The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-08

this shore, Holland summoned Hudson from ranging
among The jagged rocks Of stzbergen ani the icy msts
OF the straits OF Vegaz to lead the way ascending
noble river just as afterwards when the great OF the
went FORTH not like eTtans to destroy but with the
better energies of creative power 10 lay the foundations
of Union, Hamilton whose cradle had been rocked
by the broezes of the tropics called from the Antilles
70 plead for the adoption Of the federal consttu-
ton. Here assembled the first Congress of 1865;
here the New York sons of liberty sent forth
the first invitation for that OF I77l; on our soil
won the decisive victory of independence, and
here Washington inaugurated national freedom and
union The moment Of planting the institutions Of cult
waited man within our limits was marked by whatever is
most romantic IN American history The interior of the
state occupied by that wonderful people who had ad
vanced furthest amongst savages civil poty and
federation; and while all that daring adven-
turc, all that was most sefsacricng in religion
entering on the one side with Champlan and the Catholic
missions, on the other the great commercial republic of
Europe the forerunner and fostering example for Amer
preparing to take possession Of Albany and Man
haitian. In the Old World republican government has
fallen on evil days and kingdom has taken the place of
the glorious Dutch union of sovereign States But If the
living waters of freedom have diminished in that Euro
pean land through which they flowed most brightly
they but AS the fountain of Arethusa which disappears
only to gush forth again IN happier Cline America
claims share Of the honors due to Chaucer and Raleigh
and shaksperehe English literature that preceded the
first planting Of Virginia The glory Of the Dutch republic
is peculiarly inheritance The republican liberty of
the Netherlands, which was vndcaed by contest longer
and more trying than that Of Athens with Persia be
found only here 1t is ours all The banks of the
Hudson its asylum, where renews its perennial
youth like the eagle. The gift !, this building has
city is the most genial home for literature Where there
s the most action there there must be the thought
The world Of the scholar and the world OF the man
of affairs all The widest connections fur
nsh the greatest opportunity of concentrating know
ledge, and the readiest means for its diffusion. In
such community there is possibility Of dead
calm, Of stagnation of mind. The ever-movng
winds Of controversy winnow opinions, and the fire of
truth IL kept alive and fed by contributions from all
climes And what city is bound by associations and
ties to all parts of the world than New York. At
moment Of its discovers the Antarctic continent
at another ship from wharves is planted by of
heroic mould llustrous in his youththc immortal Kane
among the ccbergs of Greenland, as the mpershablc
monument that OF all the flags in the world the stars and
stripes have approached nearest to the pole. But
would see the intimate connection Of city with every
part OF the globe and the many nations OF the earth
have only to look about us at the magazines OF
merchants where indeed everything is gathered togo
ther from and from land for the support the
fort and the grace of life, but at the men moving in
streets representing they do not country only
not England and Holland only but every nation OF Europe
from Cadz Warsaw from Ireland to the Isles of Greece
that by necessity the civilization Of all those lands s in
tertwned with ours. The seers who look into futury
abound in their euloges OF the coming commercial great
ness of New York when ts proportion Of the mercantile
marine shall be still greater than is now and it shall be
the centre OF the exchanges Of the world when its popu
laop shall fill this island, and, like branching vine
all the lands around But this superiority in mate
rial resources not enough the crowning glory Of New
York must be It's advancement in intelligence Here must
flourish unsurpassed colleges of that science OF
which the blessed skill removes disease, charms
away its pains. Here we must have schools
Of Jurisprudence to teach 1t as science, resting
mmuable principles Of justice, to interpret interna
tonal and constitutional law system that shall be ut
Cosmopolitan and national, breathing union among
ourselves and good will TO all the peoples OF the earth
Here where the crowded streets show the of that
favored being who alone created in the image Of his
maker the truths that lift man above the vicssudes Of
time and connect him with things that are eternal
shine out in their purest lustre Here divine art must
make visible to the the forms Of beauty that
pose in the capaeoas Of creative genius. Here
universities must gather together all the fountains of truth
and send the living waters through the land Let the
comprehensive and liberal spirit OF our merchants and the
vvyng intelligence Of scholars join together promote
the fullest development of every capacity for good This
edince is an earnest Of that cooperation.
