The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-12-16
From the London Times. Oct. %,
The American Baby Convention.

To be Iorn with silver spoon in ones
mouth has been considered in this old world of
ours. "a Il kind OF mark belonging to a few clc-
waited individuals. whose claims TO distincti,
arose not from their merits. hut from their DO
s.tion. Young America has made the silver
spoon as BELTS great rcpublc-a prize
opcn to the competition Of the whole people
i he republic claims the ri yht Of inserting into
the mouth of the most worthy claimant the
/ 'silvcr spoon, when is to typfy his future
destiny. England gives under the auspices of
the ProtcctionstS an.l D'i>racli, prizes to de-
crcpid laborcrs Who have worn out their con-
s!iiutions ly labor. without appealing TO tie
public purse 10 help thcm in bringing up their
progeny. The late Chancellor OF the Eychc-
qucr and his Buckin. ham,lirc friends evident
~ locked upon Ia horcr's family as a some
thing pregnant with all kinds of difficulties.
and considered the man who kept his children
from prcylng upon the rates as pre- animal
who ought TO he cherished. Young America
looks upon the family of the laborcr as the
blood aud bones OF the country and wishes TO
cherish Il accordingly. The farmers, with DIS
racli at their head. look rarfuily upon a LARGE
infant family in Il lahorors cottage as certain
to Increase the rates. America looks upon
wci-dcvcloped babies as the proper means of
making the most of those resources ont of
rttcs-if America suffered under the infection
Of any-are to be pad. Thus it is that we
give money to laborerS in Buckins hamshrc. as
reward Tor preserving US from the mischief
which deluSe OF babies mi Gilt inh;ct upon us,
while in America a &" Baby Convent. on! il Le,d
to recompensc mothers for lr.n.n" citizens of
hrst-ratc promise into the world. In America
the finest looking baby will hcnccfor,h be born
not only with Il - silver spoon but a whole ser
vice OF silver plate in his mouth.
ms Is no Joke. but II sober reality. 4 Nj
tlonal Baby Convention as our reports from
America have already made known-was late
ly held at Springfield in Ono The projectors
may have entered into the plan either in fun +
IN earnest. The result showed that the pcoplc
took the matter seriously to heart There was
no want OF candidates fer the przcs Of silver
plate where advertised as the rewards Of sue
cesslul competitors. The judges were astouish-
cd at the concOursc. As they were aluut TO
proceed To their task of settling the adudica-
ton OF the prizes. a telegraph rcuu,s tcd them
to postpone the election, as another supply OF
babies was on the road. When all materials
were before them. the judges found that they
mad to decide upon the conflicting claims of
10 babies. Such IA concoursc of candidates for
the silver spoon typical of the future life, was
scarcely to be expected. The number howe
ver did not daunt the worthy Judges. They
set to work manfully to decide which of the l21
babies was fitted to represent the vigorous
childhood OF Dung America. Their choice fell
upon the baby OF Mrs. Romnc, of Vienna, Ohio
rms promising baby was ihcreupon invested
with the gigantic prze-spoon of the powerful
republic The reward came in the shane of a
silver tea service. with a large salvcr of the
same metal. Other prizes were awarded which
heeu not be alluded to here. One lady cndeav-
ored TO found claim upon the fact OF her baby
oclhg the seventeenth " hich she had brought
into the world. but this was not recognized.
Dung America refused to consider claim
founded not upon quality but quantity.
There is something remarkably striking in |
the difference between the Old World and the |
New, as exhibited in this National Baby Con-
vention. which, although bearing at first sight |
the appearance of good joke, may hereafter
assume some very serious features. We at our
cattle shows give prizes 10 the man who pro-