The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-30
A Scene at tho worlds Fair.

William Farmer, an Englishman, has furnished
the Boston Libsrator with an account of visit to
the Great Exhibition, made by William and Ellen
Crafts and William w. Brown, fugitive slaves
from the United States. We extract portion of
the letter of this William Farmer, from which
it will be that the visit of these fugitives
made the occasion to provoke and insult every
American present, but, fortunately for the English
fanatics, their ndignties treated with silent
contempt. Mr.. Farmer says:
GA small party ofanti- slavery friends was formed
to accompany the fugtivcs through the Exhibition.
Mr.. and Mrs. Estlin, of Bristol, and lady friend;
Mr.. and Mrs Richard Webb, of Dublin, and son
and daughter; Mr. Mcdonnell, Ga most influential
member OF the executive committee Of the National
Reform Association, } together with myself, met at
MIR. Thompson's house, and, in company with Mrs.
Thompson, Miss Thompson, Miss Amelia Thomp-
SOD, the Crafts, and Brown proceeded thence to the
Exhibition. Saturday was selected, as a day upon
which the largest number OF the aristocracy and
wealthier classes attend the Crystal Palaces and the
company was, this occasion, the most distn-
guished that had been gathered together within its
walls since its opening day. Some fifteen thou
sand, mostly of the upper classes, there con-
gregated, including the Queen, Prince Albert, and
the royal children, the anti-slavery Duchess of
Switzerland, (by whom the fugitives were evident
ly most favorably regarded, } the Duke of yelling
ton, the bishops of Winchester and ST. Asaph,
large number of peers, peeresses, members of Par
lament merchants, and bankers, and distinguished
men from almost all parts of the world, SURPRISING
description Of the population of Jerusalem on the
day of Pentecost.
Sin addition to the American exhibitors, it 80
happened that the American visitors were particu-
larly numerous among them the experienced
eyes of Brown and Crafts enabled them to detect
shareholders by dozens.
'sMr. Mcdonnell escorted Mrs. Craft and Mrs.
Thompson; Miss Thompson, at her own request,
took the arm of VIM. Wells Brown, whose COM
panion she elected to be for the day; VIM. Craft
walked with Miss Amelia Thompson and myself.
This arrangement was purposey made, In order
that there might be no appearance of patronizng
the fugitives, but that it might be shown that we
regarded them as our equals, and honored them for
their heroic escape from slavery.
"Quite contrary to the feeling of ordinary Wis
itors the American department was the chief
attraction. Upon arriving at Powers's Greek Slave,
glorious anti-slavery friend P,mch's Virginia
Slave" was produced. The comparison of the two
soon drew small crowd, including several Anne
ricans, around and near US. Although they re-
Trained from any audible expression of feeling, the
object oil the comparison was evidently Understood
and keeny felt. II would not have been prudent
in to have challenged in words an H. slavery dis
cussion in the Worlds Convention; but every thing
that we could with propriety do done to in
duce them TO break silence upon the subject. We
had intention verbally Of taking the inita-
tive in such discussion; we confined ourselves
to speaking at them, in order that they might
be led to speak 10 US; but our efforts were Of no
avail. The gauntlet which unmistakaby
thrown down by our party, the Americans
too wary to take up. We spoke among each
other OF the wrongs of the slave; it was in
vain. We discoursed freely upon the iniquty of a
professcdly Christian Republic holding three mil
lions of its population in cruel and degrading
bondage; you might as well have preached TO the
winds. William Wells Brown took Pnnch's "Vir-
ginia Save,'' and deposited it within the enclosure
by the Greek Slave, saying audibly, GAS an.Ame-
rican fugitive slave, place this Virginia Slave by
the side of the Greek Slave, it's most fitting
companion" Not n word of reply or remon-
STRANGE from Yankee or Southerner. We had
not, however, proceeded many steps from the
place before the Virginia Slave was removed.
We returned to the statue, and stood near the
American by whom it had been taken up, to
give him an opportunity of making any remarks
he chose upon the matter. Whatever were his feel
ings his policy was TO keep his lips closed We
Dromenaded the Exhibition between six and seven
hours and visited nearly every portion of the vast
edifice Among the thousands whom we met in our
RECOMMENDATIONS, who dreamed ofany improprieyin
a gentleman of character and standing, like Mr..
Mcdonnell, walking arm-in arm with coored
woman; or an elegant and accomplished young
nading companion of colored man? Did the
English peers and peerosses? Not the most aris-
tocratic among them. Did the representatives Of
any other country have their notions of propriety
shocked by the matter? None but Americans. To
the arm of beautiful English young lady
passed through that Of "a niger, taking ices and
other refreshments with him, upon terms Of the
most perfect equality, certainly was enough to
arile, and evidently did rifle the shareholders who
beheld it, but there was no help for it."