-11
LOCAL MATTERS.

terirg and sustaining manufactures and the me
.hanic arts have united together snd es'aoi'sned
the virginia Mechanics Institute the object bei1g
s.the promotion aud encouragement OF Msnufac.
tures the Me.hsuic and u sefui Arts-and the men.
tai Improvement ef the iHdnsfr1dl classes In ne
infancy. the Institute, By the perseverance OF hs
rnaubars. succeeded 10 getting up an exhibition,
without the aid ut the public funds that would have
done credit 10 Philadelphia or New York, far sd
vauced az they ara In the arts and sciences Inc
Managers of the destitute then tell mat fney were
entering upon an untried experiment and they
therefore, preferred placing the burthen OF II on
themselves and their friends. to sskfng aid from
hsciy After that .xpestment proved successful,
aud only the city, but the sac ie proud OF IT,
tte Board Of Managers no longer hesitsted to lay
tht jr claims for aid before the proper auhoriss
| Al me close of the frs. exhibition, the members
Of the institute nearly every one OF whom are
taxpayers land some of them among the largest
q the city, unanimously determined to call On the
Council to aid them 10 building suitable hall 10
which hold their exhibitions, school OF design,
lectures library etc, believing that a. tax payers,
hey had right to ask aid from the city ia doing
that which she alone wss to be benefited but ind
ing that her finances We're not IS easy as was de-
| sirable, and knowing that she was then erecting
hall over the first market amply sufficient to hold
| their second exhibition 10, they appointed com
mittee to secure il tor that purpose supposiog that
the Council would gladly grant its use. Inc COM
miitee appointed by the Board Of Managers OF the
Institute had informal conversation with the
Chairman of the COMMITTEES on the Fret Market,
and tina. gentleman seeing the great good to be
effrcted by he exhibition, very kindly consented
{, the use of the hail. believing that of his
colleagues would oppose it. With this understand
ing, the destitute committee reported TO the Board
OF Managers tb at the hall could be had, snd the
Board at took the necessary steps to complete
me- arrangements tor the annual Fair TO be held in
October next.
Aftsr matters had gone thus fer, and public
notice had been given time and agaio that the ex-
hibiii1n would take place at the first market the
ipIaU fUR a
lea ming from the Chairman of the Committee on
the fl rst mai ket Monday last, that his commit.
tee by vote of four TO taco, had determined that
the institute should not hold its annual Fair in
that hail. And, what do you suppose has led TO
his dete animation Not that the hall will not be
nisbed In time for it would suit the purpose 9th
Iasiituts as soon as the floor ia laid But because
the commi { g desi n taving the walls and
ceiling frescued and the beauiful little birds TO be
painted thereon mEy have their rich plumage
soil-d by being brought 10 contact with the me-
cbsnics and mspufscturers-the working Classes
and their visitors-srd their specimens of art and
Industry, to be T. ere exhibited. We had expected
osvusit u to the use OF tie hall, from two
members of the Council, for rees6 ns we may give
hereafter, but even from then expected to
hear more plausible excuse for that opposition
thai that "ihe hall would not be foished-thet it
as to be Fl d up with permanent seats for a COM
cert room-hat It's walls were TO be irescoed-apd
that II the of it were granted TO the Virginia
Mechanics Institute, the committee havlog II in
charge would be continually annoyed to death by
applications from the ladies' for their Fairs and
from all other sources"
When advocated the erection of this Hall, for
which the peoples money-mechanics and manu-
faerurers NOT excuded-has been a7ishly ex
pended suppo. cd that Richmond vas to be ben
Gifted by it aad n-r citizeas to enjoy its Such
an idea never entered bead, that II to be
kept solely for concerts. negro dances and monkey
shows or we should have opposed it. We supposed
that every men and woman in the city knew the i'm
portsnce of fostering manufacturing and me-
chsnc interests and that every mber of the Coun
ell, after spending from 500 zoo S7o0 ono Of tbe
peoples money to encourage agricultural pursuits
would gladly avail themselves of the fl fst opportu-
nifty OF doing something TO advance those other in
terests far more important to Richmond; but In this
mistaken. The working classes are down
and must be kept SO. Who cares how heavily
they are taxed so that they pay tbs pu Bile demands
ment of the artisan? Who cares for the Virsiuis
Mechanics Institute so that the members of it as
sist in supplying the means to build handsome
Concert Hall for negro singers and jig dancers? Ger
tany portion of the committee having charge of
that building DO not whatever the remainder OF the
Councii may thing OF it. But the Council not all
Commits -n-tbe people are not al In favor of
speeding S23 600 of the money TO build a Concert
Hal-por are they si blind to the IN erests of ths
city and the rights OF the mechanics They NAV set
have representatives enough in the Council to set
aside the verdict of the Market Committee and do
Justice to q class Ct citizens who have never as a
CESS, received one dollar from the city treasury
while other c. asses of our munity have had
thousands and tens OF thousands of dollars pruse,v
laviEhed on them
The members of the Institute are invited to a
meeting at Metropolitan Hall Tonight at O'Clock
whe this autj will be brought up for action and
hope that every mechanic and manu- acturer ev.
cry member of the Institute and every friend of it.
will be in ATTENDANCE. 1t is now too late ~ go.
arrangements for building hail, and as far as we
KNOW it will be impossible to secure any other build
log in time for the annual exhibition Let petition
be presented to the COUNSEL this subject and et
that body sustain reverse the decision of it's com.
mttee We believe there are business IN en- enough
connected with the Council to grant the Institute
the uss OF the hal, even though it shaud cost the
city few hundred dollars. But if we should b,
mstske en- the the laborng classes will know their
friends, afterward. properly appreciate the
services of men who do not hesitate to vote away
the public money By thousands for the ben Eft of
minor interest, W lille they refuse the use of pub
lie building to the most important interest with
which the city is conn ected
Frrr OArs-Wa hsua sasn snoninnans