Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-11
THE ADDRESS.

lhE ADDRESS
The committee assume that neithel
| an appeal to the patriotism OF our PEG
pie, nor even a welI-drawn picture (Wert
they capable Of doing it, Of the coming
| centennial, is what was intended or ex
pected when they were appointed. ThC
| purpose of the committee is simply t
organize and make suggestions, and, i
! possible, stimulate the people in all part!
Of the State to prepare for the nations
| coming great centennial. The legisla
! ture-thOugh the subject was brought be-
fore the present as well as the last gen
eral assembly-failed to make any ap.
Precipitation for having the State repre-.
scented and her products put on exhibit
ton. 1t is not the business of this com.
| mittee to condemn this action. Under
the constitution the legislature alone
must appropriate the public revenue
But the failure of the legislature to
make the appropriation brings abruptly
before the people, in their unOrg8niZed
capacity, the alternative Of raising
| money or going unTepresented at the
first centennial OF our nations birth.
| Can Tennessee afford to lose this, the
greatest Of all opportunities, to make
known to toe world her unbOunded re-
sources? is q question which interests
deeply the people of every cOun-
ty in the State. The purpose
and plan of the whole American PEG.
pie, as now July developed in the COM
ing centennial, are not, as some have
supposed, merely a national jubilee or
celebration Of great historic event, out
an international as well as national eX-
hibitiOn Of the comparative wealth of
nations, and especially the discoveries,
productions and growth of cur own
country for one hundred years. 1t is
now manifest that every civilized cOUn-
try on the globe will be represented, and
that the people Of all the States and Ter
TitOries will regard the exhibition as the
test, after one hundred years OF prepare
ton, of each others actual GUeditb, and
great natural advantages in producing
what man wants in the way of food,
clothing and shelter, SIS well as the luxu-
Ties Of iife-We repeat, it will be accepted
as the test. Viewing the Philadelphia
centennial i'll this light, can the people
of Tennessee afford, as their legislature
did, to foTegO all participation in the ma
TONS great exposition, striking their
cOlOTs year in advance Of the great
battle for supremacy in field which
will give to the victor undying honor,
as well as untold wealth? We ask the
people OF the whole State to unite with
Us in giving for answer an emphatic
mop Accompanying this address, or
very soon after its publication, will APP
pear list Of names-twO from each
county in the State-nOminated by
this committee and commissioned
by the governor, as a means Of
eiecting an organization for the whole
State. These gentlemen have been Sc
lected in the belief that they will at once
organize in their respective counties, and
give to this COmnoittee the benefit Of
their counsel. No one has yet suggested
8 plan which has been generally accept
ed for raising the required IunGs, ana
upOa this point we want the benefit of
suggestions from all parts OF the State.
What We want is harmonious action,
with common purpose. We are APP
prised thst some portions of the State
are more destitute from the failure of
crops than others; some have more
wealth than Others, and hence all should
not, under any circumstances, contrib
ute alike, but what we want is that each
community shall do what it can, and
the commissioners Of each county have
been selected with view Of their eXer-
cising 8 sound discretion as to what
their respective communities ought to
do. 1T will probably be necessary, after
comforting with our friends from all
parts OF the State, to make no general
movement to raise money until the re-
suit Of our present crop is known; but
if great work for Tennessee is accom-
plished, we must know in some short Pc
riOd Of the prospect OF raising money.
q ~ ariIo fC
on exhibition must be commenced
without delay; but what space
shall be applied for? What agen-
cies to 10 the work shall be en-
plOyed? What transportation shall be
provided, and what encouragement
shall be given the people to get their
products ready? are questions which
cannot be determined until the way to
raise the means is known. Hence the
first thing to be done is to see and re-
port what can probably be raised in each
county. Therefore we suggest to the
commissioners in the respective cOun-
ties that they, with other citizens who
are alive to putting Tennessee on exhi-
OitiOn, call meetings on the Fourth of
July, one in each county in the State,
to consider the amount which should be
raised, and the ways and means OF do |
ing it. 1t may not be amiss for the !
to say, that upon q canvass |
Of the question it is believed that twenty |
i've thousand dollars would put up the |
resources Of the State on exhibition fair |
y and with credit, and would indeed |
prove what we have long tried without !
much success to establish, tO-Wit, the !
great superiority Of Tennessee over any |
other State in her combination or re- |
sources. We have thirty-fys counties /
n the State rich with irOn-perhaps in |
quality and variety equal to any part of |
he United States; and then in its close |
proximity to coal and limestone sur
passing all other known iron countries.
Now, with an opportunity to make these
acts known to the whole world, if the
means are raised, will not an effort be
made, and will not the men who have the
money gladly contribute, when there is
% much st stake? The variety and char
,cteT OF our productions, If fully shown,
would, in the enhancement OF real es-
ate, return to the pockets of the people
he amount asked with much increase.
)ur very poverty is the strongest reason
Why the money should be raised. We
re too much in need Of advertising our
not to do it. We have immense
Orests untouched, vast tracts Of land I'M
vast beds of iron ore, coal,
0pper, lead, and numerous other min.
rails, yielding nothing, bringing no re-
urn for want OF. capital and enterprise.
( they are advertised, capital and enter
rise will come and work them. Our
if put on exhibition, will
dvertise our lands, and no class will be
1ore benefited than the landowners.
he great variety Of our productions, the
nslysis of our soils, the pictures Of our
ast water-poWers, Photographic views
our mountain scenery, truthful de-
criptions OF our lovely climate, and
,ithaI cheerful and patriotic spirit I'M
er the Stars AMI Stripes, will do more to
ring good people with their capital and
MUSCLE to the State than private sgen-
les can do in twenty years. For the
eOple OF Tennessee to furnish this
honey will be a most profitable
lvestment-not a gift. 1t is not too
luch to claim that Tennessee's first
reat soldier, SEWER, with his volun-
GERS, turned the tide Of the revolution
Kings mountain, and there did as ,
luch to plant the flag OF liberty as was
one on any battlefield Of the seven
ears war. And Tennessee's second s
-eat soldier in the second war immOr-
.lized the State and gave US an ever {
sting inheritance in the flag which he
)held. Sad events for time estranged
J, but being again under the flag, let us
leerfully, cordially and openly honor c
with the patriotism and products of a t
nd that DOW kpOWg no fac hIlt fba | =