Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-11-27
An Address by the United States
Centennial Commission

ia the People Of The t55tcd States
The Congress Of the United States
has enacted that the completion Of the
One Hundrcdth Year Of American In
dependence shall be celebrated by an
international Exhibition Of the Arts,
Manufacturers, and Products OF the
soil and mine TO be be held at Phila-
deIphia, in 1876, and has appointed
Commission, consisting of representa-
tives from 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 Exhi-
bition 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 Commission
look for the aid which is necessary to
make the Centennial Celebration the
orandest anniversary the world has
ever seen.
That the completion Of the first cen
turv of our existence should be marked
by some imposing demonstration is, we
believe the patriotic wish Of the people
of the whole country. 1'ishe Congress
of the United States has wisely decided
that the Birthday of the Great Re-
public 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 acres not only
the varied productions of our mines
and of the SOIL, bat types of all the in
tellectual triumpas of our citizens, spec
linens Of everything that America can
furnish, whether from the brains or
the hands of her children, aud thus
make evident to the world the advance
ment of which self governed people
is capable.
In this ':Celebration ali nations will
be invited to participate its character
being international. Europe wi Il
display her arts and manufactures, In
dia her curious fabricks, while newly
opened China and Japan will lay bare
the treasures which for centuries their
ingenious people have been perfecting.
Each land will compete in generous
rivalry for the palm Of superior ex-
cellence.
To this grand gathering every zone
will contribute its fruits and cereals.
No mineral shall be wanting for what
the East lack the West will supply
Under one roof will the South display
in rich luxuriance her growing cotton,
and the North in miniature, and cease
less machinery of her mills converting
the Gotten into cloth. Each section Of
of the globe will send its best offerings
to this exhibition, and each State Of
the Union as a 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 a success as the patriotism and
the 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 extended to her Worlds
Fair. and France to her Universal FIX
position, yet the labor and responsibility
imposed upon the Commission is as
great as in either ofthose undertakings
1t is estimated that ten millions Of dol
lars will be required, and this sum Con-
gress has provided shall be raised by
stock subscription, and that tie people
shall have the opportunity of subscrib-
ing in proportion to the population of
their respective States and Territories.
The Commission looks to the unfail-
ing patriotism of the people Of every
section, to see that each contributes
its share to the expenses, and receives
it's share of the benefits of an enterprise
In which ali are so deeply interested.
1t would further earnestly urge the
formation in each State and Territory
of a centennial organization, which shall
in time see that county associations are
formed, so that when the nations are
gathered in 1876 each Commonwealth
can view with pride the contributions
she has made to the national glory.
Confidently relying on the zeal aud
patriotism ever displayed by our people
in every national undertaking, we
pledge and prophecy, that the Centen-
NAL Celebration will worthily 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 r. HAWLEY, Pres't.
LEWIS VAIN SMITH, Tem'y Sec'y.