The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-05-18

the space, aud strenuous and eontinu-
Gus efforts haze been made to get
every exhibit ready in time.
By general consent the exhibition is
appropriately held in the City Of
BrOtherly Love. YOnder, almost
within your view, stands the vener-
ated edifiee wherein occurred the
event this work is designsted to COM
! memorzte, and the hall in which the
first Continental Congress assembled,
} Within the present limits of this
great park were the homes of the emf
nent patriots of that era. where
Washington and his associates re-
eeived general hospitality and able
counsel. You have observed the sur
passing beauty of the situation placed
at our disposal. In harmony with ali
this fitness is the liberal support given
the enterprises by the State, the city,
and the people individually,
In the name of the United States
you extended respectful and cordial
Invitations to the governments of
other Nations to be represented and
tn participates in this exhibition.
They responded from even the
most distant regions. Their Commits
sioners are here, and you will soon
see with what energy and brilliancy
they have entered upon this friendly
competition in the arts OF peace. It
has been the fervent hope of the Com
mission that during this festive year
the people from all States and sec.
tions, of all ereeds and churches, all
parties and classes, burying all resent
ments, would come uD together to
this birthplace Of our liberties to study
the evidence Of our resources, to meas
ure the progress OF aG hundred years,
and to examine, to our profit, the
wonderful products of other lands :;
but especially to join hands in perfect
fraternity, and promise the God of
our fathers that the new century
shall surpsss the old in the true
glOries Of civilization and, further
more, that from the association here
of welcome visitors from all nations,
there may result not alone great bene-
fits to invention, manufactures, agri-
culture, trade, and commerce, but
also stronger international friend
ships and more lasting peace. Thus
reporting to you, Mr.. President, un-
der the laws Of the government, and
usage Of similar occasions in the
name Of the United States, the Gen.
tennial Commissioners, 1 present to
your views the international Exhlbi-
ton OF 1876.
PRESIDENT GRANTS SPEECH.
When President Grant rose to re-
sp0nd, he was greeted with enthusiast
TIC and long continued applause, fol-
lowed by three cheers and q "tiger,"
led by Gen. Hawley.
President Grant then read his re-
spOnse To the presentation address.
His response was brief, and expressed
in well-chOsen terms his sense of the
Importance of the Exhibition and the
greatness of the events il commence
rates, So great was the confusion In
the crowd, however, and so low the
tone of voice in which the speech was
read, that people q few yards away |
could not hear what was uttered.
nY C0UNTRYMRN-II has been /
thought appropriate, upon this Gen.
tennial occasion, to bring together in |
Philadelphia, for popular inspection, |
specimens of our attainments in the |
Industrial and fine arts, and in litera-
ture, science and philosophy, as well |
as in the great business of agriculture |
and of commerce, that we may more |
thoroughly appreciate the excelIencies
and deficiencies Of our achievements, |
and also give emphatic expression to /
our earnest desire to cultivate the /
friendship of our fellow-msmbers Of |
this great family Of Nations. The en-
lightened, agricultural, commercial, |
and manufacturing people of the world |
have been invited to send hither cor
responding specimens of their skill, to |
exhibit on equal terms, in friendly /
competition with our own. To this in /
vitation they have generally respond
ed. For so doing We render them our /
hearty thanks. The beauty and utility 4
of the contributions will this day be /
submitted to your inspection, by the /
managers of this exhibition.
We are glad to know that q view of |
specimens of the skill of all nations I
will afford to you unsllOyed pleasure,
as well as yield to you a valuable prac-
tical knowledge of so many OF the
Femarkabto 60 81
One hundred years ago our country
was new, and but partially settled.
Our necessities have compelled us to
chiefly expend every means and our
time in telling forests, sub1uing prai-
ries, and building dwellings, factories,
ships, docks, warehouses, roads,
canals, machinery, etc. Most OF our
schools, churches, libraries, and asy-
lums have been established within q
hundred years. Burdened by these
great primal WORKS OF necessity,
which could not be delayed, we yet
have done what this exhibition VIII
show in the direction Of rivallng older
and more advanced nations, in law,
medicine, and theology ; in science,
literature, philosophy, aid the dne
arts. While proud of what we have
done, we regret that we have not done
more. Our achievements have been
great enough, however, to make it
easy for our people to acknowledge
superior merit whereveEsfOund.
And now, fellow-eitizens, / hope q
careful examination of what Is about
TO be exhibited to you will not only
inspire you with 3 profound respect
for the skill aud taste of our friends
from other nations, but also satisfy
you with the sttainments made by
our own people during the past one
hundred years.
l invoke your generous cooperation
with the worthy Com mmissiOuers to
secure q brilliant success to this En-
ternational Exhibition, aud to make
the stay of our foreign visitors, to
whom we extend q hearty welcome, {
both profitable and pleasant to them.
/ declare the Internal Exhibition
now open.
THE EXHIBITION OPEN.
The close of the Presidents brief
address was followed by the raising OF
q flag on the main building, 3 signal
that the Exhibition was open. Salutes
were fired, bells commenced ringing, I
the choir began singing the Hallelu-
jah Ch orus, chimes commenced ring
ing various airs, and the President
and invited guests, amid cheers from
the crowd, began q procession through
the main building and Machinery
Hall.
Progress through the buildings has
Just been concluded. President Grant,
Secretary Fish, aud the other mem
bers Of the Cabinet have Just driven
from the grounds. The cOrdOns OF
guards have been removed from the
approaches to the Main Hall, Me-
mortal Hall, and Machinery Hall, and
all parts OF sthe Exposition are
now open to the public. The
crowds which have heretofore lined
both sides OF all approaches
where the procession passed, have
dispersed to alr parts Of the grounds.
Cheers are resounding on all sides,
bells are ringing, bands are playing in
all directions, and the Centennial
Exposition of 1875 is formally opened.
PUBLIC DEBT STATEMENT.