American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-12-15
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH
WASHINGTON,
MONDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER is.



II is well known that the federal State of
Massachusetts, is more disposed to ape the man
ners and fashions Of the aristocracy Of England,
than any other OF those who separated from the
mother-country and that of all the sons of New
England there are none more hungry or more
thirshng for the good will and appreciation of
this aristocracy than Daniel Webster. Who
of this and the Duke Of that, he rusticates in the
country? Who does not know, that like the
nobility of England, he has his toadies who
sneeze when he takes snuff |? Who does not
know, that for want of other legitimate titles,
these parasites have profanely called him the
godlike. And yet if what we hear be true, this
same Daniel Webster, without authority or law,
sent certain Edward Riddle as the American
Commissioner to the Worlds Fair Now it is
pretty well understood that Daniel does not give
something for nothing, and we have therefore in
quired who and what was Mr.. Riddle, and what
ddhe givefor his appointment as Commissioner;
and we are told, in reply, that Mr.. Riddle kept
a kind of 1attersalls, in Boston, place where,
as auctioneer he sold wind broken horses and
his appointment by bringing to Washington a
Goldfish for one Of Mr.. Webster's dinners. How
he performed his service as Commissioner, and
how he intends to turn his !" Goldfish " to further
account, appears in the following, which we
copy from the New York Herald:
CRYSTAL PALACE IN MADISON souARE.-Mr.
Edward Riddle and number of persons asso-
ciated with him have made application to the
Common Council for the privilege of erectinga
Crystal Palace in Madison square, in this city,
and having a Worlds Fair here, under the i'm
preston, we suppose, that it would be a very
profitable speculation. This is q subject on
which there should be a great deal of reflection,
particularly as respects the character and capa-
city of Mr.. Riddle for the work he proposes.
We should not suppose that Mr.. Riddle, or any
of the American commissioners at the Worlds
Fair in London, ough to be entrusted with any
such privilege. Their course in England was
anything but what it ought to have been. They
commenced by quarreling among themselves,
and ended by making the American portion Of
the exhibition the laughing stock of all Europe.
They tolerated the exhibition of q number of
most ridiculous and miserable things, which
were sent there for the mere purpose of getting
stray puff. But for the Intervention of out
siders, who held no official position, but who
were induced to take part in the matter for
the sake of our national reputation, the United
States would have made much poorer show
than even it did. As an instance of the man
ner in which Mr.. Riddle and his associates
managed this business, we might mention that
they exhibited as specimens Of the American
newspaper press, some small dirty sheets, pub
lished in this city and in other places, that
never had, never could, and never will, have
any character or standing in the places where
they are issued and best known. This alone,
to say nothing of thousand other things,
shows they were unfit to perform their duties.
But there is good reason for believing that the
speculation would not be successful. The re-
suits of the exhibition gave universal dissatis-
faction. No one was pleased with them and
since its close, grumbling and growing have
been the order of the day. Foreigners would
not, at present, at all events, send their goods
to any similar exhibition in New York. 1t will
be several years before the dissatisfaction now
so prevalent will be appeased
We have no doubt that this is speculation
got up by some hangers-on of the present cor
rupt Common Council, and that it is nothing
| more than attempt to make another, and a
last, big grab at the contents of the Treasury,
before going out of power. 1t is to be hoped it
will not be allowed to succeed.