Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-11-10
NATIONAL HOSPITALITY.
THE CENTENNIAL BANouET-PHILADEL-
PnIA AWAKE.

0
Thursday, October 2lst, 1875, was
gala day for the Quaker City folks.
A Centennial Committee had invited
nearly all the great men in this coun-
try to appear in the city on that day,
TO take look at the Centennial build
ings and for the purpose of exchanging
views with each other for future action.
Our readers are well aware that ex-
Governor Bigler is one Of the leading
spirits in this great national movement,
and although not on the programme
for speech on the occasion, he was,
nevertheless, called out after Governor
Hendricks, of Indiana, Senator Sher-
man, of Ohio, and several Others had
addressed the multitude.
The Philadelphia Press, in alluding
to the meeting, says;
AT this point the Chairman an
nouneed that Hon. William Bigler, of
Pennsylvania, who had been identified
with the Centennial movement from
its inception, would give some account
Of its progress up to the present time.
Governor Biglcr rose TO respond, and
in Difference TO the request Of many of
the visitors, who evidently desired to
see as well as to hear him, vacated his
place at the table and asccnded the
platform, where bis appearance was
greeted with universal enthusiasm.
III said
Mn. President AND GENTLEMEN 1t
is my task on this delightful occasion
to present TO you, as best may, some
thing Of the progress and outlook of the
preparations for the coming Centennial
celebration Some three years ago, as
VIC were nearing the close of the first
century of our National Independence,
some Of those now in this presence,
without any agency Of their own, found
themselves surrounded with difficult
duties and grave responsibilities relat-
ing to the proper celebration of the
Centennial anniversary Of the event
that brought our Republic into exist
ence. | think | am entirely safe in
saying that those duties were all the
more acceptable because they were, in
the main, prescribed by law, and be-
cause the ceremonies to which they
related were to be conducted under
the auspices of the Government of the
United States" [Applausc.1
The propriety of the patriotic under
taking received the sanction Of Con-
gress, and was by that body commended
TO the people as fitting mode Of do
ing honor to the memory of the patriots
and soldiers who declared for and gave
practical effect to the principle of self.
government by the establishment of the
Republic. The management thereof
was committed TO commissioners from
the several States and Territories, and
to the Centennial Board of Finance, n
corporation created by Congress, and
authorized to raise capital for the
needed preparations by selling its own
capital stock. The ceremonies are TO
be something more than the spontanc-
Gus and noisy and impulsive demon
strations so usual on the Fourth of July.
They are to be In form to excmplify
and show forth the progress and
achievements of the Republic in the
first hundred years of its existence by
an exhibition of the natural resources
of our country and their development,
and of its progress in those arts which
benefit mankind In other words, a
National and International Exhibition,
through which shall be seen at glance
the progress that has been made in
discoveries and inventions, and in the
arts and sciences, and in the general
ways and processes Of human achieve
merits showing, also, how in these
things our infant Republic compares
with the older nations of the world. |
am sure enothngcould be more intensely
interesting than this picture. 1t will
show how we used TO do things, and
how we do them now. The thoughts
of each will return to bis own expert
ence. At this moment, doubt not,
those of my venerable friend on my
right Mr. McMichael are already
winging their way back to the days
of the primitive modes OF the art OF
printing and are comparing the sheep
skin ball, the molasses roller, and press,
with Hoes improved press and its ac-
companying instruments-thc folder
and sticlcr by which from ten to
twenty thousand impressions are
thrown off and done mn In an hour