Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-03
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.


MECHANICS INSTITUTE FAIR The Fai,
opened last night with an eclat which promise
q brilliant success to the enterprise The
night was unfayorable, being cold and blus-
teriDg, and, under the circumstances, the
crowded condition Of the building affords an
indication Of the popular interest felt in the
Fair. The exercises were opened with fer
vent prayer by Rev DR. Cummings, of Trinity
Church, after which the President of the In
ssitute, Jos. ii. Bradley, Esq., introduced the
orator Of the evening, Hon +. p. Stanton,
lately Of Tennessee, now citizen OF WASH
ton
At this point, a prodigious hammsring was
heard in the machinery department, evident
ly made by some belated exhibitor anxious
10 get his ''magheen" in working trim.
Mr.. Bradley raised his voice, (which has
some compass, as most Washingtonians are
alvarez above the noise Of the hammering,
and warned the disturber Of the exercises to
stop that knocking, or he should be under the
necessity Of seeing to him in person.
The commanding figure of Mr.. Bradley
lOOmed up portentiously as he spoke, and the
intimstiOn had its desired effect the exhibi-
tor subsidized, and as John Bunyan says
. was seen no more"
The address Of Mr. Stanton was universally
conceded to have been fine effort, generally
practical in its bearing, but interspersed with
nized By the audience with hearty spproba,
tiOn.
Mr.. Stanton commenced by saying that the
organic alton Of the Metropolitan Mechanics
Institute, and the permanent establishment
of its annual exhibitions in this city, attest
the universally of that profound intellectual
and social movement, which gave the first
striking exhibition Of its existence and power
in the Worlds Fair, at London, in 1851 Tho
representatives Of the whole community Of
enlightened nations were there assembl in
order to witness tho character and chief re-
suits Of the work in which mankind, now in
the middle Of the nineteenth century, are en-
gagged. That great exhibition was wonderful
in the achievements Of industry presented to
the observer; but ii was infinitely moro so in
the fact that remotely separated nations were
the actors in the friendly competition of in
genuity and peaceful enterprise. A phenome
non so extraordinary was the legitimate off,
spring Of the civilization and industrial ten
denotes Of the present age. Nothing like it
was possible, or, perhaps even conceivable,
at any former period Of human history.
In past ages the chief energies of our race
have been absorbed in the great work of reg
ulating its own social ana political relations !:
IN subduing the natural prejudices of country
and CT religion; in establishing sJmething
like rational public law and, finally, in
coming down to q state Of comparative rest
and equilibrium, which alone will admit the
Development Of mans higher capacities To
the accomplishment Of this end wars and con.
WILSON'S were necessary; they constituted the
natural or providential means of international
influence, by which the people of the earth
were destined to work out the grand result
now partially exhibited, in which the interests
OF peace are felt to be almost universally pre-
dominant.
We are now, said the speaker, in the midst
Of a wonderful development, the visible promi-
nent characteristics Of which consists In the
vast increase Of material power-the more cor.
rect understanding Of natural laws, and the
application of them to the most extraordinary
material results.
Mach as moralists and philosophers NAV L..
ment the intense application of present energy
to the almost exclusive development of mate
rial resources, there is not one CT them who
does not pronounce the work itself to be good,
and wonderful in all its instruments, and in
all its results. Nor is there one of them who
does not look upon this array of rich produc-
lions, of beautiful fabrics, and of ingenious
machinery, as indicating valuable progress in
securing the well-being Of man He would 90
still further and maintain, that through the
path Of splendid development, and through II
alone, lies the way TO that far better condi-
ton IN Whi,h the intellectual and moral pow
ers OF the race shall receive their fullest ex.
pansiOn
Giancing at the actual achievements of the
age, Mr.. Stanton called attention to the pro-
digious results that have already been pro-
dueed Abundance of food, innumerable fab
rlcs Tor clothing, permanent protection and
shelter from the elements, are the first, and
perhaps the most important fruits Of scientific
and mechanical progress. knowledge of the
PaySiolosy Of plants, analysis Of soils, and the
discovery OF fertilising substances, have given
wonderful increase to the products of modern
agriculture They promise to render the su r
lace Of the earth and the surrounding atmos-
phere only mighty instruments In the hands
OF man, by the intelligent use Of which he will
be able al any time to establish the proper
conditions, in order TO induce the inevitable
operation Of natural laws, for the abundant
and inexhaustible supply Of his wants
Already, by the aid Of sciences ana mechan
les, man Is capable Of efeoting artificial trans.
formations Of the most important character.
lie turns the earth into metals, wood into pa
per, hbrous plants into strong threads. and
cotton, wool, silk, and even glass into rich
fabrics. With metallic fngers-more skiilful
ana Tar more untiring than those Of the hu.
man body-he seiZes the most delicate fhye
and spins IL, or weaves il, into all forms OF
beauty and utility. With machinery. endued
With immense power, and almost with con.
seious intellect, he cuts, stamps, presses, or
rolls the useful metals into all desirable
NfNS' anu AOA ofcIJ lMARlQaOlo purpose
de turns. planes, saws, bores, and morti.es
wood oy machinery far more accurately than
he could do it by the labor of his hands. lie
goes one step further he even calculates by
hscnlnery- De actually performs the labor
% tne intellect by means of the mechanics
operation Of mere material parts Distance
Ianisnes before the amazing speed and facIli-
OF ma Iocomotion- He not only prints his
iieas and multiplies copies indefinitely, but
he Prints them at distance Of thousands of
mics and IN moment Of time almost ipap
preelao!e. His conducting wires will soon con-
Iect the differing continents that surround the
globe, so that, in effect, all important occur.
iencss IN any part Of the world will be known
IHnLversally, and almost instantaneously. This
ISte planet, Of less than eight thousand miles
Iisneter, will be thoroughly understood, at
Ieast throughout the whole Of its mighty at
nesphers, and as far down as man can bore
Ihto lts outer crust He may never be able to
control the storm, but he will trace IL from its
origin through all its paths; he will antici-
- 4 r. "a.