The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-11

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the last two o. three days great advance has
been made in the preparations for the opening
in May. An army OF carpenters occupies the
centre isle, and dctachments are busily ut work
within the different boardings fitting up stalls
for exhibitors. The tables on which the indus
trial products Of foreign countries are shortly
to be displaye arc in process Of construction,
and in another fortnight large portion Of the
space to be thus covered, will have been com
pleted. Great progress has been made in the
erection Of them, the contractors commencing
operations on the south side first. Parties of
sappers are engaged in the galleries marking off
the ailotments Of exhibitors therein. In the
centre of the transept goods are being received.
marked, and conveyed to their respective desti-
nations under the control Of the Custom-h0use
officers The portions of the flooring that had
not previously been completed are being rapidly
laid. The light ratings which surround the
galleries are nearly all fixed The staircases are
in process of construction, and will soon be fin
ished On the roof men are busily engaged in
pitching and rendering water tight the Paxton
cutters. In every department immense exer-
tons are made to push forward the great mass
Of work still remaining to be accomplished
From Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain,
and other countries, consignments are arriving,
and now our own exhibitors begin to send in
their contributions. The internal painting of
the building, too, has now been carried to an
extent which admits of pretty confident opinion
being pronounced as to its ultimate success. A
considerable space along the south galleries. run
ming east and west from the transept, has been
finished, and, judging from the effect produced
by this, and by the arched roof Of the transept,
we have little hesitation in saying that Mr.
Owen Jones will, after all, maintain, If not in
crease, his reputation as a decorator
Another subject, Of even greater Importance
to the coup deH Of the interior, when the Crys-
tai Palace is thrown open to the public, is the
arrangement and shape of the stalls for exhibit
tors, and the compartments for different sections
of produce Over the whole of this division OF
the work Mr.. Owen James exercises supervision
and his efforts have been directed in the first
place to secure correspondence between the
classification Of objects and the architectural pro-
portions of the building For this purpose, in
the different sections of produce distribution
rs far as possible into quadrangular courts will
| be adopted, and not only will the position and
shape of tables be rendered subservient as far
as possible to decorative purposes, but central
points will, if practicable, be reserved for the
advantageous display of works of art Thus
not only will all the great central avenues be
adorned by statues, fountains, and other objects
calculated to crafty the eye, but within each
compartment and section Of the cxhibi ion some
effort will be made to raise the thoughts Of the
spectator up to the connection existing between
the industriyl and the ornamental, between the
products of labor and the laws of taste.
| EXECUTION OF TWO NEGROES AT NASHVILLE
TENN--A despatch from Nashville, Tenn.
under date of February 81, says:-To day the
city WAS crowded with visters, to witness the
execution of the slave Henry, convicted of kill.
ing two white men in the streets of Franklin
and Moses, for killing his master in Sumner
county The testimony that convicted these
men was strong and conclusive, though circum
stantial. About ten thousand persons were
present. The sheriff, his three deputies, and q
Catholic clergyman, were in company with the
culprits and guard of musketeers surrounded
the vehicle which conveyed them to the scaffod
| When on the scafiold, the reverend gentleman
made short address to the spectators, in which
he stated that the unfortunate prisoners had re-
ceiyed baptism, and otherwise prepared their
souls for that awful eternity which was so near
at hand He also declared that, although &C.
cepting the Catholic faith, they persisted in say
ing they were innocent, and he firmly believed
they were so. After short prayer, the rope
was adjusted around their necks Before the
cap was drawn over their eyes, Henry declared
aloud that they were shedding innocent blood
while the other said, If he ever killed man he
didn't know it. After covering their faces the
sheriff cut the rope, and they were launched into
eternity.
HEAVY ORDNANCE FOR SHIps.-The Com.
mittee on Naval Affairs has reported bill to