86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 



believe that notwithstanding the benefits which the Institute has 

 conferred on American manufactures by the direct and indirect 

 influences of its fairs and other means, its exertions in the direc- 

 tion of a wisely arranged tariff of duties have done immensely 

 more for the country than it has accomplished in all other ways 

 besides. 



But whatever course of action might have been most effectual 

 in accomplishing the purposes of the Institute, it is certain that 

 the fairs have absorbed more of its attention, and claimed a 

 larger portion of its active labors than -any other branch of its 

 operations. 



In projecting an exhibition of manufactured articles exclusively 

 the product of American skill, the managers undoubtedly struck 

 upon one of the most eJSicient means of stimulating the ingenuity 

 of our countrymen that at that period could have been devised. 

 Emulation and honorable competition thus brought into contact 

 rapidly resulted in far greater perfection of workmanship, and 

 speedily extended the number and variety of articles in the cata- 

 logue of American industrial products. 



Fairs were known and held at Leipsic and Frankfort in Ger- 

 many ; at Lyons and St. Germain in France ; in certain privi- 

 leged towns in England ; and in some of the oldest towns of 

 German population in the State of Pennsylvania, and perhaps in 

 some other parts of the United States ; and also in the city of 

 New York, for half a century and some of them for more than a 

 century before the existence of the American Institute. But 

 these fairs were generally held in markets or market places and 

 were either meetings of buyers and sellers for trade, or were 

 designed for amusement ; and partook more of the character of 

 carnivals than of places for scientific information or mechanical 

 competition. It was reserved for the American Institute to 

 bring together a grand collection of curious, useful, and unique 

 articles, of exquisite workmanship, of novel designs, and fre- 

 quently of startling effciency, and to exhibit them in honorable 

 rivalry and competition for such testimonials and prizes as the 

 Institute should see proper to bestow upon the most meritorious 

 of the exhibitors. 



These fairs were established by skilful management and at the 

 the expense of no small amount of labor. A liberal, but at the 

 same time a just and discriminating policy of awards of diplomas 

 and medals was adopted, and additional interest and effect were 



