National Republican., 1876-01-10

| bASA Ah opplOPiialiOh II bS
likely to kill subscriptions from the people
and embolden the committee to engage in
designs and expenses that would involve an
additional appropriation of millions, some
in wild flight of fancy estimating the mum
Der as high as ten or fifteen. Such clouds
have given place to clear sky, and now
Congress is happily in position to deal
with ascertained facts, which on this point
are simply these: The Centennial Board
of Finance in their statement of December l,
1875, say that the sum of S5, 224. $50 has
been subscribed and secured to the Centen-
nial fund, and that only 81, 500, 600 more is
required to make perfect the design of the
committee in the completion of the exhibi-
ton buildings for the opening day and
leave them free of debt. 1t is not our pur-
pose at this writing to state how the
money has been raised. All well Uniformed
persons know that it came out Of the patri
otic American purse of the American peo-
pie, who want celebration commensurate
with the grandeur and glory of American
history for the last one hundred years.
The argument is dead as door nail now,
but some in Congress, last year, said it was
private affair, and not international at all.
Since then thirty-six great foreign nations
have made full and legal arrangements to
be represented in it, and several of them
have and are erecting private buildings on
the grounds for their own special purposes,
and the protection of their goods has been
secured TO them. States as States had not
! then taken hold of it, but now seventeen of
| the principal ones have come forward
| in their sovereign capacity, and at the in
stance of the Taxpayers of those States for
| State representation in this exhibition,
fact quite medicinal enough to quiet
! the nerves Of any member who is afraid he
will be voting away some of the "dear peo-
pies money" With most earnest regard
for economy, with a most cOmmendable
sagacity, with the most thorough, business
lite nreccdure, the committees, to whom
work, as it stands to-day, was entrusted,
have brought it up to the uttermost point
of their ability. They are absolute ly pow
erless to go further. AS honorable, scru-
pulously fair dealing men, they say they
| oAS ot q oSSAAdSllliy anu IOI huOh MuSIO
they can get another dollar. They make
an emphatic statement concerning the ad.
ditional sum they want, and the Congress
| of the United States cannot with honor re-
fuse its aid. with honor?' Aye, with
honor. 1t is well, in this connection, to
very briefly review the part the United
States has taken in this matter We quote,
as the facts cannot well be more succinctly
stated, from the report of the select com.
mittee on the Centennial celebration made
to the House January 6:
'In March, 1871, in compliance with the me-
mortal of the American Institute of New York.
Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, the councils
of Philadelphia, the Legislature of Pennsylya-
mia, and many patriotic citizens, the Congress of
the United States decided that the one hun
dredth anniversary of American independence
shall be commemorated by holding an exhibit
tion of American and foreign arts and manu-
factures, and made provision by law for this
appropriate celebration.
"The preamble to said law commended the
declaration to the favorable consideration ofthe
people as eminently proper and patriotic; and
to the end that it mightbe perfectly nationali in
its characteristics, provision vas made that it
should be managed by commissioners from the
several States and Territories, to be appointed
by the President of the United States, and
that it should be held under the auspices of
the Government of the United States;' at the
same time leaving 1t to the people to raise the
necessary money therefor by voluntary con-
tributiOns. After fuller deliberation, and in
order to give greater effect to the aforesaid
law, Congress, in June, 1872, incorporated the
Centennial board of Finance, with authority
to raise the necessary funds by selling shares
of stock in said corporation to an amount net
exceeding S10,00O,OOO.
"The President of the United States, by au-
thority of law, on July 8, 1873, made procla-
maticn of the character, time and place of the
exhibition, and commended the same to the
favor and support of the people of the United
States, and TO all nations who may be pleased
to take part therein
''The United States Centennial Commission
was organized March 4, 1872, by the election
OF Ex-Governor Joseph K. Hawley, of Connec-
ticut, as president; and the Centennial Board
of Finance on May 10, 1873, by the election of
John Welsh, esq.,, of Philadelphia, as pres-
dent. These bodies Immediately entered upon
the duties assigned to them under the laws;
and your committee have abundant reason for
the belief that they have ever since continued
TO discharge these duties with the utmost dill
gence, and with the sole desire to accomplish
the purpose set forth In the said laws of Con-
gress, by designing and executing such pre-
parations as will do credit to the country when
completed.
1.-The financial and commercial depression
beginning in September, 1873, was the first
serious obstacle encountered in the prosecution
Of the task. Such was the alarming influence
of this panic upon the ability of the people to
fun uish capital that the Centennial managers
deemed it their duty during the winter of
1873 IA TO call the attention of the President
and Congress TO the financial wants of the en-
terPrise. The House of Representatives, after
asomewhat protracted discussion, decided to
adhere to the original policy of leaving it to
the people to furnish the necessary means by
voluntarily subscribing TO the stock OF the Gen.
tenn al Board of Finance.
subsequently Congress, by a Joint resolu-
ton, requested the President 'toextend, in the
nsme of The United States, a respectful and
cordial invitation TO the Governments of other
nations to be represented and take part in the
International exhibition This request was
promptly complied with by the President; and
the invitation has been accepted by no less than
thirty-eight foreign Powers, and the greater
| number of these nations are making liberal
preparations to participate in the exhibition.
''On May z, 1874, material aid was denied
by Congress, and yet on the 5th of June fol-
lowing all the civilized nations of the world
were cordially invited to join in the interna-
tional exhibition and American celebration"
Upon an unprejudiced mind such facts
leave the impression that the Government
is in some way connected with the affair.
Thirty-six Governments have accepted the
invitation of the United States to take part
in its Centennial celebration, and when
they get here, by their representatives, the
absence of host would be q situation
rather inhospitable than otherwise, if not
wholly ludicrous. Such state of things
would make us the laughing stock Of the
world. When Russia accepted her invita-
ton, the Emperor said:
sI have deemed II agreeable TO the tradi-
tons Of friendship which have always existed
between Russia and the United States to ac-
cept the cordial invitation from the Cabinet Of