of ceramics, pottery, glass, etc., the American awards numbered about 100, but were almost entirely confined to the useful rather than ornamental classes; foreign countries received about 200 medals, a large part of them, particularly those of France, Great Britain, Germany and Austria being given for purely artistic work. More than half of nearly 350 medals awarded for furniture and other household accessories came to America; about 30 in 150 of those awarded for silverware and jewelry; nearly 100 of 275 for paper and other stationery. Of 450 awards for cotton and cotton goods, we received about 100; in woolens and silks the proportion stood at 140 to 620; in hardware, cutlery, surgical instruments, weapons, etc., 230 to 475; in leather, skins, boots and shoes, etc., 155 to 250; in forestry and arboriculture, timber, worked lumber, dye-woods, etc., 25 to 125; in general animal and vegetable products, tobacco, flour, the cereals and manufactured food, about 250 to 3,000. Our wine-makers received a much larger proportion of medals than those of foreign countries, but the figures give us but 27 in a total of 925. France received 45 medals for wine; Germany, 99; Italy, 136; Spain, 140, and Portugal, 385. Of 32 awards for pianos, 18 came to American makers; 7 went to those of Germany; 2 to Russian makers; and one each to France, Switzerland, Norway, Canada and England. Switzerland received 32 out of 55 medals for watches; England, 10; France, 5; the Netherlands, 2; Germany, 1, and the United States, 5. The small number given to this country, in spite of the alarm of the Swiss commissioner, is accounted for by the fact that American watches are chiefly made by a few great factories. For instruments of precision, including watches, pianos and scientific or mathematical instruments, we received about 150 medals in a total of between four and five hundred; of nearly 700 awarded for educational exhibits, books, etc., the Americans secured about 170. In the fine arts we earned about one-fifth of the entire 600; the greater number of these were for the semi-mechanical arts, such as photography, etc., rather than for painting or sculpture. The greatest American triumph was in the department of machinery, in the distribution of awards as in the exhibition of articles. One thousand medals were awarded to American makers and inventors, against less than four hundred to those of all other nations.

We cannot conclude this chapter in more fitting words, perhaps, than by quoting those of M. Simonin, the French commissioner, who has used language, in his report to his own government, which no American could use without being charged with undue readiness to extol the merits of his own country. In reading these words, however, we must not forget that the greatest benefit of the Exhibition to ourselves has been the education of the American people

in a much-needed direction-due respect for other countries, and for the great industrial progress all other civilized nations are making, in common with ourselves. M. Simonin says: "The Exposition shows the foreigner that America can clothe Europe, and can feed her; she has her own coal-can smelt her own iron, steel and copper; she is wresting their methods and secrets from European workmen in jewelry, gold, silver and bronze work, luxurious furniture and clothing. In a word, she can do without Europe, and threatens her in all her markets, even China, Japan and South America."

PART V.

STATE REPRESENTATION AT PHILADELPHIA.

I-UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS AND THE STATE

CENTENNIAL BOARD.

OON after the act of Congress providing for the appointment of the Centennial Commission, the Hon. H. P. Baldwin, then Governor of Michigan, received from the State Department at Washington notice of the fact, and of his expected action under it, in pursuance of which Governor Baldwin appointed Hon. James Birney, of Bay City, as commissioner, and Hon. Claudius B. Grant, then of Ann Arbor, but now of Houghton, as alternate commissioner. Mr. Birney attended the organization of the Commission, and soon thereafter issued an elaborate address to the people of the State, explaining the design and object of the enterprise, and asking their aid and co-operation. Mr. Birney also gave an address before the members of the Legislature, at the State capitol, in the winter of 1875, which served to further awaken an interest in the subject. Efforts made to secure fuller details of Commissioner Birney's work, for this volume, have been unsuccessful. Mr. Birney was appointed minister of the United States at the Hague, in the latter part of the year 1875, and Hon. Victory P. Collier, of Battle Creek, was appointed by Governor Bagley to fill the vacancy thus caused in the commissionership.

In the summer of 1875, an address, in the form of an appeal to the people of the State, was issued, designed to aid the subscriptions to the Centennial fund. So much of the address is given as will show the ground covered by it:

To the People of the State of Michigan:

FELLOW-CITIZENS-We who herewith sign this paper feel impelled by a sense of duty toward the entire Union, our obligations to it, our State reputation, and interest as a State, to address you upon the important anniversary we are called upon to celebrate in 1876, to wit: the Centennial, or the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Declaration of our National Independence.

We do not forget that two hundred years ago a small settlement was made in our State, on the spot where the beautiful city of Detroit now stands, and that our beginning has passed its two hundredth anniversary; but our growth was slow, and it was not until sixty years had passed after the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, that we became a sovereign State, and added our star to the galaxy of the Union. Forty years will have passed over us Forty years will have passed over us as a State when the Centennial anniversary of our nation's birth will call us to join our sister states in its celebration. Proudly can we take our place in that assembly. But four-tenths of the century in existence, we can return a population over one-third that of the old thirteen states, when for us and all mankind they declared for freedom and self-government.

