Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-11-23

Commissioners of the Centennial Cele
bration to the people of the United
States, in regard to the grand lnterna-
tional Exhibition, TO be held at Phlla-
delphia, on the 4th of July, 1S76-the
one hundredth anniversary Of the lnde-
pendence of the United States OF Amer
lea The address explains itself. we
hope our region will be represented "
u;nsra, and iron and other products Oh
the country on the occasion indicated,
Hon. A. r Boteler, of this place. anu
u I Sweeney, of Wheeling,
49, commissioners appointed for
''nS ' AN ADDRESS
BY THE
,,, S,,,,s Centennial Commission.
prop,r OF THE L. STATES
The Congress of the United states
- matted that the completion OF the
m mas Year of American lndepen-
- ,lnna shall be celebrated by an lnterna-
;.onol Exhibition of the Arts. Manu-
f'ctures. and Products of the soil and
nine to be held at Philadelphia, in
1876, and has appointed Commission,
consisting of Representatives from each
State and Territory, to conduct the Gel
ebration. -,
Originating under the auspices of the
National Legislature, controlled by a
National Commission, and designated as
IL 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 pro
yress in those Arts which benefit man
kind, in comparison with those OF older
Nations" it is to the people at large
that the Commission look for the aid
which is necessary to make the Centen-
NAL Celebration the grandest annlversa-
nv the world has ever seen.
That the completion Of the first cen,
tury of our existence should be marked
bv some imposing demonstration is, we
believe the patriotic wish of the people
OF the whole aountry. The Congress 81
the United States has wisely decided
that the Birthday of the Great Repub-
lie can be most fittingly celebrated by
the universal collection and display OF
all the trophies of its progress. 1t Is
designed to bring together, within i
building covering fifty acres, not only
the varied productions OF our mines ana
of the soil, but types of all the lntelIec-
tual 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 advancement OF which
a self.governed people is capable. -,
In this celebration all nations VIII
be invited to participates; its character
being International. Europe will dis
play her arts and manufactures, India
her curious fabrics, while newly opened
China and Japan will lay bare the treas
ures which ,or centuries their ingenious
people have been perfecting. Each
land viii compete liz 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. In
der one roof will the South display IN
rich luxuriance her growing cotton, and
the North in miniature, the ceaseless
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 a member of one united polite, VIII
show to her sister States and to the
world, how much she can and to the
greatness of the nation OF which she is
harmonious part.
To make the Centennial Celebration
such a success as the patriotism and
pride of every American demands, Will
REQUIRE the cooperation of the people OF
the whole country. The United States
Centennial Commission has received no
Government aid, such as England eX-
tended to her Worlds Fair, and France
TO her Universal Exhibition, yet the
labor and responsibility imposed upon
the Commission is as great as either OF
those undertakings 1t Is estimated
that ten millions of dollars will be re-
quired, and this sum Congress has pro
yided shall be raised by stock subscr1p-
ton, and that the people shall have the
opportunity of subscribing inproportion
to the population of their respective
States and Territories.
The Commission looks to the untail-
ing patriotism of the people OF every
section, to see that each contributes Its
share to the expenses, and receives its
share OF the benefits of an enterprise in
which all are 50 deeply interested. 1t
would further earnestly urge the forma-
ton il each State aud Territory Of a
centennial organization, which shall in
time see that county associations are
formed, so that when the nations are
gathered together m 1876, each Com
monwealth can view with pride the
contributions she has made to the ma
tional glory.
Confidently relying on the zeal and
patriotism ever displayed by our people
in every national undertaking, we pledge
and prophecy, that the Centennial Cele-
bration will worthily show how great
ness, wealth and intelligence, can be
fostered by such institutions as those
which have for one hundred years bless