New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-11

Many IN the reform Of abuses and the removal OF
impoSItlons becomes daily more obvious and pal
pable, SO does the instructive grasp Of the Few TO
keep what they have. and get what they can be-
come likewise more muscular and positive. And
this instinct absolutely demands perverslon OF
suppression of the truth with regard to America
with regard especially to the prevalence of or
der, justice and tranquility within her borders
And not this only 1t Is important TO this class
that 1t se made to appear that, while Republican
institutions may possibly answer for time IN
rude and semi barbarous community of scattered
grains growers and herdsmen, they are utterly IN
compatible with dense population, with general
refinement, the upbuilding of Manufactures and
the prevalence Of the arts of civilized life.
Here, them is the cue to the cry so early and
generally raised, so often, and invidiouSly renew
ed, by the London daily Press, of surprise at the
meageness Of our countrys contribution to the
Great Exhibition. Had any other young nation
of Twenty Millions, located three to five thou
sand miles of, sent a collection so large and so
creditable to It's industrial proficiency and inven
tive power, It would have been warmly com
mended by these same Journals but 1t Is deemed
desirable to make an impression on the public
mind of Europe adverse to American skill and
attainment IN the Arts, and hence these repre-
sensations and sneers.
Yet gentlemen what would you have For
years you have been devoting your energies TO
the task of convincing our people that they should
be content to grow Food and Cotton and send
them hither in exchange for Wares and Fabrics,
especially those of the finer and coslier varieties.
You have written reamS of essays intended to
prove that this course of Industry and Trade
was dictated 10y Nature, by Providence, and that
only narrow and short-slghted SelhShneSs would
seek to oyer.rule it, Well: here are American
samples of all the staples you say our Country
9ught to produce and be content with, in undenia-
Die abundance and excellence-Cotton, Wool,
Wheat, Flour, Indian Corn, Hams, Beef, &c.
&c.-yet these you run over with glance of
cool contempt and say we have nothing IN the
Exhibition Is this kind or polite treatment of
the supporters of your policy in the States If
a seeming approximation to your Utopia should
subject them to such compliments, what may
they expect from It's perfect conSumnauon! Let
all our States become as purely Agricultural as
the Caronas or the lower valley Of the Missis
sppi, and what would then be your estimation
of us If halfway obedience 10 your counselS
exposes us to such dispaTagement, what might
we fairly expect from thorough submission
The vital truth everywhere demonstrable, is
nowhere so palpable as here-that diversified
ton of Industrial pursuits is essential not only to
the prosperity and thrift, but also to the educa-
ton and intellectual activity Of a People.
community which witnesses from year to year
the processes of Agricultural labor only, lacks a
stimulus to mental cultivation Of inestimabe
value. If Europe were to say TO America, " Sit
still, and we will send you from year to year all
the Wares and Fabrics You need for nothing,
on the simple condition that you will not at
tempt to produce any yourselves" 1t would be
most unwise and suicidal to accept the offer.
For we need not more the Wares and Fabrics
than the skill which fashions and the taste which
beauties them. We need that mutlform ca
paclty and facility of hand and brain which only
experience in the Arts can bestow and difuse.
The National Industry is the Peoples Uniyer-
sity to confine II to a few and those the ruder
branches is TO stunt and Stagnate the popular
minds to arrest the march of improvement IN
Agriculture itself Hence, nearly or quite all
the modern Improvements IN Cultivation have
been made In immediate proximity to a dense
Manufacturing population; hence Belgium Is
now garden. while Ireland Except the manu-
featuring North Is TO great extent stagnant
and decaying Other causes doubtless c0nsplre,
as in England contrasted with Italy and Spain,
to produce these results, but they do not unsetle
the general truth that Industry advances through
symmetric and many-sided development or
does not advance at all
We have vet much to learn IN the Arts but the
first lesson of all Is a well-founded confidence in
our own artisans, our own capacities, with a
patriotic resolution TO encourage the former and
develop the latter And this confidence Is abun-
dainty justified even 10y what Is exhibited here.
While our show of products IS much less than it
might and less even than It should have been,
those who have really studied 1t draw thence
hone and courage NOothernation exhibits within
a similar compass so great a diversity OF excel
lence-no other exhibits so large proportion Of
inventions and valuable Improvements Even in
tbedepartment Of British machinery, the number
and importance Of the American inventions ex-
hlblted (some of them adapted TO new uses or
improved upon IN this country others merely
incorporated with British movements IS very
striking doub, whether England during the
last half century has borrowed so many lnyen-
tons from all the world beside am sure she
has not from all except Francois she has from
the United States. And yet we are blessed with
the presence of sundry Americans here who,
without having examined our contributions, with
out knowing anything more about them than
they have cleaned from The Times and Punch.
aided by burned walk through the department,
are busily proclaimng that this show makes
them ashamed Of their country
Here is lhe great source Of our weakness-a