New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-07
THE WORLDS FAIR.
Correspondence Of The Tribune

IN the French newspapers. Their cleveres' -
pondents are in London taking notes "no'. 49,, ~
printed Probably m Ncw-f orz you H., r7ir
know what is said Of our eontfil d. go-,,
The subject is a sore one 20 Auleiloa"' - 80,
sore one The French wits maze '"'Ii' -
., ,bo ,,.gniscent nature OF the America
room, md he hOmely nature Oh o.' Inc -.
- 1,in q fippani writer, "iO' HAV q" = ~ 49,
JUGS 800, writers has wide rcputa'ion-Teh-
- himself particularly gay at orr natohai Gust
oei' ,b., certain divisions Of the American com
..,.,cnt are labeled for certain state. am nave
P~,s,rg in them. be naturally conclude, that NOSE
c,stes only produce ysidness and beside, nc comes
90 ne conclusion that the chief productions oil the
I-oion are Wigs. hats daguegeOtypes and brooms i
ondeavored TO dissuade the manufacturers ao1 me-
banics Of America from having anything 10 DO win
che Fair hut as my suggestions were unsuppOrie1,
We went headlong into II, AMI are now disgrace IL
Since the staryeling, puntanic, pioneer sho" winch
America makes al the Exhibition has been observed
and commented on, American character has fallen IN
Fu,one. II we're utterly impossible 70 convey TO bu-
,ore our Democratic Institutions and our pioneer
sn,s which give natural beauty and force to our
productions IN ADerca, which they lose, when con-
viewed abroad beside our heaviest machinery can
NOT or has rot been sent even IN the mater OF Ia
borsaying means, our forte, We do not compete al all
in the Exhibition with the English. Our national
poljcy has always been conducted ont the IDEA mat
we are an agricultural and'not manufacturing peo-
ME Our puritanic traditions and habits have been
extremely adverse to the cultivation OF Art as the
b.se NJ what is noble and beautiful IN mechanical
yorks our highest aim has been, not TO create our
selves but 10 pcdde the goods OF England ana rance
and what We have manufactured has been III splte Oh
our National want OF policy and the irghtiul waste
OF mind and muscle which comes OF our premature
scattering over a surface equal TO all Europe ana
with Just one tenth OF her population and yet WIN
these impedments-these defeats bucKled an our
backs we rush to the worlds arena, to contest IN In
dusfry with England and France. We have lost
position by the show which We make at the far, ana
al the vulgar retail arrangements OIL ue thhgs' from
which Art has been exhibited as Vigorously as II thcy
had been working for a Quaker Westinghouse. In
many views our contributions are unfortunate Nhh
is purely American is 50 much identified with our
history customs and climate, that 1t cannot be well
transplaned TO Europe what IS the same as Euro
pean manufactures IS commonplace IN Europe, or IS
Inferior and the want of high divine Artistic spirit
is felt IN our productions because our mechanics are
left without rudder or compass IN floating on the sea
OF hncv-in other words they have no schools OF Ar
and Design to teach them to avoid what IS low, mean
and vile in taste
steamers the wealthy Americans abroad our rising
literature, and our literature risen; the California
maryels the attention gwen IN every foreign news
paper TO our concerns IN the columns devoted week
ly to us the limitations by France OF our form OF gov
eminent the constant alluSlOn 10 us IN Parliament
and IN public meetings the vast tide OF immigration
these all elevated America above the grade of ni-
tiona beginner. Our rank had become positive ,
great expectations were formed of us IN ANTICIPATION
of the Worlds FAIR and they are disappointed. !
speak by the card what hear daily sad, ana read
daily on them
There is but one way Of redeeming our lost charac-
ter. Instead Of building steamers 10 fetch English
and French goods, let million Ofdoliars be invested
in each of our principal build great School
of Art and Design, where all the children OF the pub
lie schools all the apprentice boys and girls and all
a
color and model and so having learned can put vul-
garity and provnclalsm behind them, and can reach
the classic the beautiful the noble, the heroic IN eK-
preston. A French lad of lea years of age knows
more OF Art, as applicable to mechanics and manu-
features, than an American adult mechanic can learn
at all in America. We have not Art enough to make
II living principle.
Our foreign policy is shaped by a set of under-edu-
Gated men, who in Paris would be considered very
provincial These men pass for great" IN America,
and they are really small. Their IDEAS OF national
greatness are IN farmers living wide apart and know
ing nothing of Genius, Of Greece or Italy and CIV
ing many days labor for few days ofthat OF France
or England Up to the time that these blind leaders
are set aside, and Protective policy elevdteS us
above the character of second-rate manufacturers
and dealers, we shall mseraby dll IN any attempt to
compete with the experienced, elaborate, high arts
tic Workmen OF France.
As am not writing from London, do not feel at
liberty to enlarge upon the texts which the Worlds
Fair affords. But beg Americans to remember that
Ar, is essential IN Europe to nations industrial
character, and that mere "buSneSS-llko show"
pond with our prCenSOnS IN Commerce or dplo-
macy. Mr.. WebSier'S letter has less force IN
Europe, than before II seen that we do not COM
pete, in LONDON with Eng land IA the solid or France
in the beautiful We may telcltate ourselves upon
our commerce but ShOpkeepng IS not the chief end
of man. IL does not carry the soul to the INFINITE, or
place man IN the presence OF God 1t dld not IN
Spre ShakspcrC OF Raphael II has not resolved the
pauper'S problem, realized the sermon on the
Mount The Shopkeepng, the magnificent advertlS-
ing IN the New-l ork papers, the merchanl-pri
nnNR nrtrtfs 4fH fsf.N
dustIy and Genus which might produce, not trade,
did the inspirations Of Economy fully belong 20 US
lie that fashions thing now Is looked down On IN
society as mechanic he that hawks 1t about Is cS-
teemed as merchant. 1t Is precisely because tins
brutal inheritance OfthC past has not been CNtpated
under pemocrVcy-because Speculation, Inca
ton of chvalric robbery Is esteemed and better
paid for than absolute work-that our young men
leave the higher for the lower function, and the de-
hciency of our industrial ana artistic progress maybe
precisely measured by the extent OF this hereditary
lie.
In the so-called profound speeches of Congress we
shall not find truth. II is IN the higher ueranceS Of
lEsthetical genius IN the Reform which sewers the
frem the old. which would protect cur young in
dustry from European monopoly, claiming the privi-
eee OF debauchng us bylntermedato avarice, called
REVISION
OF the Constitution is the staple text of French
journalism,
Editor and Legislator are the same parsonage here.
lie who can write for the daily press can make the
laws.
Great, therefore Is the company OF Editors here
THIS is the free attitude for the writer. For, what
a pity 1t is 10 waste ideas on inspiration or slow
means, where there are no town meetngS-ao
stump SpeakingS. The meas OF reaching the public
heart and head, is the pen.
Acting ON this principle GuiZot and his friends are
acting mot under their SgnalureS) sS names father
ing their mcubratlonS, FOR the Assemble Nailoaais
Their mann argument to bring back the BourbonS is
derived from the history Of Louis XVI, giving multi.
ndnouS chapters and dates. 10 show that that
monarch was ready for gradual roiOrm-WhiCh, they
say, was thurSt aside by the commons assuming al
the power.
Glrardin meets such arguments by little counter
foibcS, as follows; The King, Louis XVI wishing
10 know what was written then by the new brhtS
ordered a certain publisher 10 supply hun with ali
that came nom the press. His gentleman IL. waiting
hnding II out, quietly sent the bookseller to the Bias
tile. That Was The WAY tho KIM was allova3 =,