Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-07-21
From the Richmond Dispatch.


The New York papers announce the demise of the
great crystal humbug of New York. The palace of
glass, fit emblem of the brief and brittle arstocracy
of the Empire Metropolis, has been prematurely
shattered Even the illustrations Barnum greatest
of modern generals called in to resuscitate lis fall
ing fortunes, could not gavanze the corpse into the
semblance of life He had been successful with Joyce
Heth he had manufactured with his own hands
more genuine sea serpent than ever ffoated in the
briny deep he had astonshed the sagacous cock
neys of the Empire City with woody horse, and
drawn them over by thousands to witness buffalo
hunt in theElysian fields of Hoboken !; he had made
General Tom Thumb the most popular General since
the days of Napoleon, and had converted himself in
ten years from ninepenceless Yankee to a New
York millionaire he had built for himself an orien-
tai palace in Connecticut, almost as rapidly the
Genius of the Eastern tale raised the beautiful struc
ture for Aladdin, but the Crystal Palace of N York,
was too much for this Barnum. The most de
licate strokes of his genius could not ward off its
manifest destiny. In vain he advertised that the
palace would be visited by brigade of ladies from
New Jersey and Pennsylvania, composed, too, of
the first families ;; story which was implicitly
believed by the disciples of Joyce Heth, the SEA
pent and the but1aloes. In vain he summoned 10 his
aid Monsieur Julien, the great Marshal of the a.
mics of Music, who, at the head of four thousand
performers and singers, poured forth such volume
of sweet and powerful melody as had never before
been heard on the American continent. The Crys-
tai Palace was doomed! The Napoleon of Humbug
has for the first time met his Waterloo The great
Snowman has taken down his bills and is off, Bar
mum has resigned. The Crystal Palace is to be clos
ed on the 31st of October next, its effects are to be
sold TO pay lis debts.
From first TO last the whole thing has been con-
temptble humbug, and source Of profound mortif-
cation to every American, who has the slightest
of national dignity and pride. 1t was never Amer
lean Exhibition, in It's conception in its execution.
1t the fruit of the ostentatiOn the self conceit
and the assurance of that pulled up city of ~ York,
which imag gines itself not only the whole country,
but the whole world. We recollect we'll the motto
on the flag of New York delegation to political
convention in New York, which was striking gly illus.
trative of the conce of those selfcomplacent cock
neys. This modest motto ran thus New York,
the pulsations of whose mighty heart tides the
rest of mankind y Oh, city Of London, hide thy d.
minished head 1t this gigantic appreciation of
its own merits, and characteristic love of gambling,
which led New York to lake upon herself Ghe sole
business of exhibiting the industry of this nation in
competition with the Crystal Palace of England :
Instead of making National Fair, instead of con-
suitng the other States and cities, that the whole
country could erect structure and establish an ex
hbition which would do credit to the American name
New York assumed to act for the whole United
States and run up this pIcayune concern a repre-
sentation of the national industry The consequence
is ridicue abroad, shame home and the closing of
the whole egregious swndle in debt SI25,0O0 At
the same moment of this lamentabe and disgusting
failure, the Crystal Palace of England is renewing
its youth Substantial it is beautiful, it is fair
representative of the solid integrity, as well as ser
ling good sense, and commercial enterprise of the
British people. 1t was not gotten up specua
ton it was the work of the British people, and
it is Worlds Fair in fact well as in name
We might have approached It's glories al
least, should not have been mortified to death
by such contrast as is presented but for the
self suficiency OF a single city this continent
which, but fer the Southern staples that upholi it,
would itself prove but city of glass, founded on the
sand, and fall at the first storm.
If the failure of the glass baby house in New York
relieves the New Yotkers, in any degree, of their
peruOus selfesteem, and leads to the establishment
OF United States Exhibition, the bitter experience of
the past will not be without advantageous fruits.
The New York Herald says of the Crystal Palace:
From lis origin 10 lis close, it has been a positive
injury to the country and the city Before the
pillars erected, it's stock had become a Wall
street fancy and sold at seventy FIVE per cent
premium. The directors may say what they please
about their subscrp ptons being limited to u certain
number of shares but the public will always believe
shake of the responsibility of the expectations that
were raised, and which led to such disastrous specu
lations in building lots and houses Real estate rose
from twenty-five to hundred per cent the strength
Of the expected influx of population Rows of Eous
hurried up in the vicinity Of the Palace the
builders counting confidently on handsome returns
from the Investment in consequence of the statements
which emanated from the company. More than half
of these are now vacant and the owners would be
glad to sell out heavy loss The prices of board
and rent increased throughout the city, and the
cost of living largely augmented All this was in
anticipation Of the throng foreseen by the Crystal
Palace Company. When the time came for The open-
ing the building not half ready. Exhibitors,
many of whom had come from great distances, and
visiters who had brought their families TO see the
temple of industry sent their money idly at hotels or
returned home sickened. When the opening day did
come, the ceremonial farce, and the dinner which
| followed completed the measure of contemnt into
which the concern fell. 1t became by word and a
laughing stock and consequently when the exhi-
bton closed, it found in debt to the tune of 1926
600 Everybody who had ever been connected with
it or who had taken its existence into account in f.
nancal calculations, was disguised loser
We think we said something OF the kind about the
palace year or more ago. and had our patriotism
pretty sevey called in question thefore. Time shows
| all things, hoWever.-ED. jour.