Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-05-07

III III IA M
p IT. WARDEN,
TnrpspAy MORNING, MAY tn, 1873
81 --------------z=z -
THE CENTENNIAL.
1r is very proper and fitting, in |
,nr opinion, to have national ccle-
,ration on the one hundredth ami
versary of our Independence. y Y
further very fitting that y ssa
held in the city Of Phssais NIL
in and AROUND mere 'ha'
r-.,on ..ss;a 0nons Of mans
sr~rsl I'd and passed. No
49, measure and 30 determine
49, much of fraternal feeling such q
celebration will engender, how much
it will tend to unionize the American
people, but it is certain that it will
conduce to fraterns1 feeling 1t home,
and will be stting demonstration to
the world of the stability OF free
government. If there was ever
nation upon earth which ought to have
such an exhibition, II IL this land
of liberty, where the first great gov.
ernment was founded npon the princi.
Piles of equality to all men.
If the people of this nation do not
respond heartily and enthusiastically
in the preparation and furtherance of
this celebration, we cannot but help
thinking there is not such an estimate
Of tho glorious occasion as there ought
to be among our people. The Cen
tennial Board OF Finance have Just ia
sued an address, which, though brief,
sets forth the enterprise in it's true
light and gives clear statement of
what has been done.
According TO this report, tho first
act of Congress upon the subject, was
passed. March Sd, 1871, which, in the
language Of the act, provides for 1.-THE
celebration of the centennial of Amer
lean independence by an international
exhibition of the arts, manufactures
and natural resources of this and 9TH
er countries, under the auspices Of the
government of the United States"
The next act bears date of june Let,
1872, and fixed the capital to complete
the great commemorate at ton mil
lions Of dollars, and also created the
Board Of Finance which makes the re-
port. The report further says that to-
gether with 500, 900 raised on subscrip
ton in New Jersey, there has been
raised in the State Of Pennsylvania by
subscription, by appropriation of the
State Legislature and by appropria-
ton of the city council of Philadel-
pha, the sum Of $4,OoO,O00. Upon this
four millions of dollars as a basis, de.
signs for suitable buildings were made
and approved, and other preparatory
arrangements made.
The report shows also that the Meth
erlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Ger
many, Sweden, Liberia, Eucador, the
Argentine Consideration, Chill, Mex.
leo, and the Sandwich Islands have
expressed their intention to partici-
pate, and that large number Of the
States and Territories have made SUBJ
scriptions. The shares are fixed at
ten dollars each, and every person
subscribing that amount is entitled
to, and will receive handsome steel
engraved certificate, executed by the
Treasury Department of the govern.
ment, fittingly commemorative of the
event. Money can be sent by draft to
the financial Treasurer, Frederick Fra.
ley, No. 904 Walnut street, Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania.
In closing the address, the commit
the say they believe the American peo-
pie will respond to the call, that they
are not nnmindfnl of the patriotic in
tsrest in the Centennial of their own
Independence, nor of the high duty Of
honoring it as it deserves. Philadel-
phia, the scene Of the immortal declar-
alton, not only in the old hall where
it was written, and whence it was pro-
claimed, but in the extensive park
where the exhibition is to be held,
sacred rs the resort of Washington
and the Revolutionary worthless, has
given many times her share to the
memorial. 1t is not HER celebration
it is the nations. History has simply
designated that city as the spot where
the national sentiment can be historic
ally expressed. Every city and State
is inspired by the Same sentiment.
Every man and woman, North or
South, is stirred by the same impulse.
All the people of the earth are earnest
spectators and students of our pro-
gress. The work, therefore, is at once
national and International. 1t reaches
every class and every interest, II
will be the most remarkable compare
son and interchange of ideas and in
ventions, of art and science, Of the
products of the earth, the brain and
the hands, the most friendly and COM
plete intercourse between the races
Of all countries in modern civilization
II is impossible to believe that any
portion of the American people will
hesitate to unite in what 10 . sacred
memory and sacred Obligation.
II il one Of the grandest sources Of
pride to the citizens Of Iowa that as q
State we are, nominally speaking. out
Of debt; we have no obligation Of
millions hanging over us to eat up in
interest one-fourth or one-hslf Of our
annual levies. What is true Of the
Ct.tn thn mania NJ Waual1n cns,uNxy