New-York tribune., 1874-05-20
TILE PROCEEDINGS.

peasant and very simple, and you Will DC gao 10 near
that II is also very brief for is only 10 wecome you
cordially 10 this general meeting OF the American hsso
,,aon for Social Science and 1t were TO say grace
over the feast which is prepared for you And you in
your turns you Sit II We're at the tane might say
70 me that you very willing to be present hee put
that you would like very much to know what sociai
scence means should be very glad IL could answer
Il In a word or q phrase, but 1t Is lmpos-
kible for me TO assert that the relations OF social
phenomena, modified they necessarily are oy the
human mind and by calculable conditions have peeh
yet reduced the limits OF what can DC caeu eA"o
science; and yet undoubtedly Mr. Herbert spencer
tells us SO far these relations are subject TO nves
cation and OF Interpretation based upon CONGRATULATIONS
following an investigation, far the social science IN
the srctest is undoubtedly possible ana 10 such
subject there is certainly no better manual oil nro-
dnct,on than Mr.. Herbert spencer's own BOOK. But
while these are somewhat speculative and abstract
views the aims OF this Association are very practical
Ii s its purpose to build a platform which the Teest
and fullest inquiry can be conducted INTO al
the various aspects OF the interests anu the
material welfare Of society. While everywhere solitary
scholars and thinkers in this country are meditatlng
problems OF finance OF trade, Of economy, questions OF
sanitary science Of hygiene Of pauperlsm OF crime, OF
the higher and nObler strain o international law, com
binng nations in more Christian comfy; pohucal
reformation the amendment OF the laws ana all slmar
aud kindred topcs the studies and researches OF nese
scholars are as single rays which is the object OF TINS
Association bring to the focus OF the better iunlna
lion OF the public opinion in this country, and
In Its degree so to promote the true glory
Of the world and OF mankind. NOW, thls
being our object you will see that, aftef all'
the advance from barbarism TO civilization Is really
the development OF what may be called social SCIENCE
Every man every student everywhere who engaged
these speculaons with the sole purpose OF the gen
era public benefit student OF social science five
hundred years ago, in Florence, learned and pious
man of that city observed that within his experience
ahVw hQd
struck by lightning Medating that problem he
xboueht he perceived the true remedy. He thought
that what needed was TO place upon the
summit Of the spire choice collection OF holy
relics. Here admirable faith, but the sell
snce was more defective. But four centuries after,
Dr. Franklin afternoon went out into the
face of a thunderstorm with his kite and keys, and
solved the problem Of the transmission OF electricity
60 IL the aim Of thisAssociaon to stimulate public
opinion every where and to go out with Kite and Keys
into the face backest clouds of public prejudice
Oh topics and endeaVor 10 solve these proOes
FOR the welfare OF mankind. But machinery is no
more complicated you will see during these meet
tBgs 1t exclusively Of the little organization
OF the Association itself. OF dissertations and dis
cussions BY experts and special students. The
society itself is scarcely ten years old It's career
has been Of exceeding mOdesty vet during all
operson Of many Of the disngusbed students in the
topics which addresses itself and ITS body
cult mass Information in the various directions in
may cite, for instance as illustrative OF the topics 70
which this Association by iis
mean the reform of the civil service OF TINS country
ATTENTION was early called TO this subject by my
bonored predecessor, samuel Eliot OF Boston, ana ~
Was the means of bringing Mr.. JencKes OF kHote
Service reform in this country to deliver speech II,
Boston and aerwaro IN the CITY 0t New, @ no horH & ano
In Congress OF the speeches OF MI JeneKes the move
tins Association always counted among It's IN ST dis
tugished coabOrers the distinguished heSd oi that
Conmisslon that disng gushed gentleman, Dorman b.
Eaton. The value of this platform Is seen In TINS
one fact tnat, unlike the platform OF pom pom pontesl
reform, this platform means precisely what
says IT, Is IN IT. n%rg d Sariotc
if as every who hears Will agree, tho CRYING
evil of the county is political corruption every citizen
Is snpy bound TO concern himself 10 the most
uca speedy remedy, and as 1t seems to us that no
cry by which corruption chiefly lives so the reform
in the civil Is especially one OF the topics 10
Itself -,
ths Association They will be the subject lOf the report
fro general Secretary to be read at tie meeting on
tins department and his experience will give especial
weight to every word he may say And now, while |
welcome YOU cordially to this meeting, and to all
the OF this meeting TO he held during the week
cannot take my seat without throwing tone OF re-
rret into my greeting, as recall our late Illus
trious associate, the First Vice President OF this
Association, Prof Agassz. Had he lived undoubtedly
we should have seen him this upon this pai
form, aud in that great aud genial presence we should
recognized OF the noheSt specimens of man
hood that tins century mas seen Thirty years ago.
almost this country, ana although as
OF science and eitizen of he world yet chose America
FOR ms home, and tr Isaac Newton SAID when Roger
Coates the young astronomer came 10 Cambridge.
nov the world will know something" SO might
II have been said when Agassiz landed
Something, aud how much it learned, not alone from
those direct lessons not alone from his voice in the
lectureroom when his tone drew audience and atten-
ion still night or Summer noontlde air-Dot there
alone III these ways; but how much have we all
influence of his hie m h noble scorn OF mere money
getting saying that be had no time to make money; IN
The conservation OF great powers 10 great ends.
how he o,n,ra The sueeriority and the grandeur
Of tie Intellectual life. How hardly would we
have believed that the modest scholar. living an uDos
senatious unself,h l,e would have gone down his
grave as he has gone followed by national benedction
ever En"Wn How well his friend aud neighbor Lowell
In that monody lust published, which Milton, mourning
that other schca would not nave di,dahed' say and
gone with tine dull herd Of them that wholly die"
At the conclusion Of Mr. Curtiss address the Secretary
read the minutes OF a meeting OF the Executive Com
nittee OF the Association, from which appears that
st the request % the British Association papers are TO
be forwarded the next Glasgow Conference Of that
body " Poor Laws and Public Charities" by Mr..
eanborn on Pubnc Education" by the Hon. Andrew
d. white. President .of Cornell University and The
Health OF American Cities" by Elisha Harris, NJ d.,
Register Of vital Statistics for the City OF New.York.
At the Glasgow Conference TO be held September
there is also 10 be read paper by Prof Peirce on
"Ocean Lanes for Steamship Navigation '' and Mr..
Wells will be invited 10 read at tie place q paper
Oh some American financial topic,
The President introduced as the first speaker Pres
dent Woolsey OF Yale College, who received
with great applause.
SPEECH OF Rx.PREsIDRST wOoIsEY.
NY subject said be, relates TO the exemption OF pr
yae property upon the sea from cspture-the property
OF enemies as well as Of others rom capture SO long
they are engaged IN Innocent trade excluding of course
Of war; and vessels carrying troops OF
20 break blockade This subject was dseussedn 1896