The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-18
Am Address by the United kses Cenfen"
miaH C~OmamigsiS

To Il PEOPLE, OF H UEITISIATBs;
Tn Congress of the United state Rs enacted
that the completion OF the One Herein Year
Of American independence shalbe ebrated by
Observation-Disclosures of the A Manutac-
lures, and Products of the soil andine, to be
held at Philadelphia, in 1876. and IRppolnted
a Commission, consisting of represenlVes from
each State and Territory, to educt the
celebration.
Originating under the auspices of National
Legislature, controlled by n NatiOk Commits
sion, and designed Ms il is TO "CosaemOrate
the first Century Of our existen by an
Exhibition of the Natural resouR of the
Country and their development, d OF our
progress in those Arts which benetih ankind,
in comparison with those of older Nakls,' 1t ~
to the people at large that the C0mnl On look
for the aid which is necessary to pike the
CENTENNIAL Celebration the grandest adversary
the world has ever seen.
That the completion of the first cent? of our
existence should be marked by somcaposing
demonstration is, we believe, the pat1aic wish
of the people of the ~wholecountry. The9ngress
of the United States has wisely decidedat the
Birthday of the Great Republic can8e most
fttingly celebrated by the universal aection
and display of all the trophies Of its process. 1t
is designed to bring together, within a Sliding
covering fifty acres, not only the varicd"0duc-
ions of our mines and of the soil, but beS of
| all the intellectual triumphs of our izens,
specimens of everything that Amera can
furnish, whether from the brains or tlBlands
of her children, and thus make evidenkO the
world the advancement of which aself gPrned
people is capable.
Inthis Celebration allnatiOnSw will begyitcd
to participate its character being Interna Onal.
Europe will display her arts and manufarlres,
India her curious fabrics, while newly sened
China and Japan will lay bare the trEurcs
which for centuries their ingenious peOpldavc
been perfecting. Each Ian will comlle i'll
generous rivalry for the palm Of superio1kcel,
lencc.
To this grand gathering every zone WHOM
tribute it's fruits and cereals. No mineraIhall
he wanting; for what the East lacks th8' est
will supply. Under one roof will the EItl
display in rich luXuriancc her growing coon
and the North in miniature, the cea&GsF
machinery of her mills converting that cttOT
into cloth. Each section of the globe will Rnt
u DCSI Writings ~ II1S SAhlpII4OI, dlu R1CI
| State Of the Union, as a member of one uHeC
body polite, will show to her sister Statesn(
to the world, how much she can add tdknt
greatness of the nation of which she is a haAnt
NOUS part.
To make the Centennial Celebration sue
success as the patriotism and the pride of en-,
American demands will require the Co-Operatl
Of the people of the whole country. The Unht
States Centennial Commission has receivrtJl,
Government aid, such as England extended
her Worlds Fair, and France to her Univesa
Exposition, yet the labor and responsible
imposed upon the Commission is rs great ash
either of those undertakings. 1t is estimast
that ten millions of dollars will be required, j.
this sum Congress has provided shall be rais
by stock subscription, and that the people sf4
have the opportunity of subscribing in propj
ton to the population of their respective Stat
and Territories.
The Commission looks to the unfailing patri'
ism of the people of every section, to see tn
each contributes its shares to the expenses, al
receives its share of the benefits of an enterpri
in which all are so deeply interested. It won
further earnestly urge the formation in ca
State and Territory of a centennial organizatic
which shall in time see that county aSsociatio
are formed, so that when the nations a
gathered in 1876 each Commonwealth can vie
with pride the contributions she has made
national glory.
Confidently relying on the zeal and PATRIOTS
ever displayed by our people in every nation
undertaking, we pledge and prophecy, that t
Centennial Celebration will worthily show h
greatness, wealth and intelligence, can be Fl
tered by such institutions as those which ha
for one hundred years blessed the people Of t
United States.
JOSEPH r. HAWLEY,
President
LEWIS VAIN SMITH,
Temporary Secretary