Year: 1876

The previous question on the Centennial
appropriation bill will be called to-day at
5 o'clock, and then, after another hours
debate, the vote will be taken. The ques-
tion of constitutional power has been very
fully discussed. and we do not see that it
will seriously affect the result. 1t is true
Mr.. Tucker showed, to his own satisfaction
we doubt not, that. the Constitution, un-
derstood and administered as he would do
it, would forbid the appropriation. while
other more conservative men, Senators
Bayard and Gordon. show clearly the Con-
stitution, understood and administered as
it has been, from Washington to the pres
ent time, admits of the appropriation, and
the precedents are without number, while
leading lawyers in both branches of Con-
gress go so far as to maintain that the ques-
tion cannot seriously arise-that it is in
separable from the existence of the Gov
ernment as one of the family of nations
that the Government would have no right
to use public money to write its history or
display its achievements, and could not de-
fend its own honor or its own life. Mr..
Tucker will search in vain in the Constitu-
tion for authority to coerce State and re-
strain it from Withdrawing from the Union,
and yet he knows that the public money
was lavishly used for that purpose, and he
would not dare say at this day that it was
unconstitutional.


On the general subject the debate has
taken q wide range, but it seems to us that
the points in the case are very simple and
the theory Of the Government easily un-
dcrstoCd. Congress in 1871 commended
the celebration of the Centennial annivcr-
sary of the Declaration of Independence to
the favorable consideration of the people.
and it provided for its management by oai-
GERS from all the States and Territories. In
1872 it brought into existence an agency TO
carry out the purpose declared in the law
of 1871. In all this the Government WAS
in no way committed to raise the money,
but it was the duty of the Centennial Board
of Finance TO receive from the people of
all the States and Territories contri5u-
tions 10 the fund and subscriptions tn
the capital stock. In each of those laws





tennial Board of Finance were restrained
from the creation of debt against the Gov
eminent nothing could be clearer than
this. But the Government did not thereby
in any way exclude itself from extending
TO the people helping hand in carrying
through the work by furnishing part of
the money, and nothing can be in more
wretched taste than the allegation that the
Centennial managers act in bad faith when
they bring this subject to the attention of
the representatives of the people. They
would be unworthy of the trust they have
accepted if they did not make known their
real condition, and no fair-minded man
will pretend that they have not a reason
able excuse fol their failure to raise the en-
tire amount. That is found in the de-
pressed condition of the country, beginning
as far back as August, 1873 nor will any
fair minded man allege that but for that
depression in business and financial affiirs
the aid of Congress would have ever been
applied for.


We notice in the debates that those op-
posing the bill talk about some other party.
They say 'they promise so.and-so." Who
promised: Who constitutes the party be-
sides the Government? Why, the people
Of the United States-the whole people.
They failed to provide the money. If the
appropriation be granted who will furnish
the money? 1t will be the people in the
broadest and most equitable form. The
real question to statesman and patriot at
this hour is, "what is the best thing to be
done?" The Government has undertaken
to celebrate the birth of the Republic by an
international exhibition Of arts, manufac.
lures, &c. Foreign nations have been cor
daily invited in the name of the United
States, and they are coming 10 participate
in the ceremonies. Under such circum-
stances is it not wise, honorable and just to
complete the preparations, no matter who
may have been at fault in furnishing the
means to carry out the preparations, and
regardless whether it was wise or un-
wise to undertake this great work? We
are so far advanced in it that the
Government cannot neglect it with
out disgrace, and as far as the practical
bility of raising the sum still needed from
different sections of the country in the
time that remains, those who have that
work in charge say it is utterly impracti
cable, and we think they ought TO know
better than others. The State of Pennsyl-
yania has acted noble part. The city of
Philadelphia has given to an extent in fur
nlshing means and extending hospitality
and taking steps to inspire friendship in
the work that no other city ever dreamed
of doing. The total sumyraised within
the limits of that State is 81, ,699, 200. In