Evening star., 1870-01-10

Heesing-SPeeehes by
Generals Garleld, o. q. Howard,

at Lincoln Hall in accordance with a call by the
General Committee, to discuss the subject Of
the proposed International Exhibition in this
city, and hear remarks by several prominent
gentlemen. Among those present were the fol-
LLOYD, b. w. Reed, Henry willard, John H.
Semmes, VIM. Wise, Chas. H. Stansbury, T. 7.
Fowler, p. H. Ho0e, 7. b. Florence, John HI.
johnson, w. Ill. Baldwin, z. ID. Gilman, Hallet
KiibOurne, A. s. Solomons, Simon Wolf, Alex.
X. Shepherd, p. NJ. Dubant, n. G.. Stark
weather, Col: I. b. Florence, A. NJ. Clapp,
Judge j. M; Mason, VIM. b. Todd, X. b. Me-
hun, DR.. John b. Blake, ,sas A. Kennedy, Geo.
S. Gideon, DIR. G. Ii. Nichols, Thos l.. Tullock,
W. G. Huntington. On the stand were seated
Hon. j as. A. Garfield, Thoe. B. Bryan. Col. VIM.
Gen. Howard, Charles i. Stansbury, and HaIlet
Kilbourne.
The meeting was called to order by H. Kill
bourne, Esq, and Gen. y. U. Howard was called
upon to preside, who declined, saying that he
was very much fatigued, having just returned
from a visit south, and had come to the meeting
direct from the railroad station. He nominated
Judge Casey in his place, who was then chosen
to preside. On taking the chair he stated that
he was not advised as to the particular objects
of the meeting, and he called upon G. F. STAINS
bury, ESQ.,, to state for him the business of the
evening.
Mr.. Stansbury stated that it was proposed to
hold a great International Fair in the city of
Washington in ISL. The meeting was called to
lay before the people the plans and labors of
the General Committee, and to hear the views
of gentlemen who would address them. This
great fair was to be held on cosmopolitan prin-
ciples, and would be q great national, well as
local blessing. 1t was to be great industrial
contest Of skill-a cosmopolitan struggle. 1t
was natural and logical to meet to consider the
magnitude Of the work to be done. Nothing
short of the magnitude of great project could
entitle the work in hand to the name of a
Worlds Fair. The competitive skill OF nations
had been in progress for centuries, and in 1851
had eliminated in q Worlds Fair. Mr.. S. then
rehearsed a brief account Of the spirit of i'm
provement in the various arts and sciences since
that time, and alluded to the worlds fairs which
laudable spirit Of emulation among the coun-
tries of Europe. 1T had been eighteen
years since these great trials of skill had
commenced. England at that time claimed the
that occasion she had the opportunity to judge
OF the skill Of the continental nations and OF
prOfting by that knowledge in her own work.
shops, In 1855 she had another opportunity of
seeing the rapid strides of improvement of the
nations OF the earth in the useful arts. 1t was
curious that in the Fair of 1851 the old fashioned
blue-edged crOckery had o prominent place,
and the huge blocks of glass called iecanters.
In 1856 we discovered that the French and Ger
mans had advanced wonderfully in the improve
ment OF iron m, and steel; o The third lesson was
hibition humiliating for us. The building itself
was to us, as an intellectual, mechanical and
artistic nation, an abject humiliation n
"An around us in that Exhibition were proofs
that every nation had begun to rival us in some
Of our great specialities; and if we were not in
structed, we were at least sufficiently disguised
IL 70 oeS pazs
Exhibitions which failed to mark any progress
Of ours and only served to advertise to the world
the more rapid Hrogress Of rival nations"
1t was the Exhibition of 1861 in Paris which
gave the nations, and especially England, final
lesson. BY that Exhibition we were rudely
awakened and thoroughly alarmed. We then
learned, not that we were equalled, but that we
were beaten-not on some points, but by some
nation or other on nearly all those points on
which we had prided ourselves. We found We
were beaten in the steam engine, iron armor for
vessels, In breach-lOading guns, and in many of
the appliances Of iron and steel in naval arma-
ment-in the use OF iron for building purposes,
in locomotive building, and in the use of steam.
