224 [Assembly 



articles of luxury in that department, has been moderated since 

 our citizens have been awarded some of the highest prizes given 

 at the Crystal Palace for articles of inventive genius. 



C. H. McCormick, of Chicago, Illinois, received at the Crystal 

 Palace the highest award for a reaping machine to harvest cereal 

 grains, invented by him, which, when first exhibited, was view- 

 ed as an ingenious machine, but no mechanic or agriculturist 

 there could be found who would believe that it would be prac- 

 tically useful — but seeing is believing ; and after it had been fully 

 tested, they were compelled to award to the Yankee the highest 

 premium for the best and most ingenious agricultural imple- 

 ments. Yes, fellow-citizens, in Old England, where they pride 

 themselves as having made the greatest advance in the science of 

 agriculture, we have carried off the palm. 



The repeating firearms invented by Samuel Colt, of Hartford, 

 Connecticut, received honorable mention at the Crystal Palace. 

 Coitus guns and pistols far exceeded anything presented by the 

 ingenious mechanics of France and England — nations whose ex- 

 tence has been to make war a pastime, yet the ingenious son of 

 peaceful America has gained the prize in the munitions of war. 



B. F. Palmer, of Meredith, New-Hampshire, received a pre- 

 mium at the Crystal Palace for the best specimen of an artificial 

 leg, having thirty-four competitors. 



It may be asked what has the reaping machine of McCormick, 

 the repeating firearms of Colt, and the artificial leg of Palmer, to 

 do with the fairs of the American Institute. 



I will tell you, the repeating firearms of Colt were exhibited 

 at the American Institute fair held at Niblo's Garden in the year 

 1837, and then received a gold medel . The reaping machine was 

 exhibited at the fair held at Castle Garden in 1849, and there re- 

 ceived a gold medal ; and the artificial leg was exhibited at the 

 fair at Castle Garden in 1847, and received a gold medal. 



Although these ingenious inventions were made by our me- 

 chanics so long since, and publicly exhibited and open to the 

 competition of the world, they have not as yet been equalled by 

 those of the old world. 



