Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-22

To the People of the United States
The Congress of the United States has
enacted that the completion Of the One Hun
dredth Year of American Independence
shall be celebrated by an International Ex-
hibition of the Arts, Manufactures, and prod.
ucts of the soil and mine, to be held at Phil.
adelphia, in 1876, and has appointed a Com
mission, consisting Of representatives from
each State and Territory, to conduct the cell
ebration.
Originating under the auspices of the Ma
tional Legislature controlled by National
Commission, and designed as it is to Com
memorate 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 man.
kind, in comparison with those of older Ma
TONS it is to the people at large that the
Commission 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 century
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 Birthday of the
Great Republic can be most fittingly celebrat-
ed by the universal collection and display of
all the trophies of its progress. 1t is de-
signed to bring together, within a building
covering fifty acres, not only the varied pro.
ductions of our mines and Of the SOIL but
types of all the intellectual trumphs of our
citizens specimens of everything that Amer
lea can furnish, whether from the brain or
the hands OF her children, and thus make ev-
ident 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 display her arts
and manufactures, India her curious fabrics,
while newly opened China and Japan will lay
baro the treasures which for centuries their
ingenious people have been periecting, 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 Fast lacks the
West will supply. Under one roof will the
South display In rich luxuriance her growing
cotton, aud the North in miniature the cease.
less machinery of her mills converting that
cotton into cloth. Each section of the globe
will send its 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 car
add to the greatness Of the nation of which
she is a harmonious part.
To make the Centennial Celebration such O
success as the patriotism and the pride ofev,
cry American demands will require the co.
operation of the people of the whole coun
try. The United States Centennial Commits
sion hasreceived no Government aid, such as
England extended to her Worlds Fair, and
France to her Universal Exposition, yet The
labor and responsibility imposed upon the
Commission is as great as in either of thos,
undertakings. 1t is estimated that ten mil
lions of dollars will be required, and thi
sum Congress has provided shall be raised by
stock subscription, and that the people shall
have the opportunity Of subscribing in pro
portion to the population of their respectiv,
States and Territories.
The Commission looks to the unfailinl
patriotism Of the people of every section t
see that each contributes its share to the ex
penses, and receives its share of the benefit
of an enterprise in which all are so deepl,
interested 1t would further earnestly urg
the formation in each State and Territory 0
centennial organization, which shall in tim
see that county associations are formed, s
that when the nations are gathered tOgethe