The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-04
CITY INrELLIGENCE.
THE CENTENNIAL.

The Committee from the virginia Legis-
lature Formally Welcomed in Indepen-
dence Hael.
Last night the committee appointed by the
State Legislature of Virginia to confer with our
local committee on the centennial celebration
arrived In this city. This body is thus COM
posed
Colonel ]. z Roller, Judge A. B. Cochran.
Colonel J. N. French, Major u. L. Wooson,
h0n' D. A. 'i"''"' J. J. \. n sSn'''''' stubb.
There also accompanied them William J. Big
ger, Secretary of the Virginia House of Repre-
sentatives; Hon. James P. Cowarden, Secretary
of the committee; Messrs. Charles Campbell,
Henry Bell, NJ. II. Clark, Captain j. A. Mccall,
attaches of the House, Hon. George Rye, State
Treasurer; and G. A. Shaffer, Superintendent of
Public Printing. Accompanying. them, also
were Colonel s. B. French and Mr.; ?; Handy,
of the Richmond Dispatch; William s; Gilman,
of the Whig; Ernest Wilt, of the Enquirer;
and B. NJ Gillis of the State Journal.
At 10 o'clock this morning this body, with
the members of our local committees, headed
by the general chairman, John l.. Shoemaker,
ESQ, assembled in Independence Hall to be
welcomed by the Chief Magistrate of the city.
When order was obtained, Mr.. Shoemaker
said:-
MI Mayor:-As chairman of the Centennial Com
mttee Of Philadelphia have to say that the Legis-
ature OF the State OF Virginia has passed highly APP
preprate resolutions endorsing Philadelphia as the
proper place for the Centennial Celebration in 1915
In pursuance OF this resolution they have appointed
a committee OF honorable gentlemen to confer upon
the subject Of the exposition OF '76 And here, in
this hall, it is special privilege and honor to have
the pleasure to introduce to you, sir, chei magls-
trate OF this city, the Hon. j. E. Roller, chairman OF
the Virginia committee.
Mayor Fox said:-
Gentlemen:- general rule we always accord
to visitors from abroad our polite attention aud
courtesy. But coming, as you particularly do as
the representative men OF that grand old Common
wealth within whose legislative halls, in the early
days Of the Republic rang out those eloquent tones
which yet thrill and throb the patriotic heart, and
within whose borders some of the most decisive and
desperate OF the struggles OF the brave old colonies
took place IL say, thus coming, and upon one OF the
very highest of patriotic missions you are not merely
formally, but cordially, sincerely, and heartily wei
And we trust IVY that what may
anniversary shall be in the highest degree promo
tive Of that great purpose of the nation. We de-
make your stay among us pleasant to you, aud to
enable you when you do leave us to carry away to
mnressions Of Ihe nIeasure It. has aTorded us to he
privileged to receive and en- ntertain you, will be TO
us the highest qualification
To this welcome Colonel ]. E. Roller thus
responded
Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen Of the City OF Philadel-
phia The task imposed on me as the chairman of
the Centennial Committee on the part of the Vir-
gna Legislature is an exceedingly difficult one.
How, sir, can express in such language as can
welcome as chairman OF this legislative committee?
How can express our sincere and earnest acxuow-
spo1siye, to the hearty % welcome you have lust
given us, when / feel, especially, sir, In this
hall, ditiidence in attempting to words appro-
PIRATE to any such feeling? The frat occasion of
my visit to this hall l was accompanied with Vir-
gnan, known and honored In all parts of the State,
the hand of whose grandsre had painted these por-
traits which hang about AS l stand In sight of
that picture which faces me, the picture of the
and as l stand here Within sight OF Germantown
and Delaware, and within hearing OF Monmouth and
Trenton, feel, sir that 1t would he exc 9edingy in
appropriate for me to attempt to give expression to
the emotions which must be awakened within u.s.
Ibeeve that this ting carries with 1t deeper
significance even than can justly infer from this
assemblage now In this hall
We come here forgetful of what has happened
within the last few years. willing only to remember
willing only to revive the remembrances of our CON-
mon glories and common pers. And sir, we
propose to do this by encouraging those schemes
which, trust, will bind this State and ours to-
Xeher In q closer union than has ever yet existed
between u.s. We propose to give encouragement to
the introduction of your railroads into our State.
(Applause.) We propose to give encouragement to
the introduction OF your capital into our midst We
propose, sir to lay down In the great deep of the
popular heart out OF reach Of party agitation, cables
-telegraphic cables-that will culver with messages
sundered (Applause.) Again, sir, thank you
In behalf OF each member OF this committee. We all
thank you most heartily.
Then the committee and the Mayor fell to
hand shaking.
This over, in carriages the party proceeded to
the Baldwin Locomotive Works, and then to
Paramount Park Tomorrow will be given over
entirely to visiting public institutions.