The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-13
Central Authority of the United States
on Industrial Exhibition

! The following statement is respectfully submit
| ted for the consideration OF the President OF TIE
United States. .lsLslst
| On the 9th of March, 1850 the Minister Pleni
potentiary Of her Majesty, the Queen Of Great
Britain, to the United States, addressed letter 70
the Secretary of State, enclosing copy ofa com
mission which her Majesty had been pleased to
issue, for the purpose of promoting an exhibition
| in England for the works of all nations, and ex-
pressing the conviction, on the part of her MaJes-
| ~ % government, that the United States Govern
nent would be well disposed To promote the sue
cess OF the undertaking.
On the 7lh of May, the Secretary OF State
transmitted to the National Institute copies of a
correspondence between the British Minister aud
! the State Department, relative 70 the proposed In
dusrial Exhibition. From these papers 1t APP
peared that without the approval by recognized
central authority in the United States, nothing
from this country would be received at the exhl-
bition.
| On the 9th of May, a letter from the National
institute To the Secretary of State informed hun
| of The appointment of Central COMMITTEE ''to
| hold correspondence with the British Commits
soners and To secure the reception OF American
productions at the proposed Industrial Exhibition
| in London"
| On the 9Th of June, the Secretary Of State adj
dressed letter to the National Institute, in APP
proyal of their proceedings, and enclosing copy
| of letter dated June !, from the State Depart
u1eIt 10 Tue brluSu Nlfn'sttt III THIS Guy
| ing him of the Organization of committee 10
constitute the central authority, required by the
regulations of the Royal commission on the pro-
posed Industrial Exhibition" &c.
| The committee constituting the central authori.
| ~, Immediately on lis organization addressed u
letter to the governors of the several States, re-
questing each in his respective State, to appoint
committee to correspond with the central commit
tee and to select from such articles as might be
submitted by the citizens of the State, those most
| suitable for the exhibition for the final approval
| Of the central committee. IN compliance with this
request, State committees have been appointed by
the governors of Massachusetts, Mississippi,
New York, Vermont Ohio, Missouri, Indiana,
| Maryland, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, New Jersey, South Carolina, Ala
bama, Delaware, North Carolina, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Lou.
isiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Georgia
| Through these State committees the citizens OF
the United States have responded promptly to the
invitation, to place specimens of their natural pro-
auctions, ingenuity and skill by the side Of those
| of the Nations of the old world From the re-
ports made from the States to the central commit
tee it is believed that all the space allotted to
American contributors, in the exhibition rooms,
will be required for the reception of articles from
this country.
| For the transmission fthese articles coast wise
and across the Atlantic, the Secretaries of the
Treasury and the Navy have afforded every facili-
ty within their control and not inconsistent with
their duty. The public ship ordered by the Ma
Wy Department, for the Conveyance of articles for
the exhibition from the United States, will take
them TO England free of expens . But when
landed in England no person Is there to take
charge of them, and the duty of the officers and
crew of the ship that conveys them there will he
at end. Some OF the exhibitors may be present
themselves, may have agents there, but may,
especially from the interior country, will,
when landed, be without owner or claimant. For
the care of all these, no provision has been made
Nor has any agent been appointed to represent
properly the interests of American citizens at the
exhibition, and during its continuance.
Some authorized person should be on the spot
to supernend the arrangement and display OF the
articles sent. Besides, prizes are to be awarded
and uries appointed from the various nations to
decide upon the comparative merits o; articles ex-
hibited In these decisions, the honor and the
pride of our country is interested. The fairness
Of what may be done in all this is not questioned.
But the interests Of the citizens Of other nations
will be represented there by commissioners APP
pointed for the purpose, the misrepresentation of
the American interests cannot be otherwise than
injurious.
The members oft the committee have cheerrully
met all the expenses of time and Of money neces-
sarily incurred in carrying into effect the wishes
of the Government as expressed in the letter ofthe
Secretary Of State of the 18th of May last; but it
cannot be expected Of them that they should also
pay the expenses Of agents commissioners to
represent the interests Of the country at the exhi
biton.
The committee is not self-created body, nor
did itemanate from any association of private citi-
zens. 1t was formed in compliance with re-
quest Of the Secretary of State Of the United States
made the suggestion Of the British Minister
speaking in the name of his government. The
committee have no plan nor object Of their own
to accomplish. They appointed to carry in
..1. H. r.
governments only. Beyond this they have no de-
sire to 90. la their progress they have met with
what appears to them serious obstacle to sat
isfactory completion of their labors. They cum
not secure for the productions ofthe United States
position favorable as that which has been Sc
cured for the productions of other nations, and
which can only be secured by the appointment
Of suitable persons 10 attend the exhibition.
Believing such appointment TO be indispen- !
sibly necessary for the interests and the honor of
the country, the undersigned submit for the con-
side-ation Of the President the necessity Of pro-
vdng means to meet the expenses attending it,
PErEa FoRoE,
JosErH Henry,
CHAs. WuKGs, Committee
w. II. JoHNsoN,
Jog. KENNEDY,
Washington, Dec. 81, 1850.
WAsHScroS, Jan. Q, 1851.
Col. PETER FoRoE,
Chairman En- Com. Industrial Exhibition.
Sir; have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceIpt Of the letter OF the Executive Committee of
the 3st ult., stating what has been done by the |
COMMITTEES of which you are chairman, TO make
the necessary arrangements, and provide the ne
cessary means to enable the citizens Of this coun-
try to exhibit their articles at the Worlds Fair, in
London, and also what the Executive Govern
ment has promised 70 do in aid Of that object, and |
informing me that there will still be deficiency
of means. The committee have most generously /