Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1851-07-12
World,s ExbibItiOu.

The London Times has ridiculed the mea- !
greness and meanness of the show made by |
the United States in The Great Exhibition
This provoked replies, and now the Times re-
joins upon US thus sharply. Mr.. Biddle, our
commissioner, has returned to this country to
urge our people 70 send over more things to
exhibit Al this present writing, we incline
to the opinion that our mechanics and artisans
will hardly be induced to send over any thing
more to the London show to be fidiculed.-t
Here is the article from the Times
The Americans, il we are to Judge from
their newspapers are puzzled what TO say
about the figure they cut in the Exhibition.
FIom the remarks not only of the, English
press, but of their own correspondents, they
are aware of a certain short coming. .Uptol
The day of opening, indeed, they were still CON
6dentt they would astonish the world, bui since
that fatal day they can no longer disguise from
themselves the fact, that unapproachable as
they are in the New World, they have not ac-
quired that position in the Old. The more
sensible of them refer with honest and well
grounded satisfaction to the utility and, to
some extenG, the novelty of their contributions.
Others show considerable soreness, and are
scolding rather indiscriminatelV. The Times
is scolded for its sneers. The federal govern
meat7is5scolded for not having granted moR-
ey, as the European states are said TO have
done, 70. not having disseminated information
or done other things which citizens are usual
ly disposed to dofor themselves. Queen Vicu
toria and Prince Albert are scolded, we sup
pose, for having caught the Americans nap
ping; the manufacturers and tradesmen Of
the continent of Europe are scolded for their
mercenary intentions in exhibiting what they
think will bring customers; and the American
manufacturers are scolded for not contributing
what will not bring them customers. $500 siIt
The trophy of Indian corn in a glass case,
in one of the American courts looks rather too
like the old fashioned ornaments that are some-
times seen in the Parler of a small public house,
but these few husks represent the timely sup
| ply by which millions in the isles were lately
rescued from famine. Al ~ The
energy and thepoWer of self governmen by
which nation, younger than the youngest
State in Europe, now reckons more than TWEEN
ty-three million citizens, is very inadequately
imaged by the view of an Empire City, COM
biniug the picturesque situation of Venice, the
commerce of Liverpool, and population equal
to that of any city but the first in these isles
A large and handsome bridge, though a
bulky contribution to a glass case, is neverthe,
less an inadequate representation of the Miss
issipp, and whole arsenal of India rubber
boots lspontoons, 'camels,' carpets. and garments
of every kind, do very poor justice to the lakes
and creeks, and swamps. for which they seem
principally intended. If America is true to
herself, and follows her own line, it is not to
be expected that she should come ous very
strong in an exhibition the chief contributors
to which are wealthy and long settled States;
the heirs by lineal descent of ancient civiliza-
ton. sq.s.l a.sa .ssss s.fI b. s.l .,..e.r5-ig
D., If tie Americans do. excite smile it is by
their pretensions.5 Whenever they come out
OF their own province of rugged utility, and
enter into competition with European elegance
they certainly do make themselves ridiculous.
Their furniture is grotesque; their carriages
and harness are gingerbread; their carpets are
tawdry; their patchwork quilts surpass even
the inysriable ugliness, Of this fabric; their
cut glass is clumsy; their pianos sound Of moth
ing butiron and wood; their bookbinding is
that of journeyman working on his own ac-
count in on English market-town; their da-
guerreotypes arc the sternest and gloomiest
| ol All uaSuetTeotyPes' tneT calicoeS are sIcii
as our housemaids would not think it respect
able to wear. Even their ingenuity, great as
it is, becomes ridiculous. whenit attempts com
petition with Europe. Double pianos, COM
bination of piano and violin, chair with
cigar case in its back, and other mongrel
constructions. belongto people that wonId
be centaurs and mermen, if they could, and
are always rebelling against the trammels Of
unity. PSI = -. s'.s '.5 @..A.'.l ..15