New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-03


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AMERICAN ART AND INDUSTRY-BRlTlSH
JOURNALISM.
Since left London The Times has contained
two Editorials on American contributions to the
Great Exhibition, which seem TO require com
mep,. although yoy will have received them be-
fore this can reach you. These articles are de-
precatory and apologize in their general tenor,
svincins a consciousness that the previous strlc-
uns Of the London Press on American Art had
pushed disparagement beyond the bounds OF pol
iey. and might serve to arouse spirit IN the
breasts Of the people so invldiously and persist
emily assalled So ourcountrymen arc now told.
IN substance, that they are rather clever fellows
M the whole. who have only made themselves
ndiculous by attempting TO do and TO be what
Nature had. forbidden. Nothing but our absurd
pre,enslons could thus have exposed us to the
worlds laughter America might be America
with credit she has broken down by undertake
ing to be Europe also, &c &c.
.nis the attempt and no, the deed. confounds me-
But what are the nature and extent OF this
American audacity Our countrymen have I'M
dertaken 10 minister TO their own wants by
The production Of certain Wares and Fabrics
which they had formerly been content either to
10 without or to buy from Europe. Being urgent
" invited to do SO, they have sent over some few
Of these products OF their art and industry TO
giand exposition of the Worlds Products. Even
il they were as bad as they arc represented these
products should be here since the object of the
Exhibition is not merely to set forth what Is best
but to compare il with the inferior, and so midi
cate the readiest mode OF improving the latter.
Russia Turkey, Egypt Barbary, Persia, have
sent hi,hor their wares and fabrics, which hun
dreds of thousands have examined with eager
s and gratfed mtereSt-an interes, as real as that
excited by the more perfect rval productions OF
Western Europe, though of different kind from
that No one has thought of ridiculmg these
products OF more primitive industry all have
welcomed and been instructed 10y them Ana
20 ours would have been treated had they been
in fac, the wfetched affairs whlch the London
Commercial press has represented them. II is
precisely because they are quite otherwise that
has been deemed advisable Systematically to
dspaage' ,hem-to declare our Pianos equity
sructarps- mere wood and IRON our Calcoes
beneath the acceptance of British servant girl (;
our Farming Tools hall century behind tnem
British ri,als our Hats shocking bad" &c,
de-all this, in the first month Of the Exhlbi-
ton, while the Jurors appointed to Judge and
report upon the merits of rival fabrics were ma
hng the requisite Investigations. Their verdict
Is thus substantially iorestalled, and the millions
Who visit the Exhibition are invited 70 look at
tae American department merely 10 note the bad
taste and lncapacity therein displayed, and learn
TO avoid them
But the self constituted arbitcrS Who thus tell
The American people that Art Is not their prov
Mee-thsi they should be content to grow Corn
ard Cotton. locking TO Europe for the SatiStac-
uen oil their less urgent necessities, their second
sv wsnts-are they impartial advisers Are
hey not palpably speaking in the interest of the
n'a producers Of Europe, alarmed by the rapid
rowth and extension OF American Ar Would
'ney have taken so much trouble with US II
American taste and Skill We're really the miSer-
sNle seortlons they represent them!
These indications OF paiernal care ior AmerI-
van Industry. IN danger OF being warped and mis-
Sieeted are no, quite novel An English friend
"ey invited me TO visit him a, his house IN the
aslsaoorhocd OF Birmingham, holding oct as an
,a0ueemeni the opportunity Of visiting the great
''a and Hardware manufactures IN that neigh
s0'aeod A moment aiterward he recollected
a'n'ssi' and said :" am no; quite sure that
vusa procure you admittance 10 them. because
'W rule has been that Ameriocns ,ccre not 10 BE-
aa@a'ed Gentlemen taking their friends to visit
1ess works were asked, at the door, Is your
mend an American and If the answer was
mns'i'e, he was not allowed 10 enter-but
'"'nA Tins destruction has been generally alb
"ss'ed' Here you see, was a compassionate
ess'o Tor American Industry. in danger of being
N'''ea and deluded into Improbable employ
s's1's winch neither the Times nor any of its co.
''''e's has been able to more than humbly I'M
tate
'omy mind, nothing can be more unjust than
e "''na'ion that, in attempting to supply her
"n wants Cor some Of them) in the domain of
"as anu Manufacture Amer,ca b.s ,,,.l II - n.