OHAS. GODFREY LELAND, Chairman, BET. WM. H. FURNESS, WILLIAM. T. MoKEAN, FRANCIS WELLS, PROF. HENRT COPPfiH, R. MEADE BACHE, GEOROE H. BORER, ASA I. FISH, CRAIG BIDDLE, CEPHAS G. CHILDS. No. 11. THE FAIR XOYEMRHT 111 THE LOYAL STATES.—Ho. 11. THE GREAT CENTRAL FAIR AT PHILADELPHIA. TT was hardly to be expected that Philadelphia should escape the general oontagion whioh had extended into other parts of the country. No city, as is well known, has been more con spicuous than this, for devotion to the cause of the soldier, or for contributions to his relief, by means of organizations of all kinds. The Sanitary Commission has had, for a long time, an active and flourishing agency here, whioh, during the last two years, has collected more than one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, contributed exclusively by our citizens, besides maintaining a depot of army supplies under the charge of the ladies, whioh has gathered in from this State, and the surrounding States, an immense quantity of supplies, which have been sent forward to the Army of the Potomac. The Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Associates were well satisfied with the regular normal and steady supply of money and goods to the Depository under their charge. The mass of the people here needed no further stimulus or excitement to oontinue their liberalityty. But there was an outside pressure in this mat ter whioh they did not feel at liberty to resist; and, besides, it is sometimes true that “you might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion.” The “ Union Leaugue, ”a, most im portant and influential body here, took the lead by passing resolutions, on the 11th of EDITOBIAL COMMITTEE: GENTLEMEN. PHILADELPHIA, MONDAY, JUNE 20. January, 1864, requesting the Philadelphia Associates of the Commission, to hold, in this city, a fair, for the same objects whioh had been attended with so great a success in other plaoes, and pledging the support of its mem bers to the enterprise. This action seemed to meet with such general favor in the community, that the Executive Committee of the Associates had no alternative but to set to work, at once, and in earnest, to organize a plan of opera tions. It was, by resolution of January 22, 1864, determined by them to hold a Pair in the month of June in aid of the Oeneral National Treasury of the Commission, and, in order to effect that object an Executive Committee of gentlemen, to whose management the whole enterprise should be confided, seemed, after the experience gained at other Fairs, to be the best plan. The most important thing in this plan, at the outset, and the one most anxiously considered by the Associates, was the selection of the Chairman of the Executive Committee, or, in other words, the administrative head of the Fair. They were most fortunate in induc ing John Welsh, Esq., to take that position, a gentleman whose name in this community has the guarantee of the suocess of any enterprise requiring energy, ability, and zeal for its pro secution. From the hour in whioh he accepted the office, to the present, he has devoted his eminent abilities to the prosecution of the work with characteristic determination and spirit. Difficulties of a formidable kind have been met with at every stage in the proseou ladies. MRS. ROBERT M. HOOPER, MISS SARAH F. CUTLER, MRS. B. S. RANDOLPH, MISS ANNA M. LEA, MRS. WILLIAM S. PHILLIPS, MISS GRACE KIERNAN. MRS. THOMAS P. JAMES, MISS LAURA HOOPER, MRS. PHEBE M. CLAPP, MISS DELIMA BLAIS. tion of so novel' an undertaking, but they have been also fully overcome by a combina tion of energy, tact, and thorough devotion to the cause on the part of the Chairman of the Executive Committee, as to excite the wonder and admiration of those who know best the secret history of the enterprise. If the Fair should prove a great success, it is certainly no disparagement to the important services ren dered by others, to say that the result will be mainly due to the admirable direction of its Chief Executive officer. The Executive Committee of the Great Cen tral Fair is composed of twenty-four members, who have had the general management of the undertaking. They appointed nearly one hundred Chairmen of Committees, representing every branch of industry and art. Organiza tions auxiliary to this committee were ap pointed by the authorities of New Jersey and Delaware, each of which States has a special department, and is to be oreditcd with its contributions to the general fund. The Ladies’ Committees which correspond with those of the gentlemen as far as practicable, were selected by a ladies’ committee of organization, ap pointed by the Executive Committee. One of the distinguishing features of this Fair is that its management is more under the control of gentlemen than any one which has preceded it. It is no part of our duty to chronicle here either a description of the Fair buildings, or of the riches that they contain. That agree able task we leave to our oolleagues, but we cannot dose this imperfect sketch of the origin
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