The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-12-05
An Address BY the United States centennia
Commission.
To the People Of the United States.

has enacted that the completion of the
One Hundredth Year of American In
dependence shall be Celebrated by an In
ternational Exhibition of the Arts, Man
ufactures, and Prod ucts of the soil and
mine, to be held at Philadelphia, in 49,
76, and has appointed Commission, con-
sistipg of representatives from each State
and Territory, to conduct the clelebra.
tion.
Originating under the auspices of the
National Legislature, controlled by a
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
of our progress in those Arts which ben
eft 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 Cen
lennial Celebration the grandest ami
versary the world has ever seen.
That the completion Of the first CEN
tury of our existence should be marked
by some imposing demonstration is, we
believe, the patriotic wish Of the people
of the whole country. The Congress of
the United States has wisely decided
that the Birth. 6ay 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 de-
signed to bring together, within build
ing covering fifty acres, not only the va
iious productions of our mines and of
the soil, but types 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 advancement of which a
self governed people is capable.
In this "Celebration" all nations will
be invited to participate; its character
being International. Europe will dis
play her manufactures, India her curious
fabrics, while newly opened China and
Japan will lay bare the treasures which
for centuries their ingenious people have
been perfecting. Each land will COM
pete in generous rivalry for the palm of
superior excellence.
To this grand gathering every zoue
will contribute its fruits and cereals No
mineral shall be wanting; for what the
East lacks the West will supply. Un-
der one roof will the South display in
rich luxuriance her growing cottou, and
the North in minuture, 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 member Of one united body rolitc
will show to her sister States and to the
world, how much she can add to the
greatness OF the nation of which she il
harmonious part.
To make the Centennial Celebration
such success as the patriotism and th'
pride of every American demand, viii
require the cooperation of the people o
the whole country. The United State
Centennial Commission has received n
Government aid, such as England cx
tended to her Worlds Fair, and Franc
to her Universal Exposition, yet the Ia
Dor and responsibility imposed upon ,h
Commission is as great as in either {
shose undertakings. 1t is estimated thu
ten millions of dollars will be required
and this sum Congress has provided sha
be raised by stock subscription, and th
the people shall have the opportunity
subscribing in proportion to the popul
tion of their respective States and Te
ritories.
The Commlssson looks to the unfailil
patriotism of the people of every sectio
to see that each, contributes its share
the expenses, and receives its share
the benefits of an enterprise in which
are so deeply interested. 1t would fl
ther earnestly urge the formation in ea
State and Territory of centennial O
ganization, which shall in time see tn
county associations are formed, so th
when the nations are gathered togett
in 1875 each Commonwealth can vie
with pride the contributions she h
made to the national glory.
Confidently relying on the zeal a
patriotism ever displayed by our p
pie in every national undertaking,
pledge and prophecy, that the Cente
nial Celebration will worthily show h
greatness, wealth and intelligence, {
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