The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-12-15
MESSAGE
OF TIE
President Of the United
States.
OF THE

1 To he Senate and House Of Repre-.
seRtGtiUes:
In submitting my seventh annual
message to Congress. in this Cen
teunial year of our national existence
as free and Independent people. it
affords me great pleasure to recur to
THE ADVANCEMENT THAT HAS BEEN
MADE
from the time of the Colonies. one
hundred years ago. We were thea
n people numbering only three mil
I lions: now we number more than
forty millions. Then our industries
were confined almost exclusively to
the tiilage Of the soil; now manufac-
lures absorb much of the labor OF the
country. Our liberties remain unim-
paired. The bondsmen have been
freed from slavery. We have become
possessed Of the respect, if not the
friendship, of all civilized nations -
Our progress has been great in all
the arts, in science, agriculture, com
merce, navigation, mining, mechanics,
law, medicine. etc, and in general
education. The progress is likewise
encouraging. Our thirteen States
have become thirty-eight, including
Colorsdo, which has taken the initia-
tory stops to become a State, and
eight Territories, including the Indi-
an Territory and Alaska, and ex-
cluding Colorado, making territory
extending from the Atlantic to the
Pacific; on the south We have extend
ed to the Gulfof Mexico, and on the
west from the Mississippi to the
Paeifc. One hundred years ago the
cotton gin, the steamship. the rail-
road, the telegraph, the reaping, sew
ing and modern printing machines,
numerous other inventions of scarce
( ly less value to our business and hap
piness, were entirely unknown. In
l776 manufacturers scarcely existed,
even in name. In all this vast terri
tory in 1870 more than two millions
of persons were employed in manu-
/ fscturies, producing more than ST.
l00,000,000 Of produce in amount
annually, nearly equal to our nation
al debt. From nearly the whole of
the populace Of lTT6 being engaged
I in one occupation Of agriculture, in
1870 so numerous and diversified has
become the occupations of our peo-
pie that less than six millions out Of
more than forty millions we're so en-
gagged. The extraordinary effect pro.
duced in our country by resort to
such occupations has built market
for the produces Of fertile lands dis
tant from the seaboard and the mar.
kets Of the world. The American
system of working various and ex-
tensive manufactures next TO the
plow and the pasture, and adding
connecting railroads and steamboats,
has produced in our distant country
results not equaled by the intelligent
parts Of other nations. The ingenuity
aod skill of American mechanics
have been demonstrated at home and
abroad in q manner most hatterine
to their pride. But for the extraor
dinary grade and ability of our NE
chanics, the achievements of oul
agriculturalists. manufacturers and
transporters throughout the country
would have been impossible ofattain
ment.
The progress of The miner has also
been great. OF coal our production
was small now many millions Of
tons are mined annually. So with
iron. which formed scarcely an sp
preciable part of our products half 8
century ago. We now produce more
than the world consumed at the be.
ginning of our national existence.
Lead. zinc and copper, from being
articles of imports. we may expect to
be large exporters of in the near fu
ture. The development of gold and
silver mines throughout the States
and Territories has not only been re-
markable. but has had large influ
ence upon the business of all com
merclal nations.
Our merchants in the last hundred
years have had q success and have
established a reputation of enterprise
progress and integrity unsurpassed
toy people of older nationslities. This
good name is not confined to theil
homes. but goes out in every sea and
into every port where commerce en-
ters.
With equal pride we can point Il
our progress in all of the learned
professions. As we are now abou
to enter upon our second centennial
copmeneing
OUR MANHOOD AS A NATION,
il is we'll TO look back upoa the pas
and study what will be best to pre-
serve and advance our future great
ness. From the fall of Adam for hi
traDsgression to the present day, M
nation has ever been free from threat
ened danger to its prosperity ant
happiness We should look to th,
dangers which threaten US, and RENE
dy them so far as lies in our power
We are Republic, whereof one mai
Is as good as another before the Law
Under such = form of government j
; Is of the greatest Importance that al
should be possessed of
EDUCATION AND INTELLIGENCE
} enough to cast vote With 8 righ