Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-05-21

SPEECH OF Hon. JAMES K. IufLAND, OF
UNAWARE, IN THE llUrsE OF REPkEsEN.
TATvEs, WEDNESDAY, MAY q, lS74.-The
House being in Committee Of the Whole on the
state the Union, and hav ing undor conside-
RAJ ION the bill to appropriate $j,000,O00 in aid
ofthe centennial Celebration amt International
Exhibition of 1876
Mr.. LeFLAND said:
Mr.. Chairman, | concur entirely III the views
OF my eloquent freud from Pennsylvania.
tJudge keliy,l so ably and :olcibly advanced |
yesterday In his advocacy OF this measure. [ |
mink 1t proper and becoming that the centeu- |
NAL OF the nation should be observed in accor-
dance with our power and greatness. No ma
lion in the worlds history ever progressed in |
tne arts anu sciences, population and power, as
tns But Anew years since, sir, aud where YOU !,
now SIT and where this imposing structure |
stands, bearing the beautiful tilure Of Liberty |
alott To the clouds, the rank thistle nodded to |
tie breeze aud the wild fox digged his hole
nnseared. The deep stiffness Of the prmeval
Forest was broken Icy naught but the shrlll
scream OF the panther, the defiant yell Of the
stni mercer savage as he grapped IN the death
struggle with his enemy.
From handful Of devoted hearts who
sought these shores for conscience sake, We
uumper lorty millions of ireemen. with land
uotteo with towns and cities, and CAPABLE OF
supporting and feeding the whole world The
nations gaze uponus with wonder, and our
power Anu steatless are respected and acknow-
lodged throughout the civilized world. No
Aladdin's lamp or Arabian Ni.hs ever present.
eu spectacle 50 grand or Il history so wonder
Lni as Tile growth ui tEese United States
Ihough the nation is yet in its iIflncy-nut
older than many # its citizeus-it stands ac-
knowledged among the foremost peoples Of the
eafth IN all That makes nation, great The
inventive genius OF our citizens is second to
none, ana our energy ami pluck are equll TO
our genius.
Sothlng has or can check our onward march
though engaged in gigantic war, such as
tne world never witnessed before, We ,,jrdled
tne continent with an iron band, and welded
The oceans on either shore. From A struopl .
which would have aunihated older nations,
we emerged greater, stronger, more self-le-
iiant than ever. He who lives % see the hun
dredth birthday Of the nation W III see a peopl.
greater and stronger still, only ueruine union
ana harmony and brotherhood 10 make us the
arbiters of the world
NOW, Air. Chairman, What can have a Qleai.
or tendency to bring about so desirable fesul,
man that ovr people should come together from
every section Of the country? Let he East and
west, the North and South, tn!nga together
Ignoring and forgetting the differences and strif,
which so lately distracted and diyidid us. ant
Join IN one common jubilee in co,umemoratior
Of the achievement and Elories OF our common
ancestry. And what more appropriate plac,
IMAM beneath the shadow OF the old State Hous
anu Wthln the sound Of that historic bel
winch proclaimed liberty throughout the land
anu 10 all the Inhabitants thereof there wher
our fathers pledged their lives and honors TO
Inc maintenance of the great principles whic
are to-day acknowledged without dissent i
every part of this broad land. What could b
more gratifying than TO see a Hni,cd peonle col
tending together to honor the memory of thos
grand spirits who founded q. nation and h,
queatlled freedom 10 their children Their
ttaah a,.r ltl
existence, the children Of this gfeat Republ
may emulate each other in tie arts of pAac
exhibiting for each others information The in
provements and inventions OF the several ST.,
lions. their pursuits and resources, and the Y.
nous aud diverse information, which tends
interest ard unite Il people, and which ca
ohiy DC learned by contract aud Intercourse.
By this, the WALT pl1 nrel> aud ctDac
''eso OF Ill. various >rcliuus rlu he .tscerIHinr
snj understood. ami lhe y hoe ie Die, slllLii
all dinerehces aud iealOnsirs. luiart that tie
are nom East or the West, the North or Il
Seuth, and remember aud feel only that tle
are Americans; title honorable and rasner
ed - that ever boosted by the Roman Of oil
when bis city was mistress ftha world. 4
achieve result like this, Should money he
consideration? What is the paltry sum of ii,
million dollars or even more, when weighed
me balance with the good results to be derive
nom nation united in commemoration of
1.-THE Centennial celebration of the nation
birth was to have no international feature co
nected with it, that even then il would be rig
and proper that Congress should sec that ii
occasion was observed in accordance with Il
dignity and grandeur of the nation
bold that Bunker Hill dDes not belong sol
" to Massachusetts. nor Princeton aud Mo
mouth and Valley Forge aud Brandywne
the states within Whose borders they are, b
their glorics and memories belong equally
he old thirteen and the newer States cary,
cut Of the patrimOny acquired by the strugs
u which they are the glorious mementoes.
washington and his compatriois belonged
me nation,and it is becoming that their achiey
ments should be commemorated-nOt by Pen
syivania or Virginia or New York aione, b
oy the whole nation, having one history, 0
country, one destiny.
But, Mr.. Chairman, / see great propriety
making the celebration international Us well