AT the close Of Mr. Bancrofts remarks the meeting
addressed by Mr. KING, President Of Columbia College,
find myself said he, on looking around me and and
membcrng the early beginnings OF this society almost
my contemporaries, for remember the beginning, hum
BILE and unpretendng has been well said OF college
-Qaughter)-I mean of our library. remember il, he
continued, when II was very small small association
with very small collection and very slender hopes; and
have lived "a rs IL suseful, honored and cspo
ciay well housed We have here to night cee.
brate Of great interest tho society alone
but To the country. We have provided home for the
MORALS Of the past We present here temptation to al
who have valuable papers documents 10 put them in
our possession, since in condition 10 keep
them safely from the fire. and from what far
worse, from the hammer Of the sheriff After some fur
ther remarks showing the importance Of such iusttu
ton in preserving the records OF the past, Mr. King re-
sumcd his seat.
lie was followed by Rev. Dr. ADAMS who, after a
brief aluson 10 two Of the first members of the
ciety Mr.. Vcrplanck and Washington Irving, related
some interesting anecdotes OF Dr Johnson illustrative of
the III feeling which some OF the most distinguished
literary men, had against works written by those against
whom they had conceived a prejudice. Such feeling
could not be too strongly condemned FOR n was subvcr
sivc Of that spirit which regards all historical truths
matter by whom recorded worthy Of preservation and
entitled to that importance which belongs to their charac
ter Everything that tended not only o throw light upon
doubtful questions Of history but that served to Illus
rae the manners customs and social habits Of the
that were aud of those that come should be
q.
speaker, reminded by history Of those great spirits Of
liberty who are to be found in every age Of the world,
and whose acts inspire the patriots and lovers Of free
dom in every land 10 deeds Of heroic and noble daring
and IL 10 him peculiar satisfaction 10 be
collection of not merely historical evidence whether 10
printed written form but Of those works Of art which
show that in the creative genius Of her sons America is
not inferior 10 the Old World
The motion was stll further supported by Rev. Dr.
BErSE, who particularly severe upon all clcrgymcn
who left the sacred vocation Of the ministry o engage "a
politics. The reverend gentleman was listened TO with
unabatcd interest through an address OF an hours length
When he resumed his seat, the motion in regard to the
report of the trustees Of the building fund adopted
after which the meeting adjourned.
DESCRIPTION or rHE BUILDING.
The building. have stated, stands ON second ave
cf Eleventh street aud was completed under
the supernte ndence Of Mettam Burke the architects
The structure In the Italian style Of the Roman Dorio
order and the facadcs built with drab colored
known as the New Brunswick Dorchester quarry stone.
The dimensions follows, viz ,55 feet front
second BY o. feet deep on Eleventh street two
stories high with basement and surrounded by
area enclosed with massive baluftrade.
The basement is rusticaed, which gives Il massive
effect The arst story finished with Dorc pasters aud
corncc. The second story windows are trimmed with
paneicd upstarts consoles cnrnces and pcdments the
centre window Second avenue has a broken ped mcn
in which placed pedestal the bust OF Iicrodotus
the father OF historians II Is the intention Of the society
have bronze bust after time The building Gn shed
with Dorc corncc with trglyphs and panelcd block
ing course ON top.
The front Second avenue is divided into three sec
tons, the centre section projecting out wo feet beyond
the other, and surnounted with pediment Eleventh
street.
The main entrance Second avenue is a handsome
dorc portco, with ghNof seven steps nanscd by mas
sve buttresscs and which placed two handsome
lamps. The private entrance FOR the officers and speak
Is on Eleventh street, which gives direct the
rostrum.
AT the front door there a spacious vesubulc finished
in the Cornhau order this opens into the lecture
and Office and contains the main staircase and basement
staircase, which all Of iron
The lecture room II 10 feet high and 90 feet inches by
6s feet on the south side rostrum and two
the rosrum . for the officers and the speaker o the
ing The seats are placed In conccnric segment and
will scat 800 persons This rs lighted by
dows
At the top o the main staircase il another vesubulc
a.. "a a - a.a "a