Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-11-22
An Address by the United States Gem
tennial Commission.
To the Peoplc ofMe Hnit1d !Sn.es

AAAA ~AeaNA 0eo NY 1lc Oulbeu StdGGS Ocu-
tennial Commission.
To the People ofthe United States.
The Congress of the United States has
enacted that the completion Of the One
fIundredth Year Of American Tndepen-
dence shall be celebrated by an lntcrna-
tional Exhibition Of the Arts, Manufac-
lures, and Products of the soil and mine.
to be held at Philadelphia, in 1876 and
has appointed a Commission, consisting
of representatives ftom each State and
Territory, to conduct the celebration.
Originating under the auspices of the
National Legislature, controlled by
National Commission, and designed as it
is to Commemorate the first Century Of
our existence, by an Exhibition of the
Natural resources Of the Country and
their development, and Of our progress
in those Arts which benefit mankind, in
comparison with those Of older Nations"
it is to the people at large that the Com
mission look for the aid which is neces-
sary to make the Centennial Celebration
the grandest anniversary the world has
ever seen.
That the completion of the first centu-
ny of our existence should be marked by
some imposing demonstration is, we be-
lieye the patriotic wish OF the people Of
the whole country. The Congress of the
United States has wisely decided that
the Birth place of the Great Republic
can be most littingly celebrated by the
universal collection and display of all the
trophies Of It's progress. 1t is designed
to bring together, within building COW
ering fifty acres, not only the varied pro-
ductious of our mines and Of the soil but
Of all the intellectual triumphs of our
citizens, specimens OF everything that
America can furnish, whether from the
brains or the hands of her children, and
thus make evident TO the world the ad-
vancement Of which self-goyerned peo-
pie is capable.
In this Celebration" all nations will
be invited to participate, its character
being international. Europe will display
her arts and manufactures, India her Gu
rious fabrics. while nowly opened China
and Japan will lay bare the treasures
which for centuries their ingenious peo-
pie have been perfesting Each land will
compete IN generous rivalry for the palm
Of superior excellence
TO this grand gathering every zone
will contribute its fruits and cereals No
mineral shall be wanting; for what the
East lacks the West will supply. Undor
one roof will the South display in rich
luxuries her growing cotton. and tho
North in miniature, the ceaseless ma
chinery Of her mills, converting that cot
ton into cloth. Each section Of the globe
will send its best offerings to this exhi-
biton, and each State Of the Union, as
member Of one united body polite, will
show to her sister States and to the
world, how much she can add to the
greatness Of the nation of which she is
harmonious part.
TO make the Centennial Celebration
such success as the patriotism and tho
pride ofevery American demands will
require the corporation Of the people Of
the whole country. The United States
Centennial Commission has received no
Government aid, such MS England OK
tended to her Worlds Fair. and France
to her Universal Exposition, yet the la
Dor and responsibility imposed upon the
Commission is as great as in either Of
these undertakings.
II is estimated that ten millions Of dol
lars will be required, md this sum Con-
gross has provided shall be raised by
stock subscription, aud that the people
shall have the opportunity Of subscribing
in proportion to the population of their
respective States and Territories.
The Commission looks to the unfailing
patriotism Of Che people Of every section,
to sec that each contributes its share to
the expenses, and receives It's share Of
the benefits Of an enterprise in which all
are 50 deeply Interested. 1t would fur
Their earnestly urge the formation in each
/ State and Territory Of centennial or
gauization, which shall in time see that
county associations are formed. 80 that
when the nations are gathered together
in 1876 each Commonwealth can view
with pride the contributions she has
made to the national glory.
Confidently relying Gu the zeal and pa
triotism ever displayed by our people in
every national undertaking. we pledge
and prophesy. that the Centennial Cele-
bration will worthily show how great
ness, wealth and intelligence. can be fos-
tered by such institutions as those which
have for one hundred years blessed the
people Of the United States.
JOSEPH T. HAwLEY, Pres.
LEWIS WALN SMITH, Tenn. Sec'y.