Arguments and Speeches of William Maxwell Evarts

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: IV WHAT THE AGE OWES TO AMERICA Centennial Oration Delivered In Front Of IndependEnce Hall, Philadelphia, July 4, 1876 The invitation to deliver the Centennial Oration was conveyed to Mr. Evarts in the following letter: ? International Exhibition United States Centennial Commission Philadelphia, November...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: IV WHAT THE AGE OWES TO AMERICA Centennial Oration Delivered In Front Of IndependEnce Hall, Philadelphia, July 4, 1876 The invitation to deliver the Centennial Oration was conveyed to Mr. Evarts in the following letter: ? International Exhibition United States Centennial Commission Philadelphia, November 22, 1875. To the Honorable WHliam M. Evarts New York City. Sir: ?-In obedience to the unanimous vote of the Executive Committee of the United States Centennial Commission, I have the honor to invite you to deliver an oration at the national celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in this city, July 4, 1876. The exercises, conducted under the general direction of the Centennial Commission, and following the general custom of the Country, will consist of a prayer, an oration, a poem, the reading of the Declaration, vocal and instrumental music, salutes of artillery, bell-ringing, and a civic and military parade. It affords us great pleasure to pay you this tribute of respect, and we hope to receive your acceptance at an early day. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Joseph R. Hawley, President of U. S. Centennial Com. M To this Mr. Evarts sent the following reply: ? New Yobk, December 1, 1875. To the Hon'ble, Joseph R. Hawley, President of the U. S. Centennial Commission. My Dear Sir: ?I have had the honor to receive your invitation, in the name and by the authority of the Executive Committee of the United States Centennial Commission, to deliver an oration at the national celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on the 4th of July, 1876. I am profoundly sensible of the great distinction which the Committee