New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-26
PUBLISHERS FESTIVAL.

The most durable thing in this world is book.
The men that build strongest, therefore, are the
bookmakers. But they are nothing without the
publisher, in these piping times of printing.
publisher-one who stands between the individual
mans private thoughts and the world aud pos
terity-surely this is vocation OF vast I'M
port, and only the most civilized state OF
mankind can afford it, These publishers now
are so numerous az to form great national
guild of their own. Annually they come from
all the thirty.two States to New-YOrk as Ger.
taDy as the Jews came up to Jerusalem to DO
taxed. They are here now, and having got
through with their great purchases at the trade
sales. (and the buying has been lively,) they are
going to hold festival at the Crystal Palace
to. morrow evening.
In view of this gathering there has been due
preparation, and men who seyerally make and write
and read books, and women who write and read
them, will be there in attendance. The doors will
according to the programme, be open at five
o'clock, and the ceremOnies-a Ia tourchette will
commence at six The arrangements are to be
thOrOugh-sO much so that lest host should be
mis- en- for guest, vice versa, the booksellers
and publishers will enter at the Si1th-ayenue and
the authors and other guests on FOrtieth street ID
seems that the desire to see authors and their pub
fishers face 10 face has been so strong that the
Committee of Arrangements are obi sed to say they
regret exceedingly that it has been positively i'm
possible to comply with the very numerous re-
quests received to extend their invitations both
for the table and for the gallery. More than six
hundred invitations are now issued, as it was found
" that more than this could not be within hearing
" distance of the speakers" Indeed Then we
should say that the Committee have gone to the
consumptive hospital for orators, as the man who
cannot easily address three thousand has no BUSH
ness to speak in public it is not his vocation.
Mr.. Putnam the Secretary, must mend his knowl-
edge of acoustics and pulmonary affairs generally.
Tie bookselling business, like all others in
this country, fifty years back was small affair,
then Thomas Dobson Of Philadelphia undertook
the printing Of Recess Encyclopedias. During
the administration of Washington he waited on
the President to have him head the list of SUBJ
scribers. Washington wrote down his name as
required, simply remarking to Mr.. DobsOn,
"You are a bold man" The printing of the
Encyclopedia was too much for the enterprsing
bookseller-he failed. But ouch works are put
forth now every month without special remark,
and the sale of them determined with staple
accuracy. This single anecdote will exhibit in
the strongest light the infantile state of the
publishing art about half century since, and
the wide and rapid steps it has made TO gain its
present eminence.
The Association Of Booksellers dates back TO
the year 1901, and Matthew Carey of Philsdel-
phia, no. less distinguish ed as publicist than as
bookseller, then presided. 1t was eminently
utilitarisn body, offering premiums 70 improve
ments connected with the matter Of Publishing.
The first premium gained was by Jacob JshHson
of Philadelphia, for printing-ink, pronounced
supt rior to the best of London manufacture.
There were giants, it seems, in those days. The
fourth annual meeting Of the Association was
held in New-York on the 18th Of June, loO4,
Matthew Carey being reelected President. The
first Board Of Directors was composed of h.
A. Andrews and j. West of Boston, il. Sword
and 1. 7. Hopkins Of New.Yorl, 0. Pennimsn
of Troy, l. johnson of Philatelphis, and s.
Butler of Baltimore; s. Whiting of Albany be-
ing Treasurer, and S. Stansbury OfNew-York,
Corresponding Secretary. These fOgies looked
to the protection of American manufactures.
Their premiums acted vitality on the arts con-
nected with printing. Types, paper, and ms
chimes, as well as ink, were rewarded by their
intelligence and patriotism. The economy of
sending gold abroad and turning away work
men to starve ct home was reserved for later
times.
American authorship has grown in an equal
proportion with printing and publishing. Amer.