The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-14
OUR NDREDTH BIRTHDAY
TIE PROSPECTUS OF THE CENTEN-
NAL EXHIBITION.
An Address by the United States Gen.
tenntel Comm issfon.

An Address by the United States Gen.
tennie1 Comm isston.
To the People of the United States:
The Congress of the United States has en-
acted that the compilation of the one hun.
dredth year OF American independence shall
be celebrated by an International exhibition
of the arts, manufactures and products of the
soil and mine, to be held at Philadelphia in
1876, and has appointed commission, con-
sisting of representatives. from each Stale
and Territory, to condnct the celebration.
Originating under the auspices OF the Nali0n-
al Legislature, controlled by national COM
mission, and designed as it is to 'commemor-
ate the first century of our existence, by an ex-
hibitlon of the natural resources OF the country
aud their development, and Of our progress
In those arts which bergeht mankind, In COM
parison with those of older nations" 1t is 10
the people at large that the commission look
for the aid which Is necessary to make the
centennial celebration the grandest anniver-
sary the world has ever seen.
That the completion Of the frat century OF
our existence should he marked by some I'm
posing demonstration is, we believe, the pa
triotic wish OF the people of the whole coun.
try. The Congress of the United States has
wisely decided that the birthday OF the great
Republic can be most fttingly celebrated by
the universal collection and display of all the
trophies of its progress. 1t is designed to
bring together, within !, building covering fifty
acree, not only the varied productions OF our
mines and of the soll, but types OF all the in.
tellecLual trIumphs Of our cilizens, 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 advancement OF which q self-governed
people is capable.
In this celebration" all nations will be In
vlted to participate; its character being inter,
manufactures, India her curious iabrics, while
newly opened China md Japan will lay bare
the treasures which fer centuries their ingeni-
ous people have been perftcllng. Each land
will compete In generous rivalry for The palm
of superior excellence.
To this grand gathering every zone Will con-
tribute Its fruits and cereals. No mineral
shall be wanting, for What the East lacks the
West will supply. Under one roof will lhe
South display In rich luxurlance her growing
cotton, and the North In miniature the cease
less machinery OF her mills converting that
cotton into cloth. Each section Of the globe
will send Its best offerings to this exhibition,
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 10 the greatness OF the nation OF which
she Ia Q harmonious part.
To make the cencen NAL celebration such
success az the patriotism and the pride OF
every American demands will require the
cooperation OF the people Of the whole
country. The United States centennial COM
mission has received 40 government aid, such
as England extended TO her worlds talr, and
France 10 her universal exposition, yet the
labor and responsibility imposed upon the
commission Is as greHt as 10 either of those
undertakings. 1t is estimated that ten mil
lions of dollars will be required, and this sum
Congress has provided shall be raised by STOCK
subscription, and thai the people shall have
the opportunity of subscribing In proportion
to the population Of their respective States
aud Territories.
The commission looks to the untalllng patrl-
otism ofthe people OF every section TO see that
each contributes its share to the expenses and
receives its share OF the benefits OF an enter
prise In which all are 30 deeply Interested. 1t
would further earnestly urge the formation 10
each State and Territory of o centennial
organization, which shall in time see that
county associations are formed. 40 that When
the nations are gathered together IN 1876 each
Commonwealth can view with pride tae contrl-
buttons she has made 10 the national glory.
Confidently relying on the aeal and PATROL
ism ever displayed by our people 10 every
national undertaking, we pledge aud propnecy
that the centennial celebration Will Wortniiy
show how greatness, wealth and intelligence
can be fostered by such institutions as those
which have for one hundred years blessed the
people of the United States.
JOSEPH B. HAwLEY, President
LEWIS WALN SMITH, Temporary Secretary.