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    LETTKRS FROM PARIS. [From our own Coitii...

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    The Raising Of The First Column Of The N...

    Wore ua . Former ages have raised palaces enough , and many of them of surpassing magnificence . We have all read of the hanging gardens of Babylon , the colossal palace temples of Egypt , and the gorgeous structures of Nineveh and Persepohs . Many of us have seen the scattered fragments of Nero ' s Golden Palace in the Palatine-hill , and the vast ruins which still . speak so magnificentl y of tho grandeur of Imperial Borne . But what were all these palaces , and how were tbey _constructed ? They were raised by the spoils of captive nations , and the forced labour of myriads of slaves , to gratify the caprice or vanity of some solitary despot . ( Hear , hear . ) To our own age has been reserved the privilege of raising a palace tor the people . ( Loud cheers . ) Yes , the structure

    of which the first column has just raised its head into the air , is emphatically and distinctly the possession of the British people , as it is the production of their own unaided and independent enterprise . ( Hear , hear . ) On us , to whom circumstances have intrusted the direction of this great popular undertaking , devolves the duty of seeing that it is carried out in a manner worthy of the public spirit of the age in which we live , and of the magnitude of our high mission . I assure you we all feel very deeply the responsibility of our position ; and although , for the reasons to which I have already adverted , we have judged _jt premature and unseemly to make any formal religious ceremonial on tbe present occasion , we feel not the less profoundlv that in carrying out this undertaking , as we

    hope to do , to a successful issue , we are but acting as the instruments of that beneficent and overruling Providence which is guiding our great British race along the paths of peaceful progress . ( Hear , hear . ) I trust that the assurance that we are all deeply and intimately impressed with what I may almost venture to call a religious feeling of our duties and responsibilities , will be accepted as a guarantee that to the best of our judgment and ability this great undertaking shall bo constructed in a proper spirit and with a view to noble and elevating objects . ( Hear , hear . ) As regards the material portions of the enterprise , words are but feeble instruments in which to paint the triumphs of art and the beauties of nature . It is better to

    ask you to look around you and say for yourselves whether the site is not worthy of the People ' s Palace and of the People ' s Park . ( Cheers . ) Figure to yourselves the surrounding area which is now defined by a circle of beauty ( cheers ) , converted into a crystal dome , and raised aloft under the blue vault of Heaven , and you will form some indistinct image of the new central transept as it exists in the genius of a Paxton , and as it will shortly exist as a tangible reality for the wonder and admiration of millions ( Cheers . ) But I will not detain you longer by attempting to describe that which no words can adequately represent , and I will conclude by the expression of another sentiment , to which I am sure you will heartily respond . In looking so peculiarly and emphatically on the fact that this is to be the palace of tho people , the timo was when I should

    have risked calling forth some antagonistic feeling , as if tho cause of the people were placed in invidious contradistinction to that of the Crown and the aristocracy . Thank heaven the timo when sueh distinctions can bo drawn in England has disappeared . ( Hear , hear . ) It is tho grand characteristic of the reign of our present gracious Sovereign to havo witnessed tho most rapid progress in the material , moral , and intellectual improvement of tho mass of the population ; and , as a consequence , a corresponding increase in their social importance and political power , not only without any outbreak of democratic passions , but , on tho contrary , with an equally marked increase in tho attachment of those very classes to the institutions of their country , and to tho person of their Sovereign . ( Loud and continued cheering . )

    At the conclusion of the address several loud and hearty cheers were given , and the company then proceeded to avail themselves of the hospitality of Sir C . Fox , Henderson , and Co ., who had provided a sumptuous and liberal breakfast in a spacious and elegantly fitted tent . Among the company present tit the breakfast we _observed Lord Stratford de _Redcliffe , Lord Ernest Bruce , Lord F . Hallyburton , Mr . Low , M . I' ., Mr . Monckton Milne ? , M . P ., ' Mr . Pellatt , M . P ., Mr . « . C . Lewis and Lady Theresa Lewis , Sir James Duke , Mr . Bernal Osborne , M . P . ; Professors Ansted , Forbes , Solly , and Wheatatone ; Drs . Faraday , Latham , Forbes Boyle ,

