Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-12-16
THE CENTENNIAL.
SPEECH OF Ex-Gov. BIoLER AT NORWICH
CONNECTICUT.

A largo meeting was held at Nor
wich, Conn, Wednesday evening, "a
listen to Ex-Gov. Bigler, of Pennsyl
vania, the financial agent of the Cen.
tcnnial Board ofFinance, who delivered
an address on the prospects of the Cen.
tennial. The Governor spoke as fol.
lows.
In the progress of time as we were
nearing the close of the first century
of the Republic the thought occurred
to some one that it would be a proper
thing for the people of the United
States to commemorate with fitting
ceremonies the centennial anniversary
of the event that brought the Repub-
lie into existence. That thought has
by some been attributed to Mr.. Dudley
S. Gregory, of New Jersey, and by
others to Prof Campbell, of Indiana.
Originating with which it may, il was
glorious and timely. Ishould be proud
to claim II for my State had sufficient
grounds for the claim but neither the
original thought nor the original action
belongs to her. The honor of the
thought belongs to the one or the other
of the gentlemen ] have named, and it
is conceded that the first action to
give the thought practical effect camo
from the American Institute OF New
York but Philadelphia moved soon
thereafter, and she was selected as the
location of thu celebeatinn. hecanse
within her limits had been first enun-
ciated the doctrines of self,government
and independence. The Congress of
the United States, as you all know, in
March, 1871, did by law make pro-
vision for celebrating the first centen-
nial anniversary of the Independence of
America, and provided in that law that
national and international exhibition
of Harts and manufacturers and the
products of the soil and the mine"
should be leading features in the cere-
monies and you know, also, that Con-
gress did at the same time provide that
the management of the great national
demonstration should be intrusted to
Commissioners from the several States
and Territories, and that the entire
work should be conducted under the
auspices of the Government of the
United States" thereby, as | hold. as
sociating the honor of the country
with the fate Of the celebration. The
Commissioners were to be nominated
by the Governors of the several States
and Territories, and to be appointed
by the President, and so the commits
sion was constituted. But it was soon
discovered that that body was wanting
in authority to raise the capital TO
make the needful preparations for the
celebration and exhibition. To meet
this need, Congress, in June, 1872,
created another corporation, known as
the Centennial Board Of Finance, with
authority to raise capital to the extent
of s10,OOO,0 900 by selling its own capi-
tai stock; and to the end that the cele-
bration might be broadly national it
was provided that the several States
and Territories should have the right
TO subscribe TO the stock according TO
the population Of each
The Board of Finance proceeded to
q vigorous discharge of the duties i'm
posed upon it under the law, and did
apportion to the several States and
Territories the amount of stock to
which they were entitled, and books
and other materials to facilitate the
subscriptions were distributed through
out all parts of the country, and a
large amount Of stock had been sub
scribed for in Pennsylvania and Phila-
delphia, when the panic of 1873 ar
rested the best efforts of the board.
The next important movement about
the Centennial arose in Congress. On
the appearing Of the report Of tho com.
mission in that body it was discovered
that there was large deficiency in the
necessary amount of capital TO make
preparations, and that the Board Of
Finance estimated that deficiency nj
s., 100000.
On the question Of what was best
under the circumstances a general dis
cussion arose. Although in some as
poets the discussion seemed harmful, Il
was nevertheless proper, for Congress
was the only body vested with power
30 fix the fate of the undertaking. II
had the power to supply the deficiency
Of capital OF to repeal all the laws on
the subject and end the efforts to cele.
brate the centennial anniversary Of
American Independence, but, after full
reflection, II did neither the one nor the
other but by friendly legislation, such
as admitting articles for exhibition free
of duty and requesting the President
to extend cordial invitation to the
Governments Of foreign countries TO be
represented and take part in the cx-
hibtion, Congress did show desire
to have the celebration carried through
And At the same time by declining IA
furnish material aid for the prepara-
tions, Il did also show its determine
tion to adhere to the policy foreshad4
owed in the laws Of 1871 and 1872, Ia
wit that the capital for the prcpara-
tions should arise from the voluntary
contributions of the people rather than
IRON the public treasury. The Board
Of Finance, last Spring, accepted this
definition of policy by Congress, and
Immediately appealed to the country
for material aid, with a somewhat
modified programme, to enable persons
of very moderate means TO have o part
In the work: and Il il now the dcterm.