New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-10
THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.

vIFTTETH NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF VIZ
LIAM CULLEN BRYANT, THE REV. HENRY u
POTTER, THE REV. GEORGE ii. HEPWORTH,
WILLIAM 4. DODGE MAYOR HALL, AND M.
c. ID. BORDEN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE As
ISOLATION.
The 50th anniversary of the Mercantile Library
Association was held last evening In the Academy OF
Music owing TO the rain the gathering not so nu
nerous as wac expected. The Hon. Roscoe Conkling
lbe Hon. william NJ. Evarts. and Gov. Hoffman. who
wcre announced TO speak, were not present Among
tscee the platform Wilson c. Hunt, David Dud
hey Field, Peter Cooper, william Cullen Bryant Dr. Dor
emu. william E. Dodge the Rev. Dr. Hepburn the Rev
e-t1h H. Tying the Rev. q. ii. Hepworth, ana COL
Ethan Allen. Grafulla's Band was present, and per
formed select programme OF music during the evening
Mr. NJ G. d. Borden, Presidento OF the AssociauOh' WIS "
tie chair. cha
The Rev stephen IT, Tying having offered prayer tne
Chairman delivered the Introductory address ~ ''
lows:
ADDRESS OF TIE PRESIDENT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN; In little room ID w'i l,
30 years age tonight. there met together u sui o
pany Of men, identified as merchants CLERKS VINO
"a y, ,h coll ~ s,rgle gentleman without any well
defined pan They had no conception OF lhe en''P
orved them That little body OF clerks me- ~
gave form 10 a project which has resu,eu ~ nj ever con-
eeiyed on the 18th Of February the year III ne
building No ~ FntonS' our h boosted of circu-
I'm ~ o0 Volumes with membership ol JsVs o.s'
The mrs., i hears obstacles 81 Witch always besct
infancv OF any institution. The diacuIues tnht
seset ,S In Is?c in the month of June, the
library was moved 20 more eligible rooms IN hmldhg
then known Harper Brothers in Cifst In that year
The progress of the institution really commenced few
ycais later the mcr han;s OF NewHork placed the IL
tie first Clinton Han. The building was ours eHcu-
sivey, and it's government was overwhelmingly con- u,
shle public men. who elected by the Clinton Han
Association LCOk At Clinton Hall In 1SQ, with mem,
bcrshp OF more than $500 merchants clerks and 500
hooks Ia store DO You ask what II is to-day 1t mas
outgrown itself Ithas now 10000 books aud II Is auu,
~ Ysrfst nF
any one can have than papers andmag
aIines, We scatter among our readers 500 volumes gay
schools ana the colleges cOugresate IL has great uSl
10 accomplish yet. We have not been ape 10 secure
tlcman-a welkuown citizen-to address you, William
Cullen Bryant lApplauseJ
ADDRESS OF WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.
Nj Bryant who was received with cheers said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: have been most highly
fortunate in being able to congratulate the members of
the Mercantile brary Association on having reached the
ntieth anniversary OF the institution Foryfve years
ago when first came 10 NewYor that institution was in
s ia'& %, {o tbTonS5 the actions ~
several puhlic-s spirited gentlemen by whom II was
founded TIE institution started with great promise for
The future, and many hoped that 1t would serve IN
great delCe safeguards against the temptations 10
whose birth was coeval with its origin are now men OF
mature and the books which were tncn gwen were
Thc puhlic-'piuted men of mat day leit no,
BILE legacy Tor future times. i have observed
IN NpW-NOrk the gradual growth or TINS lnstl-
tuition, and the extension OF Its benefits, but
Its growth las not been In proportion TO me growth OF
koctoH Is now apparently assured beyond the reach OF
accident learn with great pleasure that the library OF
there example In hemisphere, and that in ten
year, 1t has more than doubled the number of It's vol
viii Il viii he tue admiration Of the world. lAppauseJ
In future times, in the remote depths OF time young men
will say, when searching among the old books in the IL
brary, See what sort OF reading our ancestors many
centuries ago niulged in" This library, which Is now
fonu I'd and Win is
Iidity viii be secured from accident Inc books may he
library of this institution, the Association itself is
not 50 easily destroyed The same spirit which
founded this institution would, in that case,
speedily restore the collection 70 the people.
