The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-09-24

After having heard SO much concerning on
insignifcancc of representation at the Crysta
Palace, the following will be found to possess
good deal of interest. It is a well written al
ticle, and will amply repay passing perusal.
From the Washington Republic.
| The Glass Palace-FOreiSn Critics and
/ American 1Rchting.
Lord save us from self glorification, is on
of the PRAYERS in the itany of the Moraval
Church, which might prudently be adopted by
| all our churches Just now, for we are in DANCE
of cxulting too much in national achieve
ments We do not exactly agree with those
pious Legislators in Massachusetts, who resolved
during our last war with Great Britain, that i
is unbecoming in a christian people to rejoice
in the downfall of an enemy but people who
are conscious of their strength may well afford
to be satisfied with demonstrating their powers
without Boosting of it. Giants are proverbially
| good natured as well as generous.
| Since the opening of the Great Exhibition in
| London, our countrymen, both at home and
abroad, have been frequently moved by laugh
ter or indignation by the remarks made in Eng
lish and Frcnc journals on the meagreness and
infcriorty of our contributions to the Glass fal-
lace. But, for our own part, we have never IN
dulged in any fears that, when the time should
come for the awarding of premiums and medals,
we should be compelled to return home from
the great Fair of Nations with fewer honors
than our neighbors. Asw INDUCED in no mis-
rivinrs at first we arc not disposed to exult in
ordinately now, when our anticipations are so
sure of being realised
By piece of poetical justice, which seems
more like the work Of imagination than an ac-
tual occurrence, one of the articles in the Anne
rican department of the Glass Palace, which
was made the special butt for the rldlcule OF
the London press, was one OF the hrst that re-
ceived first-class medal. Mr.. Mccormick
reaping machine was flippantly assailcd for its
uncouth appearance by the wits of the London
press and the correspondents of the Paris jour
nails with all sorts of contemptuous epithcts,
while the splendid upholstery from Vienna was
as layishly applauded. But now the tables are
turned ; the uncouth reaping machine has been
tested by actual operation, and is found to pos
sess an important element of national wealth it
not only saves labor, but it saves the grain, and
lessons the liability, in the variable climate of
England, of short crop. We imagine there
will be no more jeers i'll the Times about that
uncouth machine; but, on the contrary, that
farmers and landlords will take off their hats to
it, and that gentlemen of the press will re-
gard it with more respect than they have here
Vienna.
The year 1851 is not likely TO be disastrous
one to our nrtional reputation. Since the Times
declared we were ten years behind England in
our steam machinery, two of our steam ships,
mhich were afoat when the declaration was
made, have incontestibly proved their superi
ority to any English steamship that has ever
crossed the Atlantic. The superiority of our
sailing ships had already been conceded, aud
the Times, the acknowledged mouth-pie OF
the British people, had maynanimously admit
ted that we were ten years in advance OF Eng
land in the art Of naval architecture. There
was one point upon which Enelishmen deemed
themselves invincible, and threw down the
guag- TO all the world in dsf,nce. Yachting
had long been the pet amusement of the nation,
and the vessels belonging to the Royal Yacht
Suadron were looked upon as Combining the
highest possible excelencies in the noble science
of ship building. But little attention has ever
been given by our countrymen to yacht-boild-
ing; it is an expensive amusement, that none
but the very rich can indulge in; and the idea
Of keeping large and costly vessel for pleasure
only, or at best for the purpose of proving the
merits of novel model, is rather repugnant to
the American mind, which is apt to think, with
Locke, that labor for labors sake is against ma
ture However, there is a Yacht Club in New
York. which can boast of some remarkably fine
vessels, with a commodore who, fortunately tor
the national reputation, is gentleman OF tor
tune, of liberal feelings and scientific attain
ments This gentleman is Mr.. John G. Ste
vens, Of New York, who has gone over to Eng
land with his yacht America, and quietly chal-
lenged all England to race for ter thousand
guineas The appearance of this stranger IN the
English waters has caused a tremendous sensa-
ton among the members Of the Royal Yacht
Squadron: and Judging from the many amusing
accounts of her which we have read in the
English papers, she seems to divide public at
tenton with the Glass Palace itself. Comma
dore Stevens has suddenly found himself almost
as famous man as MIR. Paxton. He has been
treated with marked consideration, but as yet
his challenge remains unaccepted. Some OF the
members of the Royal Yacht Club, unluck'iy.
had seen the America under canvas, and had
conceived too great a respect for her sailing
qualities to think of entering into competition
with such water witch. There was no lack
of crack yachts on the station and as for the
ten thousand guineas, it was mere bagatclle;
but they were afraid to risk their national repn-
tation in contest for speed with sea racer that
was SO obviously superior to anything they could
produce. The America was built in New York,
but had attracted very particular attention, and
in fact we are under the impression that she had
been beaten by the Maria, another New York
yacht, before she went out to England We
presume, therefore, that she is not unique, and
that there are many more like her at home, and
that she is only fair representative of our
architecture.