We have reaped the result of their Declaration and subsequent defense of it; it is, therefore, but fitting, proper and right we should exhibit our productions of soil, mine and manufacture, side by side with our sister states, for the inspection of the world. In doing this, our pride as citizens would not permit us to accept the shelter and machine power proffered free for that Exhibition, without lending our proportion toward the cost of preparing the necessary buildings and machinery. *

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[The address gives a résumé of the project of the Exhibition, which is fully covered by the first chapter of Part IV of this volume, and which, with other unessential and obsolete portions, is omitted here.]

As citizens of Michigan, we should also be influenced by a proper regard to the interests and duty of this State as a constituent member of the Republic. If higher motives were wanting, the opportunity thus afforded for making conspicuous before the whole country and the world the extent and superiority of our natural advantages, should of itself be a sufficient inducement. But citizens of Michigan cannot forget the patriotic duty they owe to the nation, whose birth and grand achievements they are asked to unite in commemorating in the year 1876.

The late Legislature, by its act appropriating $7,500, to be used by a commission of the Governor's appointment, has at once manifested its sympathy, and openly committed the State of Michigan to a fitting participation in the great event. It but remains for the people to redeem this pledge by a splendid exhibition of the products of our industry, and by such subscriptions of stock in aid of the national fund as they ought to make, and as shall be worthy of 1,240,000 of patriotic and intelligent people, occupying the best portion of the American continent.

The International Exhibition is now an established fact, sufficiently advanced and provided for to put up the buildings. The whole United States is committed to it, and its complete success or failure will fall on each state alike. To make it a perfect success, this $3,500,000 subscription must be provided for at once by the states outside of Pennsylvania. Most of it must be expended before next winter. If the people will thus back the labors of "their Commission" and the Board of Finance," there will be a success worthy the occasion and the nation.

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In conclusion, we advise each and all of our citizens that canvassers for stock subscriptions will soon be sent amongst you, and we ask for them your kind attention, and such subscriptions as you feel you can make, remembering it is not a donation, but an investment, with a certainty of return.

An act of Congress provides that medals for the Exposition shall be struck at the United States mint, and their duplication or counterfeiting prohibited, the same as United States coin; these medals to be sold for the benefit of the Exhibition. Messrs. M. S. Smith & Co., jewelers, of Detroit, have been appointed agents for the sale of medals in Michigan.

The headquarters of the Centennial Board of Finance and Bureau of Revenue for the State Michigan have been established at the Russell House, Detroit, where General H. S. Lansing, general agent of the Centennial Board of Finance, will be found ready to receive subscriptions,

issue stock, appoint canvassers, and give any information needed in regard to the past or present condition of the Exhibition, its future prospects, mode and form of application for exhibition, space, etc. All interested are invited to call.

(Signed)

JOHN J. BAGLEY,

Governor.

JAMES BIRNEY,

U. S. Centennial Commissioner. CLAUDIUS B. GRANT,

Alternate U. S. Centennial Commissioner.

THE STATE CENTENNIAL BOARD.

Governor Bagley, in his message to the Legislature, session of 1875, called attention to the subject of the proposed Exhibition, and the following act, which is referred to in the foregoing address, was passed:

An Act to provide for paying the expenses of the supervision of the products of soil and mine, works of art, and manufactured articles, as the citizens of Michigan may send to the Centennial Exhibition, to be held in Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, during the year eighteen hundred and seventy-six. SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That the Governor is hereby authorized to appoint a board of managers, consisting of four persons, representing the agricultural, pomological, mining and manufacturing interests of the State, whose duty it shall be to supervise the forwarding to the place of the Centennial Exhibition, in Philadelphia, to be held between the months of April and October, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-six, all such articles, whether of art, or the products of the soil and mine, or of manufactures, that any of the citizens of Michigan may desire to send to such Exhibition, and shall provide storage for them at the place of shipment, and make such arrangements for freight and conveyance as shall best serve the interests of the owners of said articles: Provided, that the cost of transportation shall be paid by the owners of said articles.

SEC. 2. The members of said board of managers shall be entitled, for their services, to a sum sufficient to defray their actual and necessary disbursements in the discharge of their duties, and for personal expenses while actually engaged in the performance of the duties of said board. SEC. 3. That the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated from the general fund for the purpose of paying the expenses of said board, as above described.

SEC. 4. Upon satisfactory vouchers of expenses incurred, exhibited by the managers to the Governor, it shall be the duty of the Auditor-General, upon the requisition of the Governor, to draw his warrant on the State Treasurer for such sum or sums, not exceeding the amount hereby appropriated, as may be necessary to be used for the purpose hereinbefore described.

SEC. 5. The Governor shall be chairman of the board of managers, and shall have power to remove any of said managers, for good and sufficient cause, and to appoint others in their place. Approved April 28, 1875.

Pursuant to this act, the Governor appointed Hon. Jay A. Hubbell, of Houghton, Hon. Henry Fralick, of Grand Rapids, Hon. Jonathan J. Woodman, of Paw Paw, and Hon. Merrill I. Mills, of Detroit, as members of the Board of Managers. The first meeting of the Board was held in Detroit, August 13,