1492. COLUMBIA. 1892. 
 
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 E 119 
 
 THE 
 
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 copy 1 . PROPOSED CELEBRATION 
 
 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, 
 
 WITHIN THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 AND SOLELY BY 
 
 NATIONAL AUTHORITY. 
 
 Washington, D. C, December 15TH, 1889. 
 
 VIEWS OF THE 
 
 HON. S. C. POMEEOY, 
 
 IN SUPPORT OF 
 
 SENATE BILL 613, 
 Introduced by Hon. JOHN J. INGALLS, of Kansas, 
 
 December ^tk, j88g. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. : 
 Gibson Bros., Printers and Bookbinders. 
 1889. 
 
TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 TO AMERICANS EVERYWHERE. 
 
 No event in human history, no discovery by Newton or 
 Copernicus, no achievement in art or science since the 
 appearance of the Christ-Child of Judea meant so much 
 for human welfare as the Christ-opher Columbus of 1492. 
 
 This American continent had enjoyed the repose of the 
 ages. Its sleep had been unbroken. " There was not a 
 man to till the ground." 
 
 The great rivers of the continent had moved onward to 
 the oceans for unnumbered years ; Niagara had poured 
 her endless waters, and the untrodden mountains had 
 towered in their magnificence, but no commerce was borne 
 on the former, and no miner dug gold in the latter. So 
 the centuries came, and so they went. 
 
 Upon other lands civilization had begun her triumphs. 
 Its light had dawned. " A vine had been brought out of 
 Egypt. The heathen had been driven out to plant it." 
 And it flourished. Great efforts to establish a government 
 for man had been made, and repeated under conditions 
 more or less favorable for success. Experiments had been 
 tried, indeed, all the nations of the Old World had made 
 efforts for an equitable civil government, but w'ith ever 
 varying successes. The great " Mistress of the World " 
 had appeared, conquered, and triumphed, and then mea- 
 surably disappeared. In the meantime a race of men des- 
 tined to dominate, and born to rule, had appeared upon 
 
the Island of Great Britain, subdued their enemies, and 
 established civil government. Tliev founded free schools, 
 preached a, free gospel, recognized human rights and civil 
 liberty, in a civilization Avhich is the liopc of tlic woild. 
 
 The government in the mother country was a tliousand 
 3'ears old when the Pilgrims landed at Plymoutli, and yet, 
 co7istitutio))a/ IJherty in written Law, had been nowhere 
 \vell establisluMl. 
 
 T repeat that a. i'rcc^ government for man, ailapted for 
 men of all nations, and for all times, where human liberty 
 and equal civil rights were to be embodied in a written 
 constitution, and Liberty i(n<Ier Lav\ the one (iod of t/ie 
 Nation, had b(>en nowhere successfully accomplished. 
 
 This great American (/"ontiuent, nne\ph)red and un- 
 known, lay in the Western Hemisphere, in the end)rac-e of 
 barbarism, awaiting the advent of its Lord. 
 
 When 1492 dawned upon Europe, discoveiies h'd by 
 Columbus opened this grand theatre for tlu> entertninment 
 and establishment of Christian civilization. 
 
 The curtains which had hung over the western waters 
 were to be uplifted, and one man, inspirtnl with the concep- 
 tion of a New Wcn-ld, undertook amidst most a})palling dis- 
 couragements to find it. He applied for aid, and tlu> 
 officials of all countries turned away from his appeals. No 
 State, no nation, Avould venture in such an enterprise. The 
 Cardinals of the Church even suggested that " Columbus 
 be drowned in the deep sea !" 
 
 Again was exemplified the old story, " iStruggU'S hefore 
 victory^ 
 
 At last one noble woman listened to the enthusiasm of 
 the young Cohunbns. Slu^ proifered the jewels from her 
 person and })laced them at his service. 
 
