TORONTO, August 12th, 1853.

MR. EDITOR:—Not long since, I saw in
this city, in a large, splendid guilt frame, a
piece of fanciful workmanship, which has
been the admiration of all who have seen it.

It was the work of Mrs. Charity Govans, re
cently of Baltimore. This lady was, by the
very general invitation of the Managers of
the Maryland Institute, to "all engaged in
industrial pursuits, not only in Baltimore,
and the State of Maryland, but throughout
the United States, to contribute specimens of
their productions for public inspection, and
to compete for the prizes offered by the In
stitute," induced to contribute the unsur
passingly beautiful production of her skill,
ingenuity and taste, of which we have spo
ken. This work was one of so much merit
and attraction, that it was generally antici
pated that the artificer would be most sig
nally rewarded. How signally, however,
you will be better prepared to learn, after
you shall have read the following notice and
rule extracted from the printed "regulations
and arrangements for the fourth annual ex
hibition of American Manufactures, by the
Maryland Institute, held in Baltimore, Octo
ber, 1851, and signed by the Chairman and
Standing Committee on Exhibition: "The
particular attention of contributors and oth
ers is requested to these rules, as they will in all cases, be adhered to and enforced."
Rule "15th. The judges are required to
make their decisions strictly upon the merits of the article alone, (the italics are not ours,)
and to make full reports in writing to the
'Committee on Awards, &c.'" Accordingly,
we have a sufficiently "full report, in writ
ing," as it regards Mrs. Govan's work. I

have copied it from the published reports, for
the edification of your numerous readers:
"No. 1356—A frame of CHENCILLE FLOW
ERS, made and deposited by Mrs. C. Gevans,
is tastefully designed, ingeniously and accu
rately executed; in fact we have rarely seen
CHENCILLE FLOWERS more beautifully made
and arranged. But the Committee on Class
15 are unwilling to recommend this piece of
work for a premium. First, because it was
done by a colored woman. In the second
place, we do not deem it advisable to receive
contributions to the exhibitions of the Mary
land Institute from colored persons, because
if their work is accepted, they will have to
be received as visitors to the fairs. And,
thirdly, the colored population have fairs of
their own, where they can exhibit the pro
ductions of their industry. Having given

our opinion at length concerning Mrs. Go
van's work, we leave it with the Committee
on Premiums to decide whether they think
proper to give a premium for it. We would
respectfully advise the Managers of the In
stitute, if they wish to preserve their exhibi
tions in good repute, and prevent dissatisfac
tion on the part of whites and blacks, to de
cline the acceptance of colored persons'
work at all subsequent exhibitions."

MISS DEBORAH SMITH.

MISS MARY L. OGLE.

MISS SARAH A. YEARLE.

"The Committee are unwilling to recom
mend this piece of work for a premium, because it was done by a colored woman." The
reason here given for this magnanimous
treatment, is indicative of a littleness,
dwarfish calibre, an ineffable meanness
soul, which, in despite of the copiousness of
our language, and its adaptedness to the ex
pression of every shade of thought and sen
timent, it is exceedingly difficult to describe
in terms sufficiently appropriate. Look at
it: We are unwilling to discharge an obvi
ously assigned duty, a simple act of justice to
a lady of intelligence, wealth, and standing,
"because" she is a "colored woman." The
singular frankness—not to say shamefulness
—of an avowal of a reason so despicable,
and that by ladies whose self-respect permit
ted them to give their names to the scruti
nizing gaze of the world in such a connection,

is a mournful evidence of the full influence
of those institutions and prejudices in the
United States, which deteriorates and de
stroys all that is lovely and liberal, just and
humane, in the human character. These la
dies, and all whose feelings are equally grov
elling, should receive the pity of the truly
wise and excellent of the earth, to whose in
trinsic nobility they are strangers, and whose
good opinion they are incapable of appreci
ating. We pity, because we cannot envy
them. Again; "If their (the colored peo
ples') work is accepted, they will have to be
received as visitors to the fairs." A horri
ble consequence, truly! They will then be
in the same room with ourselves, walk the
same floor, and gaze upon the same objects.
Intolerable! Well, one thing is certain and
inevitable: either the fastidious taste of
these ladies will have to undergo a seasona
ble and a serious change, or they will be
unable to enter the kingdom of God with
many of these despised ones; for "there
shall, in no wise, enter into it anything
that defileth;" their vitiated taste will ex
clude them. Are they prepared for the stern,
the unavoidable alternative? These consid
erations, however, weigh but little in these
days of fashionable, time-serving Christian
ity. But we must not forget that colored
persons are not excluded from these fairs, if
they will only accompany white visitors as
servants. Special provision is made for all

such. The green-eyed monster cannot brook
the sight of a colored gentleman or lady,
whose condition is above that of a servant.
Let him not be alarmed when I tell him that
such sights will become increasingly annoy
ing and they are destined to put to the se
verest test the religion and philosophy of the
American Union. He would do well to
make a virtue of necessity. "Thirdly, the
colored population have fairs of their own,
where they can exhibit the production of
their industry." True, but they would no
longer remain in comparative obscurity;
they would, occasionally, place some of the
productions of their skill in juxtaposition,
and in competition with those of their paler
brethren. Speak out, ladies, all your objec
tions—your worst fears in regard to such a
competition. Remember, we have given you
credit for your frankness. "We would re
spectfully advise the Managers of the Insti
tute, if they wish to preserve their exhibi
tions in good repute, and prevent dissatis
faction on the part of both whites and blacks,
to decline the acceptance of colored per
sons' work at all subsequent exhibitions."
Thank you, ladies, we think we understand
you. You mean to say that if colored com
petitors should be successful, as was Mrs. Go
vans, in winning admiration, and deserving
highest premiums—of which there would be
a great probability—then the Institute would
suffer in its reputation; and dissatisfaction
on the part of unsuccessful competitors

It was the work of Mrs. Charity Govans, recently
of Baltimore. This lady was, by the
very general invitation of the Managers of
the Maryland Institue, to "all engaged in
industrial pursuits, not only in Baltimore,
and the State of Maryland, but throughout
the United States, to contribute specimens
of their productions for public inspection, and
to compete for the prizes offered by the Institute,"
induced to contribute the unsurpassingly
beautiful production of her skill,
ingenuity and taste of which we have
spoken. This work was one of so much merit
and attraction, that it was general anticipated
that the artificer would be most signally
rewarded. How signally, however,
you will be better prepared to learn, after
you shall have read the following notice and
rule extracted from the printed regulations
and arrangements for the fourth annual
exhibition of American Manufacturers, by the
Maryland Institute, held in Baltimore, October,
1851, and signed by the Chairman and
Standing Committee on Exhibition: "The
particular attention of contributors and others
is requested to these rules, as they will
in all cases, be adhered to and enforced."
Rule 15d. The judges are required to
make their decisions strictly upon the merits
of the article alone, (the italics are not ours.)
and to make full reports in writing to the
'Committee on Awards, &c'" Accordingly,
we have sufficiently "full report, in writing,"
as it regards Mrs. Govan's work. I
among the whites, would be as inevitable as
it would be with the successful rivals among
the blacks, to whom your silly prejudices
would render you incapable of doing justice.
In view of this unpleasant state of things, I
thank God that I am no more an inhabitant
of your country—my native land—but that
it is my privilege to rejoice that I am now

A COLORED CANADIAN.