New-York tribune., 1874-04-25
THE LIBERAL CLUB.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF JAMES PATTON AS PREsI
DENT.
The Liberal Club held its 2i0th meeting last
evening and upon this OCCASION James Parton assumed
the presidential chair newly elected officer He was
introduced by the retiring President, William L. Orns
10y, IT., and then addressed the Club as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE Liberal CLUB A
sage OF the last century has left on record Tor the IN
suetlon OF posterity saying to thls point VINO ures
IaI oxen should himself he fat by which suppose ne
meant 10 intimate that there should be some degree OF
eongrnity between office and the officer Butit ap-
pears TO me that yo have chosen for your president
person who il very much wanting In presldeu-
ua qualities, one who has hai no expert
enee whatever in presiding over assemblies. ana ana
II lh all respects most unpresldeutnl preShent, Dut
such las am you nave chosen me, and appreciate ana
oy c M .he h9nor you nave done me ana %il 10 mnaS ]
good nature and on the experienced and able gentlemen
VINO Ill the other oces Que qualification for tls char
eau claim to possess. and that s do most heartily APP
prove the views Of this society, the main OBJECT Whlch
is 10 discuss subjects of concern to us as men and
gems with absolute freedom respecting all honest con
etOns, while expressing our own without any reserve
upon this round ball OF earth naked and sneeress ana
sent wnirDg through space, why We dOh,J KNOW, anu
Go9 know ana Tnee bee r we SV eEe VINO
are so fortunate to know, tender them my
eypee oW r. 01 sooIv Enow one thing
ara that Is that don't know lLaugnter..
an am sure OF tna here we are upon tni pank n or
OF ORDER capable OF exquisite and long continued misery
aud only capable OF slight and evsnescent Delights so
surrounded by dificnlies and perils that IL IL
marvellous not that any fall but thar any should get
through life with tolerable ease and credit our race
me to he cruelty overweighted and burdened
eJond its strength, and ike our dear Otheo IN me
play perpleGed beyond eXtreDe We thlnh 10 do sun
IN the rule OF three when only fit for subtracOn
so that after hundred thousand years passed on ts
earth our race remains very poor very ignorant too
wise and not very safe These things being duty
Is perfectly clear and undenab and tha To stand Dy
left ourselves in the midst Of the ocean, We must hang
together and stand by tho interests OF the whole Dody
for far can ia history and In life around Us,
there HELM IN himself, ana one Oi
converse in a frank and friendly manner
this room. upon the state of things
IN which we mud ourselves. ana tue
difficulties and dangers OF road, taking nothing for
granled welcoming all eccentrcities Of opinion, De-
tieyg nothing because II has been believed Ior ohe
time, tolerant OF everything except intolerance lap
nothing except lllhumOr dlscOnrtesy ana lnslhcery
Besides being OF this globe. have tho al
vantage OF beng citizens OF the United States, which ~,
upon the whole the best part OF IT. anu IL Is the on
land on earth where just such club as this could
exist Is, where the most eccentric and peculiar
and extrayAgant things can De discussed win peTeot
good humOr, because vita perfect freed n, ana goOd
humor IT, next 10 the fundamental morliiles the hrst
interest Of man, for IT Is that upon when our happiness
from hour TO hour most depends And with regard 10
the United States. cannot deny that its govern
mental machinery has been creaAnk very loun oI iate
and needs repairs. IL IL such organizations as
this that ropare and offer the remedial measure OF
which IL stands In great need. n. ., ,.,,. ., ..is
Society that upon the verge, II not IN the midst
OF general reaction from what are usually cAled
liberal principles, government by the people iOf tne pco
pe the equal brotherhood OF men, the right OF each
man aud woman to share in the practical guidance OF
public affairs. In Germany, which Is now the rs milI
Iary power OF the world the victories O the Iate war
brought o the front conservative forces ana mem
and pushed back ont OF sight the and thoughts aud
dreams years ago. Warls the cause OF ali toryizers
The Strength of Tories lies behind the ears, where pug
naciOus and dOmneering propcnslte5 nave ther slte
In England Mr. Dsrae and tue Conservative party are
power in France. MacMahon Ia the United states TINS
con servatyc reaction very strong, ana VIII not dey
10 manifest Itself Almost every newspaper IN New
York, every leading morning newspaper Almost,
conducted interest OF reaction. Is conducted oy
conservative mind In questions between employer ana
employed the interest O the press Is generally win the
capitalist IA her than with the WORKMAN ana some 0i
tbs newspapers openly deride the very Idea OF work
mems combinations for mutual protection, TINS sheet
anchor OF their rights and OF their hopes In the last
month have observed how unanimously some OF the
periodicals oXpe lded themselves upon Mr Jenerson,
Who Is the best representative OF the liberal slle OF
AIucricau poltics and OF American nature. But
neither fear regret these signs OF the times Know
pu indispensable truth there Is in the consrva
Progress musJ be often retarded Those
institutions VIII finally prevail when are most III ac'
cordance with unalterabe fact. lAppiause.I
At the close OF Mr. Partons address the Rev. George
w. Samson, LID, read a paper entitled "Modcrn
European Civilization in it's influence on Law"