Centennial Celebration e-bog

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. To-day is the Nation's Centennial Anniversary, and impelled by a patriotic desire to celebrate it, coupled with a request from the Congress of the United States to the people of this nation, we have assembled ourselves to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies, and to listen to an address descriptive of the local history and resources of our country.<br><br>One hundred years ago to-day, our fathers signed the declaration which announced to the world that we were a free people, and as such would take our place, amongst the nations of the earth. Then continued the strife of battle (already begun) to establish our right to freedom, and after many years of sacrifices, and painful vicissitudes, victory came, and our nationality was fully recognized by all nations.<br><br>The century which has just passed into history, has witnessed a progress in the growth of this nation - in material wealth and in those arts and appliances which indicate a real advance towards a higher civilization that has no parallel in the history of any people. Our seventy-five thousand miles of completed railways, the extension of our telegraph lines, and the almost daily inventions in the mechanic arts, which give to man a respite, if not an absolute release from muscular exertion - its teeming population, its free schools, its peaceful and beautiful homes, are but part of the evidences of our mighty progress.<br>At this moment, in the city of Philadelphia, there are hundreds of thousands of people from many lands, witnessing with pleasure and amazement the progress we have made. There on the grounds of the great Exposition thousands of our own citizens, are now inspecting the myriads of evidences, we have exposed to the world, for its criticism, and they will go to their homes all over this broad land, exultant over these evidences of thrift and progress their country has made during its short life as a nation.<br><br>We are to-day, a free people pro