    Lindley , Marshall Hall , and Play fair , CH . ; Sir John Lubbock , Mr . Charles Knight , Mr . Wuterhotise , Mr . Gluisher , Mr . _Fnirboirn , Sir Charles Barry , It . A ., Sir Charles Lyell , Mr . Dyce , R . A ., Mr . Stanlield , R . A ., Mr . Creswick , R . A ., Mr . Cruiekshank , Mr . II . _Weigall _, Mr . Douglas Jcrrold _, Mr . Peter Cunningham , Mr . Collard , Mr . Delarue , Mr . Nicolay , Mr . Osier , Mr . Garrard , the Messrs . Clowes , Mr . Koskell , Mr . Thackeray . Mr . Laing , M . _IV , proceeded to give the toast of the evening . Iio said , that in proposing the toast of " Success to tho Crystal Palace , " he should be obliged to trespass a little longer on their timo than was usual in occasions ol that descrip tion . But he did so with a full conviction that

    all who were assembled there loll , a warm and deep interest in tho project , to imitate which they were then assembled . That was no mere festive coiinneinorat ion , in which all but complimentary remarks would be out of place , but a meeting for business as well as pleasure ; au < _l ,, ll « _P" 1 _'* ' of 'he business of tho day was to explain as shortly as he could the objects which lie hud already told them at tho inauguration the company had in cemtomplotiori . In the first place , he must toll thorn that the company did not mean to ask for patronage until they wore in a position to command it ; but ut tho same time- it must bo distinctly understood that tho wise and good of tho realm hod not been backward in their _expreusions of sympathy und oncouragoimmt ,. ( Hear , hoar . ) Iu proof of that ho might appeal to the numerous Jotters thoy had roceiyed , among which Iio might men-

    The Raising Of The First Column Of The N...

    tion there was one from tho noble carl at the head of the Government , and another from the veteran reformer , Joseph Hume ( cheers ) , who had done such service in Parliament in regard to throwing open to the people Hampton Court and other palaces and parks . ( Renewed cheers . ) Lord Derby ' s private secretary had written to express his Lordship ' s great regret that he , from official engagements , and Lady Derb y from being out of town , would be prevented from being present at the very interesting ceremony of that day ( hear , hear ); and Mr . Hume , who was in Norfolk , wrote that he wished every possible success to the great undertaking , and hoped that he might have the satisfaction of witnessing the completion of the work , which ho considered as a means of instructing and

    elevating the people . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Letters have been received from mafcy other distinguished personages , who had expressed their hearty sympathy with the objects of this undertaking ; and the names proved that in the world of science and art the undertaking was regarded with no jealousy , but with the warmest approbation ( hear , hear ) , and that men of all political opinions agreed with respect to it . ( Hear , hear . ) It would be proper briefly to advert to the principal objects proposed to be kept in view in the _erection-jof this glorious building , surrounded by that enchanting park , which the same genius would call into existence . They might be comprised under the heads of recreation , instrucfcion , and commercial utility ( hear , hear ) . What was wanting for the elevation of our working classes

    was that very description of refinement which it might be hoped would be afforded by contemplating the marvels of nature and art in a palace like that about to be erected . ( Cheers . ) As the means of recreation the question turned upon the temptation that could be offered to them to visit a scene easy of access . Now the experience of the _Qreat Exhibition of 1851 had fully confuted the notion that they were unworthy of a place of amusement—that they were so immersed in the fumes of tobacco and gin that it was useless to hold out to them any temptation to better things ; 6 , 000 , 000 of visitors in less than six months ( hear , hear ) , conducted themselves with . a propriety which refuted that calumny and proved that , if the palace be made worthy of the people of England , the people of England would flock

    in millions to it . ( Hear , hear . ) But , further , it was proposed to combine instruction with amusement . The tendency of the age was , not to appeals to the faculties by dry abstraction or words , but to appeals to the eye ; and the object would be to present , as in an illustrated edition , on a large scale , all the marvels of industry and art . ( Hear , hear . ) Take ethnology—take the science which classifies and arranges the various branches of the human family ; how delightful it would be to a young man , studying such works as Pritchard ' s , to see in this Crystal Palace classified specimens of the varieties of mankind , prepared by eminent artists , under the superintendence of the most eminent ethnologists of the age ! ( Hear , hear . ) Or suppose any one taking a lively and intelligent interest in

    some of our great staple manufactures , , which gave employment to our millions and made the wealth of our empirecotton for instance . A man might confuse his brain by reading books about spinning-jennies , and then have to go down to Manchester , and endeavour to understand the different processes by looking on amid the whirl , and confusion , and dust of a mill in actual work ; how much better if he could come to this Palace , as he could to tho Great Exhibition , and trace the cotton from the berry on the plant to tho garment which decorated thc ladies who stood by him ! ( Cheers . ) To turn to another feature in the present day ; what was it that stared us in tho face every morning when we took up our double supplement , of the Times ( hear , hear ) , and which jostled us in the streets at

