Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1917-12-13
MISSOURI HISTORY AND
STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL

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The Executive Committee of the
Committee Of One Thousand on Mis-
souri's Centennial of Statehood has
planned an observance in the schools
of the State the eighth of January,
1918. On that date, one hundred
years ago, was taken the formal step
to make Missouri a State in the
American Union.
The petitions asking that Missouri
Territory "may be admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the
original States were presented in
Congress the eighth of January, 1918.
The date was significant. Missouri
had "done her bit" in the battle of
New Orleans. Bullets for Andrew
Jackson's army were manufactured
at Herculaneum, in what is now JEFF
ferson county. Missouri lead was
dropped from the cliff in jefferson
county. This munition factory was
established by Macklot, a French pa
triot, who had been imprisoned in the
Bastile and who had become Mis-
sourian. Macklot took this ammuni-
ton down the Mississippi to New Or
leans in time for Jackson to win his
GLORIOUS victory"
Another Missourian did much to
win the battle of New Orleans. Cot
ton bales played as great part in
obtaining victory for the American
forces as "hogs of lead" In Decem-
Der, 1914, John Mullanphy, of st.
Louis, had bought all the cotton in
New Orleans. He freely offered his
bales to General Jackson for use as
breastworks, and being more than
a "pocket patriot" he defended his
goods and country with a rifle.
Descendants of Maeklot and Null
lanphy live in Missouri. They are
represented among the earliest vol
unteers in the present war.
Macklot sent back from New Or
leans to Joseph Charless, editor of
the Missouri Gazette, the news of
Andrew Jackson's victory The night
the news arrived in st. Louis, by
courier, the town illuminated" with
tallow candles in every window. When
the time came to present the petitions
for Statehood to Congress, the ami
versary of the Battle of New Orleans
was chosen as the most fitting date.
Then was launched "the Missouri
Question" which Thomas jefferson
said was "the most portentous which
ever threatened our Nation
The Executive Committee believes
that this one hundredth anniversary
of the beginning of the Missouri
Statehood movement is worthy of at
tention by the educational institutions
Of the State.
The proposed Centennial observance
on January s, 1918, has been heartily
endorsed by Hon. Uel W. Lamkin,
State Superintendent of Schools of
Missouri Mr.. Lampkin will issue a
personal letter to all city and county
school superintendents urging appro-
pirate exercises by the school boys
and girls of Missouri.
The State Historical Society of
Missouri and the Missouri State Cen
tennial Committee of One Thousand
will issue a hundred page pamphlet,
compiled by DR.. Walter B. Stevens, of
st. Louis, president of the State His
torical Society, on "Missourians One
Hundred Years Ago" in which will
be related the story of Missouris
first formal step for Statehood, of
Misouri's life and customs a century
ago. This pamphlet will be sent to
Missouri's public schools and libra
ries through the courtesy of the St.
Louis Convention and Publicity Bu-
reau, and the St. Louis members of
the State Historical Society, and of
the Missouri Centennial Comittee.
Flag drills, addresses at public
gatherings and local pioneer relic dis
plays, will be features of the day over
the State. Interest in Missouri his
tory, in her past and present great
ness, will be aroused among Mis-
sourians, young and DID,
The first of Missouri's Centennial
observances, the eighth of January,
1918, will mark the beginning Of a
number of celebrations over the
State down to August 40, 1921. The
missouri Centennial Com. of One
Thousand at its convention in Kansas
bCity on November rs and 26, 1916,
favored at least five statewide Cen
sItennial celebrations at Kansas City,
dist. Louis, Sedalia (durlng State Fair
skWeek), Columbia and Jefferson City
4Ebesides local county celebrations in
SsS1f Sf the onGihgpa1eiFS1d fourteen
a1.s 9sslssi on as the CEN
ter of a statewide observance owing
to its historic past and its having
been the temporary capital of Missou-
ri from 1921 to 1926. Many Of the
couzs lpssctional in
I.eEssI lsFs ,SutR u 39hiisst6tg, T@ties as
Bsonyille, Lexington, Fayette, Lib
, city, Independence, St. Joseph, Hanni-
bal, Louisiana, Ste. Genetieve, Jack
son, Pctosil, Cape Girardeau, New Ma
drid, Springfield, and many others,
will make ,theik sceabrations extend
:. Ebesond county lljsIss
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