Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-12-05
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
An Address by the United States Cente nninl
Commission.


An Address by the United States Cente nninl
Commission.
To the People of the United States:
The Congress of the United States has en-
acted that the completion of the One Hun
dredth Year of American Independence snail
be celebrated by an International Exhibition
of the Arts, Manufactures. and Products OF
the soil and mine, to be held at Pmladeiphla,
in 1876, and has appointed Commission.
consisting of representatives from each State
and Territory, to conduct the celebratlon.
Originating under the auspices OF the Ma
tional Legislature, controlled by National
Commission, and designed as 1t 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 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 grandest anniver-
sary the world has ever seen.
That the completion of the first century of
our existence should be marked by some inn
posing demonstration Is, we believe, the patri-
otto wish of the people of the whole country.
The Congress of the United States has wisely
decided that the birthday of the Great Re-
public 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 building covering
fifty acres, not only the varied productions of
our mines and of the soil, but types of all the
intellectual tliumphs of our citizens, speci-
mems 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 in
ternational. Europe will display her arts and
manufactures, India her curious fabrics, while
newly opened China and Japan will lay bare
the treasures which for centuries their ingeni-
GUS people have been perfecting. Each land
will compete in generous rivalry for the palm
of superior excellence.
To this grand gathering every zone will con-
tribute its fruit and cereals. No mineral shall
be wanting for what the East lacks the West
will supply. Under one roof will the South
display in rich luXuriance her growing cotton,
and the North in miniature the ceaseless ma
chinery 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 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 M the Centennial Celebration such a
succe the patriotism and the pride of
eve .Lerican demands will require the CO.
VI tuo poOpio VI tAc h1Ol0 COuHtlN .
The United States Centennial Commission has
received 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 those undertakings.
1t is estimated that tenfmilhons of dollars will
be required, and this sum Congress has pro-
yided shall be raised by stock subscription
and that the people shall have the oppor-
tunity of subscribing in proportion to the
population of their respective States and Ter
rItories.
The Commission looks to the unfailing pa
triotism of the people of every section, TO see
that each contributes its share to the ex-
penses, and receives its share of the benefits
of an enterprise in which all are so deeply in
terested. 1t would further earnestly urge he
formation in each State and Territory Of
centennial organization, which shall in time
see that county associations are formed, Sc
that when the nations gathered togethe
in 1876 each Commonwealth can view witt
pride the contributions she has made to the
national glory.
Confidently relying on the zeal and patriot
ism ever displayed by our people in every ma
tional undertaking, we pledge ard prophesy
that the Centennial Celebration will worthily
show how greatness, wealth and intelligence,
can be fostered by such institutions as uhos,
which have for one hundred years blessed tn,
people ef the United States.
JOSEPH r. HAwLEY President