superiority Of the French iron was five per cent.
over the English. The result of the French
Exhibition had shown Englishmen that they had
been asleep. Let us not suffer the present gem
Grafton to grow up ignorant of these improve
ments. II these exhibitions improved and ele-
waited the public taste OF England, they may as
justly be expected 10 improve the public taste Of
America; IL they have enabled the continental
nations, by the lessons which they impaired, to
improve their Industrial status, and to spring i'm
the brief period Of twenty years, from obscure,
ranks Of great leading departments of industry,
the same lessons may enable Us to elevate our
country to higher level in the ranks of the
industrial nations; if they taught England that
self-suficiency and contempt Of rivals were the
sure road to modification and defeat, we NAV
well hope to learn a lesson OF the same charac-
ter-a lesson which, fear, we stand in too much
need; and finally, If these exhibitions have led to
the attainments Of results in the establishment
OF the means of technical education in conti-
mental Europe, such as the world had never be-
fore seen, and such as have awakened England
from her dream Of fancied security, and united
her very first minds in the determination to
afford to her artisans the same inestimable
means Of culture, can we doubt that the Ameri-
Va avrfll ho
to the inquiry whether something more than our
common school training is not needed to place
our national industry on that proud eminence
people should bespeak for it. IAppiause.l
This scheme Is no narrow or local one; il Is in
its bearings and relations eminently broad, ma
tionai, cosmopolitan; it lies properly within the
domain of the artist, the scholar and the states
man, and Is far more worthy Of the fayOrinQ at
tention OF the National Legislature than the OBJ
iects which sometimes receive its fostering care.
Washington, or spending q few dollars In en-
couraging laudable but insignificant local un-
dertaking. No other Government has regarded
these vast enterprises in this niggard and paltry
spirit. He trusted it has not been reserved for
the great republic Of the West to give the first
tardy and reluctant response in the matter of
her national industry to the enlightened and ad-
The Chairman, Justice Casey, then said:-"I
f have now the honor, not Of introducing, but Of
presenting, gentleman whom you all know,
anu WIN uds tOHS DccU UIucntlQeOSWlIn the prOS-
perity Of the nations capital, and who, by his
pen and his voice, has been constant In adyo-
eating your interests and the progress of the i'm
portant movement now under cOnsideratiOn-I
mean Col. W. Forney."
Col. Forney said he had not come there with
an elaborate speech, but to aid, by his presence
an enterprise so auspiciously begun. All other
expositiOns in this country had been State or
local demonstrations. This one was intended to
be international in its character, and no other
point for its location was so appropriate as the
City of Washington. (Applause.] In reading
the debates OF Congress he had been surprised
70 see that some eminent gentlemen had spoken
In encouragement of this enterprise, which, in
stead, should have received a cordial in,Iorss-
ment: The argument used that a paucity of
population was an objection to this nIace WAS
answered by the fact that we are In constant
communication with all parts OF the Country
and that nowhere else Is the national idea 40 in,
terpreted and so typified as here. pplause.l
Th ere is, indeed, no other spot on this conti-
nent where that idea Is symbOlized. The very
confgrration OF the town itself, and its history
render it eminently natiOnal-started under
the auspices Of the immortal name which
It now wears, and which, he trusted, it will
wear TO the erd of time. IApplause.i
1t Is also the spot assailed by the English enemy
In the second war for our Independence; the
spot In which, or on which, some Of the greatest
statesmen OF the past generation distinguished
themselves and ended their career: the snof
most intensely and bloodiiy protected in the
recent conflict; and, finally, the spot sanctifjed
by the death Of that immortal martyr who has
passed out Of the realm Of party, and IA now re-
membered and beloved by all sections; and also
that here fled through our streets those mao
nifcent columns, which, after discharQino ana
fi~nlFf hA r00f xIrr<x ~,