    every corner in the shape or some Brobdignng van or other ? Advertising . ( Hear , hear . ) It was , after all , tho plain , vulgar , mercantile principle of advertising , that studded tho great Exhibition with the wonders which adorned it . ( Hear , hear . ) A place like this Crystal Palace , which would bo frequented by the persons that advertisers most sought , to attract , would bn tho best and hugost advertising van that ever was set going . ( Laughter and cheers . ) In the same way , it would go to supply the want often felt of a great national bazaar . In the earlier ages of commerce largo fairs wero the legitimate ! scene's of _commerero ; in _moelern _timers , _improvements in inelivieluul establishmentshael , too . certain _extent , _supcrscelcel their necessity ; but . the Exhibition of 1851 _showesd that a worlel _' _s fair was still a

    _e'eiminercjal necessity of tho age ( hear , hear ) , and that , our own producers anel _manufacturers hud everything to gain from the _Fricnelly anel honourable ! rivalry which took places em that _eu'ciisiein . ( Hear , bear . ) What a new _eleveleipnient it wemlel give to a matter , often perhaps not r _»! gardeel as so important ., as its _influene-o anel be > aring upon our domestic relations _entitled it to be!—the subject of shopping . ( Hear , hear , anel a laugh . ) Speaking in the _prcsone'e of ho many of thc fair wx , he > _sheiuld _neit he wanting in sincerity if lie elid not . say that the _practiere e . f _sheipping , as cone hie : led by ladies in the present elay , was anything but mi agreeable or edewuting process te > the le > rels ut the ) creation . ( Laughter and cheers . ) If , by bringing _togeither the _eiheiicesl . proeiuctioiiH of art , the finest proelue : ts of human industry , so that principle's of taste ) might be formed , the _proelucts of

    one ! ceiuntry anel ono manufacturer _coinpareiel with tliose e > f another , we coulel instil into tho female ! half e . f _creation _seijunel _usstheliciil _prini-iplos in _relation to _elress anel household furniture , we shoulel be conferring u _gre-at benefit upem them and their husbands . ( Laughter and _e-heors . ) It . wemlel no longer bo a _roproae-h to us that , we ) hael to cross the Channel unel go to _Puris lor the fashions of our laelii's' _elrewHCH . ( Hear , he'ar . ) The women of England , nn by instinct , fastened upon that _whie-h was _eorrevt in taste ) , and selected proper objects of admiration , anel they eudy wanted opportunities or cultivation to carry them to _ejuito us high a pitch of re'lincment as any ladies ' upem tho face of the ) earth . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Luing then , after expressing his confidence that tho class of exhibitors b y whose _energies tho Great ; Exhibition was _sujpporteul wemlel not . bo wanting now , concluded with calling upem the ) ladies

    The Raising Of The First Column Of The N...

    and gentlemen present to drink " Success to the Palace of the People . " OI The toast was drunk amid enthusiastic * cheers . Mr . Scott Russell , in proposing "The Health of the Visitors , " whose presence , he said , he regarded as an earnest of their beginning faith in the undertaking , observed -that all that had been done had been supposed to be impossible It was said to be impossible that the Crystal Palace could be perpetuated—that money could be got to buy it . But 10 Englishmen , believing in each other , and in the _ueonln

    ot England , 0 , 000 , 000 of whom has passed so many hatmv hours and improving days in the Crystal Palace ( hear ) anel believing that it ought not to pass away ( hear heart tabled the money and bought the palace . ( Hear ' hear ) The directors believed in the character and taste ' of the millions whose shillihes were to support the _undertaking and therefore they held themselves to be merel y guarclians of public property , and would devote the money ( after a very moderate return for their outlay ) to the improvement of this great school of national art and industry ( Cheers . ) J >'

    The tbast was received with much amdause . The tbast was received with much applause . The _taast of " The Chairman and Directors of the Crystal Palate Company " followed . It was proposed by Mr " Peto , M . P ., and was welcomed with cheer upon cheer . It was acknowledged by the Chairman . The toast of " The Ladies" was then given ; and with this it was intended to close the proceedings , but there were such loud shouts of " Sir Joseph Paxton" that the chairman , amid much cheering , called upon the company to take one glass more , and drink to the health of Sir J . Paxton .

