The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-08-29
From the Home Journal.
THE GREAT EXHIBITION

- OAtAA = Ad<htAtDtI kNJlvs
Iris much 10 be regretted that tIt
Exposition in London, which was intend
ed TO commemorate and promote the
peaceful interests OF nations, should
become signalxed by fatal quarrel be.
tween Two great people, who, Of al
Others, ought 10 have manifested the
utmost decency and benignity of mutual
intercourse. The American Department,
in the Great Fair has called out houd
Of contempt from a portion of the Eng
lish press, and this has been met BY a
torrent Of resentment from this side OF
the water. We wish to discuss this sub.
ljcct with candour and truth. Were we
now writing in reply TO The Times, OF
addressing circle Of British readers, we
might possibly consider it our duty TO
hurl back sneers and sarcdsms, and all
the small artillery Of mortified vanity
But we converse, at present, only with
our own countrymep. We are as il were
sin lone isle among friends; and we
think well enough Of their good sense
and manliness of feeling, 70 be sure that
they would rather We should examine
the case fairly and nationally, than blaze
out in valiant flourish Of scorn and de-.
fiance.
Now, 10 the first place, we wish to
establish one thing which has some bear
ing upon the merits Of this international
and internecine war Of the press:
we mean the in contestable fact, that
American arts and manufactures and in
ventions are almost wholly unrepresenied
in the house in Hyde Park. More than
fifty American gentlemen, who have
seen the Exhibition, and have either
called at our office since their return, to
ma ke report, or have written to us from
London on the subject, agree in affirm
ing, without one hesitating voice, that
there is in that building no show at all Of
American industry. The articles are
wretchcdly few in number, and are not
Of our taste, our skill, or
The range Of our resources. Before the
British critics had uttered one word in
print upon the subject, all the Ameri-
cans on the spot, without exception,
ackn nowledged the entire insufiiciency of
he transatlantic specimens, and wholly !
1isavowed them as a fit measure and
industry Of their country. There has
been no failure of our arts upon CON-
,arison with British arts--the failure has
,een in the effort 10 collect together
olerabIe display Of our Characteristic
lrts. Ii is not that our army has been
outed in pitched engagement in the
ield--it is that our fnrces have not arri-
ed upon the field at all. A few siragg-
ing militia adventurers, "fghting upon
heir own hook,' have been mistaken in
he dark for the combined regular army
If the thirty one sovereign States. There
s 10 Us something little divering in the
spectacle ofthe British press supposing
hat they had all America before them,
md falling 10 work at the task Of belabour-
ng the imaginary form of their hated
.ival. The have exuIted over the infer.
ority of that which is not America. -
Their victory has been as easy as it is
Dglorious. +
The causes Of this general neglect to
send forward proper contributions, are, I'VE
hink, easily explicable. Up TO the last
eysry body looked 10 Congress,
not only an adequate appro-
,riaiion, but the appointment of persons
charged with the duty Of summoning ar
isans and manufacturers TO bring out
hcir specimens, and furnished with au-
horiIy 10 select, reject, and despatch
what they approved Of. When Congress,
il was TOO late 10 organize, by !
private and voluntary efforts, an efficient
system Of means for drawing Out the
iull resources Of our industrial strength
Without comprehensive and most active |
organization for that purpose, il is i'm
,ossibl0 that any satisfactory result {
hou d be attained. In England, the ma I
.hinery employed for bringing into the i
Fair complete exhibition Of the arts I
nd mapufactures of the kingdom, was {
f vast extent. and was constantly in u
xercise. A central board of commits /
ioners was formed, consisting ofa large 1
lumber ofthe most intelligent and active '
Iiends Of the scheme. This board was q
ally in session, the Prince devoting his h
phoIe time and attention TO it's objects. i
addressed applications for money 10 c
i persons supposed capable Of con- |
ribuiipg, and il raised in this way nearly 4.
hundred thousand pounds, Loca lcom-
,ittees were formed in every tow and Q
isirict throughout the kingdom, which o
,ere in communication with the central
nc. Throughout, the year 1850, adver- s
in great letters might be seen a
, all railway station houses, inns and Z
ther public places, giving notice of the 9
harac,er Of the Exhibition, and inviting n
10 attention Of all artiicers. Small p
ooks we're also distributed in every c,
,wn, containing lists OF the sort Of arti- al
les that would be received. Everybody is
no dealt in such articles sent his best n
,ecirnens to the local exhibition, where b
'e contributions Of eacl, district were q