The Institution will endure az long as the city itself, and
win only dissolved when the time shall have arrived
that this great commercial mart shall he the mart
longer and when the great City Of NewYork shall have
d"inded down 10 a small fishing town. some may ask
the question: Shall we approach the condition Of Tyre
AMI adon with their pictures OF desoatonf Where the
- acet OF the merchant princes once stood there the
nurcring Arab dwells, and few boats are moored IN
H. clear shallow water chOked with the ruins OF the
pecs nd temples OF ancient glory, where ships once
ag, rrC, waiting FOR the merchandise Is our city TO
Ia, Nae toriut luxurious, magnificent and grand now
like Genoa, ~ ike Venice, once the mistress OF the Adr
mad t@h@n the aasnass q eSmaeTes, WIN s6eiI
the durable basis OF the commercial prosperity which
belouess the city inhabt The colonies belongn,
prosperity. Thoy had broad. welldeveloped roO.S
They Sunt their cities upon narrow foundation, an'
they Eel % the ground. Applause.l Our circumstance
5l essentially different Our Republic vast
ELrOpc ~ the that washes the shores of Easter
We have fertile plains. rich valleys. westocked
forth to every part OF the compass and covering i'm
Ine>e territory. Our city is To be the center of the
mentioned but when shall this unfortunate order OF
things he lgokcn ups II this Republic should fan to
pIects b divided into tribe or Independent cOInmu
niuC they, with narrow jealousy Of each other, might
10y liberal legislation obStruct these grand and
channels of intercourse that nerseCt our territory
and which wih help to buiiG this great city. Some cities
Uay decline speedily. and some may be in the condition
Aspgl The sliD NJ ~
hes in institutions such the Mercantile Library Asso
Vigch knowIedee IL dfused in the minds Of the inte
~ ana OF the ignorant teaching them their true inter
conclusion let ps hope for the benefit and increasing
prosperity Oi the Institution whose Sc years celebrate
this evening. lGreat applause.
Address OF THE REV. GEORGE II. uEP-
WORTH, DID.
After apologizng for the absence OF Senator Conlng
Gov. Hoffman, Hon VIM NJ. Evais, and others who were
announced 10 speak, the Chairman introduced the Rev
George il. Hepworth He said: II is peculiarly embar-
RAISING TO stand in the place OF gentlemen to whom you
have expecting listen but my heart is Just as
warm az theirs, aud my word OF oOngraulstion just
sincere most heartily congratulate you upon reaching
and hearty bear years and your honors DOby
you have position largely Influential in this commn,
your midst when hundredth anniversary comes
round and trust that you will give TO the New Workers
Of that day report as glowing as your President has
given us tonight cannot speak too warmly concern
Ing the worth and value OF an Institution OF THIS kind
he brings with him, not only the prayers OF HE Oter
and the good advice OF bis father bat noble burden
of boyish purity OF heart. He ie freghied dow with
large and golden dreams dr. which hopes by
hard work To crvstalnC into SOLD realize in SOM day
IN the future, and the moment lac touches your Sidewalk
he feels the chill Of the SOCIAL atmosphere IL IL longer
home TO him lie must depend wholly upon his own
sources. No ttfer, mother, no friend he is all, All
alone IN tr Olds' OF an immense popuiaee His days
work oves DO sts ih his reading until the DIM ur
certain liz i OF iis penn! Ip is out. lie then puts
hat on head an. walks down TO The sidewalk, and van
ers from street TO street SATAN who seems he ubiqn
tous has opened thousand doors and with his hon Ms
and hOOf properly concealed bCckOns with gentle hand
and asks him t. enter. Here is counter across which
Is pass ed the glowing ruby wine the boy ia tepted
sits the siren honip0 Ia