New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-10

THE CLOSE or THE GEEiF IFHHiIi"N.
Six months ago, under a bright May-dV
sun. the international Exhibition of 1876 was
inausurated, in the presence Of the highest
officials of the nation, throng oi diNilh-
cri,hcd guests from abroad, and nearly
100000 People. To-day thc term at the
Great enterprise reaches its appointed close,
which will be- sigualizcd hy ceremonies no less
aupropiiatc ana imposing Between th" two
memorable day, lies a period of singular i'm
uoytaucc to oar country, and oil direct interest
TO the whole civilized world. The chief oh
.taclrs 10 the success of the Exhibition had
been overcome before it opened. and lis IN
crca>lng popularity from that day to tins
WAS 70 have been anticipated; but it,
true value ~ vast educational Influence VIII
remain permanent legacy to the people. In
itscytcnt, completeness, beauty OF location, and
general arrangement it has been equally SUR
prise and IN enjoyment mprc~+iuS i"rrih
visitor, with a new SENSE Of our American
civilization. and encouraging onr own CITIZENS
by thc contrast Of their Ant and Industry with
that of the world ~ the attendance will
undoubtedly bc very }lrge during the ten adj
dft;onal DAYS after the formal close of the EN-
.libition. the numbcr of visits will reach to
tal of about s,OJO,oo0 and the receipts viii
amount to very nearly $LOoo,OOn.
Uut We chiefly rejoice in the remarkable ma
tcriaI success, OF the undertaking, hccau>c it
represents such a total of opportunity, ,uch
Widespread use of rare advantages 1t has
stirred tens Of thousands of remote conmun-
tie, with the sense If fresh knowledge OF the
world and it, races aud nations. II has, more
.t,tl Ia, stfI
North, fimilially together, celebrating narrow
local prejudice. knitting web OF pleasant
mountaineering over the whole country,
and m-cnslbly teaching lessons of patH-
oti,m, tolerance, and Humanity. In this vast
intcrniXturc OF the four quarters OF the Re
public. not single jarIing tone seems TO have
been struck: even the inevitable lnconvcn-
fences Of travel owe: crowded lines were borne
with patience and chccrluncsS. There have
been DELAYS of trains, but only one serious ac-
cdrnt the predicted cXtortlouS and priyationS
have been very few and far between the ar
r. E-cmrnts made to accommodate the public
on the Exhibition Grounds have worked to the
admiration OF t!ic world and never before
have so many millions of spectators gone home
20 well satisfied.
wholly iHu,triou, bat for two blotchcs which
stand ont all the more extensively against such
"a BRIGHT background of success. The Amer
lean art display, which promised to do Us
honor. was seriously degraded 10y what appear,
70 have been the arbitrary action Of one in
diyidual, in defiance OF the earnest protest OF
n Committee of Selection composed of some
Of the allrs, artists ~ ihc country. The slip
ula,ions under which The latter accepted thrir
ar!nous service were violated al ~" start. and
they were powcrc>5 TO prevent the country
from being Gisr"rCd. Some evil influence
was a., at first apparent in the distribution Of
auarls-ihat feature Of the Exhibition which
mos; should bear tle stamp of honesty, impair
naity, mSl Intelligence. This concern, rot only
oar own hdiactet, hut The interests ofail nations
represented; aud, although the step taken was
Iclrd,cd, the impression produced by il r.
mains rs disturbing influence Il would
have been so c.sy to have left ? perfectly
bright and satisfactory record, that these two
shortcomings are special, TO ho regretted
Fortunately there has been nothing similar to
our hideous experience at Vienna, in SO,
and We may safely trust that scandals of that
character will never be- renewed.
This year marks the beginning Of a correct
knowledge of our country and people among
| fo.rian nations. The Exhibition represented,
| both in it, character and arrangement and in
the persons of its millions OF visitors, the ma
terial aud intellectual development Of the Ma
ton, during n hundred years of Republican
Government Ii seems trite TO call the picture