Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-06-11
WEDNESDAY, JUNE II, 1851.
THE WORLDS FAIR.

THE WORLDS FAIR.
The English papers seem to be growing
most merrily over the figure cut by Brother
Jonathan in the great Exhibition, Much Oh
this amusement may be set down to the long
cherished prejudices ana jealousleS OF the
British people. They have heard SO much
about American enterprise and progress, that
they are no doubt anxious to prove that
these reports are fabulous, and that the
daughter is yet far behind her hearty and
thriving old mother, in all the elements of
wealth and evidences Of prosperity. But it
must be admitted that however much they
may have exaggerated the case, consider
able degree of plausibiity has been untor-
tunately furnished to their hands by the
general inferiority Of the specimens of A
merican Manufactures sent to the Fair
There are, it is true, many beautiful proofs
Of our capabilities in the various depart
ments of art, and in the various fields of In
yention and discovery. There is no ground
for triumph on the part of British genius
They may laugh as much as they please,
bat the world already knows and acknowl-
edges our success. 1t is in the amount and
the refinement of their manufactures that
the people of England and other parts of Eu-
rope are enabled to throw us completely
into the shade, and thus to fix blush OF
modification upon the cheek Of the Amer
lean as he passes through the vast array Of
beautiful contributions in which their boast
ed superiority is made evident to every eye
This is the notifying result of our own
mistaken policy, by which the manufactur-
ing interests of the country have been con-
stanty cramped and retarded, The simple
fact is pregnant with instruction, and re-
Quires no commentary to give 1t additional
point, or enforce its application.
In this connection We may remark that
the American people seem to excel all 9TH
ers in one species Of manufacture, viz; the
manufacture of grievances and discontents
out of the "raw material of general pros
perity unexampled in the history of nations.
A list of these grievances would, we take
H. be the greatest Of all curiosities on the
tables of the "World's Fair" in the eyes Of
those strangers who are now thronging its
b avenues from every country on the globe,
1t would doubtless excite unbounded sur
prise, and even start the inquiry, whether
free institutions are after all such desirable
things, since they would seem to create a
host ofimaginary troubles in the room OF
those real expressions from which the ma
fioa has escaped Such un(ayorable refec-
tieus IN philosophical minds, might, however
unjust and unfounded, very naturally be
suggested by the incessant agitations, the
restless spirit of change, the everlasting
canvassing, caucussing, and constitution
making in which our people are engaged
The intelligent Russian or Turk might begin
to congratulate himself because he lives in
country where profound tranquility pre-
walls, instead of enjoying merely nominal
Aeedcm in republic, where, if the radical,
demago1ue agitator is to be believed, the
people are still suffering the most cruel
wrongs. "Poor America ~ he might say,
with shrug, 81 thought her people were
the happiest in the world, and that her ge-
Rial soil was fast becoming comparative
Paradise alas, find that mankind are mis-
cradle under every species of government,
and when cruelty is not inflicted by the
hand of a master, they still contriye to in
hict II on themselves"