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From the ashes left us in 1864 we have raised a brave and beautiful city. Somehow or other we have caught the sunshine in the bricks and mortar of our homes, and have builded therein not one ignoble prejudice or memory.

The old South rested everything on slavery and agriculture, unconscious that these could neither give nor maintain healthy growth. The new South presents a perfect Democracy, the oligarchs leading in the popular movement-a social system compact and closely knitted, less splendid on the surface but stronger at the core; a hundred farms for every plantation, fifty homes for every palace, and a diversified industry that meets the complex needs of this complex age.

The new South is enamoured of her new work. Her soul is stirred with the breath of a new life. The light of a grander day is falling fair on her face. She is thrilling with the consciousness of a growing power and prosperity. As she stands upright, full-statured and equal among the people of the earth, breathing the keen air and looking out upon the expanding horizon, she understands that her emancipation came because in the inscrutable wisdom of God her honest purpose was crossed, and her brave armies were beaten.

This is said in no spirit of time-serving or apology. The South has nothing for which to apologize. She believes that the late struggle between the States was war and not rebellion, revolution and not conspiracy, and that her convictions were as honest as yours. I should be unjust to the dauntless spirit of the South and to my own convictions if I did not make this plain in this presence. The South has nothing to take back. In my native town of Athens is a monument that crowns its central hills a plain, white shaft. Deep cut into its shining side is a name dear to me above the names of men, that of a brave and simple man who died in a brave and simple faith. Not for all the glories of New England-from Plymouth Rock all the way—would I exchange the heritage he left me in his soldier's death. To the feet of that shaft I shall send my children's children to reverence him who ennobled their name with his heroic blood. But, sir, speaking from the shadow of that memory, which I honor as I do nothing else on earth, I say that the cause in which he suffered and for which he gave his life was adjudged by higher and fuller wisdom than his or

mine, and I am glad that the omniscient God held the balance of battle in His Almighty Hand, and that human slavery was swept forever from American soil-the American Union saved from the wreck of war.

This message, Mr. President, comes to you from consecrated ground. Every foot of the soil about the city in which I live is sacred as a battle-ground of the Republic. Every hill that invests it is hallowed to you by the blood of your brothers who died for your victory, and doubly hallowed to us by the blood of those who died hopeless, but undaunted, in defeat— sacred soil to all of us, rich with memories that make us purer and stronger and better, silent but stanch witnesses in its red desolation of the matchless valor of American hearts and the deathless glory of American arms-speaking an eloquent witness, in its white peace and prosperity, to the indissoluble union of American states and the imperishable brotherhood of the American people.

Now, what answer has New England to this message? Will she permit the prejudice of war to remain in the hearts of the conquerors when it has died in the hearts of the conquered? Will she transmit this prejudice to the next generation, that in their hearts, which never felt the generous ardor of conflict it may perpetuate itself? Will she withhold, save in strained courtesy, the hand which, straight from his soldier's heart, Grant offered to Lee at Appomattox? Will she make the vision of a restored and happy people, which gathered above the couch of your dying captain, filling his heart with grace, touching his lips with praise, and glorifying his path to the grave-will she make this vision on which the last sigh of his expiring soul breathed a benediction, a cheat and delusion? If she does, the South, never abject in asking for comradeship, must accept with dignity its refusal; but if she does not refuse to accept in frankness and sincerity this message of good-will and friendship, then will the prophecy of Webster, delivered in this very society forty years ago amid tremendous applause, become true, be verified in its fullest sense, when he said: "Standing hand to hand and clasping hands, we should remain united as we have been for sixty years, citizens of the same country, members of the same government, united, all united now and united forever."

EXPOSITIONS AND PROGRESS

CHAPTER IX.

EARLY INTERNATIONAL FAIRS.

EXHIBITIONS date far back in the world's history. Even the celebration of the Olympic Games might be considered in this light, for, outside the precinct sacred to the gods, wares were displayed and sold. Until modern facilities for convenient transportation were devised, markets could not be supported continuously; instead it was customary to hold periodic Fairs the word fair being in all probability derived from the Latin feria, meaning holiday. Such gatherings for the benefits of trade were held in Asia and in southern Europe in early times and in the seventeenth century seem to have found their way into Gaul; hence into England in the age of Alfred the Great. By the tenth century they were well established throughout Europe. From the beginning they appear to have been associated with religious festivals-the gathering of unusual numbers of people doubtless first suggesting the advantage of such occasions for exhibiting wares and effecting sales.

The largest fair of this description perpetuated to this day in Europe is the one held yearly at Nijni Novgorod, located at the junction of the Oka and Volga, 715 miles from St. Petersburg. This is officially opened on the 27th of July, but owing to the uncertainty of travel, some do not arrive with their goods until later. Many of the transactions on these fair grounds are still conducted by barter. Tea is the chief commodity of commerce although silks, rugs, cloth, hides and morocco are greatly in evidence.

Persian rugs, tea, costly spices and other wares are sent by caravans from interior Asia to be transferred to boats when the chain of interlinking water ways giving final access to Nijni Novgorod is reached. Those who have sold their goods and are returning each year pass those en route for the coming fair before they arrive home.

The Russian government warns foreigners against remaining in this little town over night while the fair is continued, for it is impossible to provide police supervision for the numerous nationalities that camp in the vicinity. Tea to the value of more than a million dollars is frequently displayed at once and large sums of money constantly change hands.

On the Ganges a great fair is annually held and each year during the season when faithful pilgrims gather to visit the spot sacred to Mohamed, one of these prolonged markets is provided. Years ago, before shops existed in Mexico, upon the site of the present capital such a fair was regularly held and attracted more than fifty thousand people.

While fairs of this kind have been numerous in centuries past and are still observed in remote places, industrial expositions purely for the purpose of exhibit are of recent datethe first international exposition being held in London in 1851.

The London Exposition of 1851 resulted from a desire of Prince Albert to provide an exhibit which should illustrate British industrial development. Although but national as first conceived, it was later thought an excellent idea to invite other nations to coöperate and give the event international significance. Being the first undertaking of the kind, novelty and innovation attended all features. Having estimated the space required for such a showing, architects were asked to submit designs for a building which should be adequate to cover 700,000 and not exceed 900,000 square feet. While but one month was allowed for preparation, more than two hundred competitors offered plans. The one offered by Sir Joseph Paxton was adopted. He was a landscape gardener and the form and shape of the Crystal Palace is said to have been based on that of the giant leaf of the, African water lily. The building was made 1851 feet long, to correspond with the year, and 450 feet broad. It was erected in about four months at an approximate cost of $1,000,000. It covered twenty acres.

The following lines from a speech made by the Prince Consort at a banquet given by the Lord Mayor of London in the interest of this coming event convey an excellent idea

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