    Sir J . Paxton thanked the assembly for the kind reception which they had given to the mention of his name , and said he felt that before this great work was ended he should require all their indulgence and good feeling . It was a work of great magnitude , requiring thought and care and attention in its progress . Within a few fleeting months a very large extent of ground was to undergo an almost magical change . ( Hear , hear . ) But he was full of hope and of confidence that a good account would be rendered on the 1 st of May next . ( Cheers . ) He felt that he had to do with a very spirited bod y of directors , who had gone into the matter with a heartiness he had never seen ex _« celled ( cheers ); and , furthermore , that he had for his

    coadjutors hia old friends of the Crystal Palace—Messrs . Fox and Henderson , with their numerous staff—his excellent friend Mr . Owen Jones , and all the gentlemen connected with the Exhibition , and all hearty and unanimous and determined to produ & e a palace worthy of the _country . ( Cheers . ) He freely forgave I _^ jrd Campbell and all his other friends who thought Hyde J ? _tufc was not a position for it ( laughter ) , and no doubt they would come to Sydenham , and smile and say , " This is a beautiful place ; what a service we did you and the country !" ( Laughter . ) But though he ( Sir tf . Paxton ) was satisfied that this was a beautiful site ( hear , hear ) , he should always regret that the palace was ever removed from Hyde Park . ( Cries of " No , no !") Yes , yes ! ( Hear . hear . ) But it was decided otherwise . He must do Lore !

    Campbell and those gentlemen the justice to say that they treated him with nothing but kindness , though they opposed having the palace in Hyde Park . Here , ho was sorry to say , he met with a different reception . The wife of a gentleman , not a hundred miles from that spot , was in a great rage with him personally , and when he asked if he could see her , he was told it would bp _irapossiblo unless he went in the name of " Mr . Smith , " or " Mr . Brown . " ( Laughter . ) He did not like that , and he had not hael the pleasure of an introduction to her ; but he was

    told she was present now . ( -Cheers . ) As sho of all persons in tho world hael the greatest cause to lament the palace coming there , he was sure tho company would join him in thanking her for her presence . ( Cheers . ) Ho would only aeld , that he ! believed the enterprise woulel be successful in many ways—as a commercial speculation—as a great national undertaking . He believeel this to be tho beginning of great _events . Whoever lived to see the next ftO years would see ! a wonderful _progreiss in tho arts and sciences . ( Hear , hear . ) He be ! ggeel again to thank tho company for their _kindness . ( Cheers . ) »

    Sir C . Fox , who was also called for ( with Mr . Hendorson ) , said that as he ami his partner hail not yet elone tho weak committed fo them , he woulel bt ! g to refrain from saying anything about , it at present ( hear , hear ) , except that lie ! might state ) that he hael ne > eloubt it would bo satisfactorily executed with the : aiel of such a _beiely of elirectore _, and e > f such mem as Mr . O . Jones , Sir E . Paxton , Mr . Wyatt , anet Mr . Wikfe . ( Cheers . ) Mr . O . . 1 onus , who was likewiso called for , concurring

    in the remark that they were at tho beginning , and not the emel of their work , observe . el that it was very rare to lind _gi'iitlenie n willing to layout sue : h a vast sum , as these ) _elire'ctors were about , fo _elo , upem the ) art _oehieation ° _t the people— -what more ) properly belonged to a Government ; but he truste _; d the _sharehohlcrs _weiuld finel this a most profitable e : e > _urse ! , anel that in spending their money with the intention of doing _gooel , _goeiel w ould ceane te . them . ( Cheers . )

    Here ) the _preiceeidings cle . scd , _exempt that Mr . Cochran * anil Mr . Wyatt were _obligeel to say a few words in ackiiowleelgemient e . f _eshcers give : n to them as the _ustjembly was breaking up .

    Ar00403

    Lettkrs From Paris. [From Our Own Coitii...

    LETTKRS FROM PARIS . [ From our own _CoitiiicHroNnKNT . ] Lkttjck XXXI 1 . l ' uris , Taeselay _Kveuiing , August 3 , IHO 2 - Tina chief topic fe > r this past week has been the alleged treat y between the three great northern powers against the imperial _ensigns e _» t Bonaparte ) : some asserting , « othei-H as _resolutely denyiug its authenticity . It taWl bo allowed , however , thut public opinion h _« H , f ° r

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 7, 1852, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07081852/page/4/