Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-02-26
THE CENTENNIAL.

in their Hall in Philadelphia, on tb
evening Of the 18th inst Tie speeche
presented here arc not in full.
Hon. George V. Laurance was elected
President ofrthe meeting. He said
Fellow citizens-you all undeastan
fully the object Of this meeting. Seldom
has any portion of the people b'en call
ed together for more worthy orpatriot
ic purpose.
The nation proposes to have an impos
ing Centennial Celebration, a kind O
golden wedding, with this distinction
that instead of recalling to our recollec
ton the nuptials or union of two provin
ces or nations, it presents for our contem
plation the enforcement of an oppressed
people in condition of colonial depen
dence from the cvershadowing power ant
cruel exactions of one of the great pow
ers of the earth, enabling us to take I
kind Of inventory or retrospect of th'
work of the past century. And here lie
me ask, what place in all the vast EN-
pire of States could be more appropriate
for such purpose than the city Of Phil
adelphia.
He it was, in the then embryo city
but now 50 grand and imposing, thai
were uttered the first ominous words o.
warning to the King Here it was thai
to the colonies and to the world were
first proclaimed in detail and with aston
ishing unanimity and power, the cruel
and continued wrongs imposed upon ou'
ancestors. Here it was, in the most sol
emn and important convention ever as-
sembled, that the rights of nan, Of ia
tions and of peoples were proclaimed
and the determination avowed to be free
or perish in the attempt. From thi.
place the colonies were summoned to the
long and bloody struggle with superior
power, which was maintained with such
unexampled heroism and such unparallel
ed suffering during the long years Of
strife. Here it was that the national
compact was formed and that Consti.u-
ton adopted under which we have grown
with such unexampled progress into a
vast empire of free and independent
States.
Here will be presented and recounted
the improvement Of her lands. the iu-
creased value of her agricultural pro-
ducts in decades, in itself wonderful
Here will be exhibited the immense and
almost incalculable wealth or value of
her minerals, as they are unlocked from
the rock-ribbed hills and mountains with
in her borders. a4.
Here too we will see as by a panoram-
c view what we have accomplished i'll
this century in science. in art how we
are Scarcely equaled in all the appliances
Tor education, the developments and cul.
tivation of the minds of our youths !;
what the work of our machinery has
been, aud how vast our manufacture of
the raw material.
In national view the interest in this
Centennial meeting enlarges and increa.-
es. All of the States and Territories will
be represented by the presence of many
Of their people and the products of the
same in every department. Here hun
dreds of thousands of people will come
from time to time, and the very associa-
ton and intermingling of the citizens of
one with those of another State will be
most beneficial in its effects. Men and
will come from all the vast en-
pire of States and be glad of the oppor-
tunity, and join in loudest acclaim to
that Supreme wisdom and power that
has made us so prosperous and SO happy.
All the civilized nations of the earth will
be fully represented here bringing the
results of their industry and varied oc-
and the evidence of their
prosperity and the genius of their people
Let us then, my friends, labor as we
;an in harmony with those having espe-
'ial charge of this commendable work,
o make it worthy of the State and ma
ion
Judge Walker, of Erie. the oldest
member of the Constitutional Convention
'eing called on by the Chairman spoke.
Among the subjects he referred to the
coming of the people of Erie to Phila-
lelphia on that occasion as follows We
ire coming here in 1876 to see, to hear
md t. learn something more than we
lave ever heard or dreamed of in this
,reat country of ours. The spectacle of
contemplating the Philadelphia of l776
n comparison with the Philadelphia of
SIG will of itself be sufficient induce
nent to every man and woman, young
md old, in this State of ours and through
ut our country to attend the Celcbra-
ion. We will be enabled to realize how
We have proposed and are still prosper
ng. and that we viii continue to prosper
such imputations upon
ur fair fame as the Credit Mobilie er and
imilar wickednesses. If God spares
ny life and health. it will be my pleas
ire to be here, and in the meantime to
lelp forward, with all my trength.