162 



have been carefully framed, with a view of imposing the least 

 possible restraint upon personal liberty which is consistent 

 with the safety and freedom of others. It has often been a 

 reproach to our country, that collections of works of art, and 

 exhibitions for instruction and amusement, cannot be thrown 

 open to the public without danger of injury. If any ground 

 for such reproach really exists, the Commissioners think it can 

 be removed only by greater liberality, in admitting the people 

 freely to such establishments. By thus teaching them that 

 they are themselves the parties most deeply interested in their 

 preservation, and that it must be the interest of the public to 

 protect that which is intended for the public advantage. If 

 we seek to win the regard of others, we must show a regard 

 for them ourselves ; and if we seek to wean them from debasing 

 pursuits and brutalizing pleasures, we can only hope to do so 

 by opening freely to them new sources of rational enjoyment. 



There is also another consideration which has had its in- 

 fluence upon the minds of the Commissioners, but which is not 

 usually adverted to in estimating the motives of action of the 

 visitors at our American parks, and in the adjustment of the 

 degree of restraint which it is necessary to impose upon them. 

 It is the remembrance of that self gratulatory and independent 

 feeling of our tax-payers, that they hold their privileges as no 

 chary favor or deputed permission, but as a legal right, pur- 

 chased from their own resources, to be freely transmitted to 

 their posterity, subject only to the necessary and comparatively 

 trifling expense of culture and supervision. 



The Commissioners would here direct the attention of the 

 Common Council to some statistics connected with the cost of 

 the park and of its improvements, which they think will at 

 this time be found both interesting and instructive. The land 

 originally taken cost the city, on the 15th day of June, 1864, 

 when the report of the Commissioners on valuation was con- 

 firmed by the Supreme Court, 



The sum of $1,357,606 27 



The first addition thereto on 4th Feb., 1666 158,55S 41 

 And the recent addition on 27th May, 1867 752,745 02 



Whole cost of land taken for the park .... $2,268,909 70 



