The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-28 00:00:00

BANQUET TO LOCAL SECRETARIES.

TO THR IDITOR OP TIM

Sta,—One of the remarkable features of the vast
operations in connexion with the Greet Exhibition,
is the amount of gratuitous service which tau been
cheerfully spent upon it. The labours of the Royal
Commissioners and the Executive Committee will
Meet with their just and sufficient reward in the
honours with which they will be attended, and which
will inevitably be heaped upon them by the digui-
bales of every great civilised community; but the
comparatively obscure labours of the honorary seem
taries of local committees will be unregarded, if a
movement be not made at once to ware their jest
recognition amongst the cheerful body of men who
have rallied about the Prince Consort. With whom
would this movement fitly originate ? Surely, with
that class which will be err deeply indebted to then
—the exhibitors of England.
la no other country, perhaps, on the face of the
earth, would it be panel° to find so many men ready
to devote their time to the elaboration of this great
idea—to set aside their private interests, and to tare
their undivided attention to the great public cause,
without regard to personal vanity—without a hope
of personal advantage. In the energetic labours d
the local secretaries, more than in any other division
of the vast machinery now in full motion, I diners
that faithful enthusiasm which has net suffered the
popular favour to abate, but which has gone on
steadily, invigorating in every quarter of the globe
that honest, pride of country which may beim-
ceived as the basis of the success of the Great Ls-
&lstria! scheme. These modest efforts must results
their full mood of public favour. While chaplets
press the brows of the more eminent authorities, let.
at least, a stray laurel-leaf or iwo fall at the feet of
the honest, unrequited workers. Let them
have a direct public acknowledgment on the
part of thorn whose industries they have marshalled
to Hyde-perk, of the fidelity and energy with
which they have performed their duties. How and
where may this seemly tribute be paid ? Why not
invite them to a grand banquet in London, and appeal
to his Royal Highness Prince Albert to preside on
the occasion? Why not, directly the list of English
exhibitors has been made public, make a direct appal
to this great body, and is the name of gratitude vs-
quire of them this public acknowledgment of their
obligation to the secretaries of their respective dr
tricts? I apprehend that such an appeal would meet
with unanimous support front the body in question.
I apprehend that the higher authorities connected
with the Exhibition would be happy to participate in
such an ovation. Perhaps the time beet suited to
such a demonstration will be that immediately fol-
lowing the date of the tranmission of British goods
to the Hyde-park building. Then the labours of the
local secretaries will be lightened; their chief res-
ponsibility will have been dismissed, and they will all
be concentrated in London. By whom should the
expense of each an entertainment be borne? Surely
by that body which has received the gratuitous Ber-
-1 visas of the local secretaries—the exhibitors of
Ragland.
As 1 have before indicated, the obligations which
this body will be under to the local secretaries will be
Sr so vague or indefinable character; on the contrary,
ft will be "broad and plain"—tangible and heavy.
Better, therefore, is it that it should be paid by
volunteers than that they should be forced by the
pressure of public opinion to do that which is
00116IDOEI decency they are bound to perform. There
IL a wide difference between the sentiment which
prompts a generous recognition of service, and that
which wrings a niggardly acknowledgment of obliga-
tion from an unwilling hand; and it is to this
difference that I would particularly point the atten-
tion of those who value that cordial spirit which line
animated the gratuitous services of some of the
greatest scientific and manufacturing authorities in
the world. J.