Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-11
THE CENTENNIAL.

Philadelphia n happy. Not even the
first assembly Of the Centennial con.
grsss equsied the event Of yester.
day. The telegraph-the greatest of al
the inventions Of the century which was
70 brilliantly cOmmemorafed-c
Yeys TO our readers this morning q
very full report Of the pageant and DIG
rade, and the solemn, orderly and decor.
Gus dedies-tion Of the great palaces ofin.
dustry which reveal the spIendors of The
woIld. The President and cabinet, the
supreme court, both houses Of copgress,
the army, the navy, and all the depart.
ments OF the Federal government, SUD-
ported by the leading dignitaries of
several Of the States, and gsrnished by
foreign representatives of the highest
official standiDg--including the empe-
Tor OF Brazil--were present to heighteu
the Cctat OF an occasion full OF signifi-
cRpce for all Americans. Few other
nations in the T,eorld can celebrate the
anniversary Of their birth, and no other
that has ever existed can point to q
record OF progress so indicative Of high
culture in the arts and sciences, sound
rcemmon-sense IN non-psrtissn legisls-
ton, diffGsiveness Of education among
the masses, freedom from religious in
tolerance ard bigotry, and the highest
achievements in the agricultural and
mechanic arts. From three millions OR
roEustion has grown to forty. five mil
h)nsr snd in place OF three iasignifiel mt
p;JViBcial cities the total of whose iJint
annual trade was not equal to the hslf
OF that oi Memphis this year, we point
with pride to more than twenty cities o
over one hundred thousand population
aud 10 seven Of half million and over
each. Our exports from a few millions
have grown 10 nssTly fifteen hundred
millions annually, the one great staple,
COTTON alone, unknown to our COM
M s..ce 10 l776, making over womiIlions
4 dollars OF that grand sum. Thousands
II steamers and barges and hundreds OF
rtiirIad trains are engaged in carrying
The frlights Of the Mississippi valley,
zen terra iRcogaita, and cur coastwise
trade slong the gulf, the At.
lRltic and the Pacific, is more
than a thousand fold greater tnsn
all that our foreisthers contemplated
with pride when congress first estab.
lished customhOuses at Boston, Pniss-
delphia, and New York. No country,
In ancient or modern times, has, in 80
lref space, grown to such greatness
No other Eff.rds go many opportunities
Tor individual advancement, or offers so
generous an asylum to the oppressed.
Under government equal to all the de-
msnds and strains Of a sectional Wsr,
and go rapid q growth OF population,
much Of It foreign in language and in
blrthi the people enjoy the utmost OF
happiness, peace aud content, not the
least IF our boasts being that we have
fewer psupers, and that all the personal
and household comforts are more gener-
ally enjoyed than in any other
country on the earth. With
slch claims, and proud that
we are able iu truth TO make them, we
confront in Philadelphia to-day The in
dustries Of all the nations, rejoicing that
ia the exposition Of our handiwork we
are able to make good all we have as
serted of national growth and progress.
1t would have been better il a general
amnesty had made this page Of our his
tory a more loving lesson to us Of
the south, but, as Americans p7uud
Of the Republic which Washington
founded, we cannot slow partisan in.
justice 20 Obtrude between US and sn oc.
casiln foil Of patriotic inspirations. We
hail the Centennial year as a year of
ubilee, as the expression Of past progress,
aud the hsrbiBger ofa still more glorious
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