 After this were the means provided for the expedition. 
 And such an expedition ! and meaning so much I This 
 
3 
 
 voyage; iiivolv(ul tlu^ character of Cliristoplier Cohiinljus 
 more even tliaii ho valued liiw life. And more than that - 
 and more than any man tlKui con(;(!i ved or (hircid to hope — 
 it involved the dcistiny of mankind in tlx; ))in|)oses of 
 Almighty God ! 
 
 That voyage tested the faith and pluck of the one 'man 
 who had adopted this expedition as the dream of his life. 
 His conrage gave inspiration to those; who became dis- 
 lieartened. And the sight of land, in the month of Octo- 
 ber, 1492, was like a gilded morning rising upon a niglit 
 of darkness and tempest. 
 
 The probhnn of a Western World was now solv(;d. Other 
 expeditions followed. Tln^re were plenty of men now who 
 claimed that they knew of a Western World all tliis time, 
 and long before. 
 
 But history has V)een just to th(j memory of tliis one 
 man, and, surrounding the name of Christopher Columbus, 
 is written the glory. 
 
 The planting of a nation when only such facilities as 
 were then known to man were at hand, was an immense 
 undertaking. The good and the bad elements in human 
 character were alike engaged in the work. More than the 
 lirst century was consumed in the excitement of new dis- 
 coveries. 
 
 And when at last the planting of States began there was 
 no oneness of sentiment or of purpose. For human free- 
 dom and human slavery were introduced the same year. 
 Sixteen hundred and twenty is no more memorable for the 
 landing of Pilgrims, than for the landing of slaves ! The 
 one came over in a frail bark and landed at Plymouth, the 
 other, in a Dutch vessel, landed at Jamestown. Thus were 
 planted two systems of civilizations, instead of one, in the 
 same year, and both systems had their race upon this con- 
 tinent for more than 250 vears. 
 
At last, in our day and time, this one inconsistency of 
 American liberty has passed forever away, and the " one 
 blood," of which " all the nations are made," is now in- 
 volved in American citizenship. So that after 100 years 
 of our constitutional period, and 400 from national dis- 
 covery, we are for the first time prepared to celebrate the 
 grand meaning of planting this American Nation upon this 
 unoccupied American Continent, a land reserved for ages 
 in order to be dedicated to this great purpose. For a sec- 
 ond time in the world's history "has a yine been brought 
 out of Egypt ; the heathen driven out to plant it." 
 
 In all this, however, men " builded better than they 
 knew.'" To celebrate such an achievement, and for the 
 American Nations to make suitable exhibitions of their 
 progiess and developments of four hundred years, is a 
 work of no ordinary magnitude. 
 
 It is conceded that it must be held under the sanction and 
 sftithority of the United States. It must be a National 
 and International Celehration. The President must be 
 authorized to extend the invitations, and Congress must 
 make due preparation for the entertainment, and its bene- 
 fits are so apparent that the people of all the States should 
 be only too glad to share the expense. 
 
 To lay this subject before the people, aud to properly 
 introdiTce it to the Congress of the United States, is no 
 small task. To this end all selfishness and all thought of 
 personal gain or loss must be swallowed up in the one 
 object — the success of the Celehration. The plans for that 
 object should be well matured. 
 
 First. No place can be as appropriate as the Capital of 
 such a nation ; for the United States occupy the central 
 portion of the continent. The provinces in the far North 
 and the countries of the South can mutually and conven- 
 iently meet at this centre, and an appropriate centre it is. 
 
Washington,' embracing the District named for this Co- 
 lumbus — where the laws are made, and the law-makers 
 congregate ; where all executive function presides ; where 
 sits the Supreme Court, the glory of our system of national 
 jurisprudence ; where are located the grandest Pepartment 
 Buildings of the world, and the National Museums ; where, 
 in the process of building, is tlie noblest Library House 
 ever seen in all the ages of learning and civilization ; where 
 reside the seat of diplomacy and the home of the diplo- 
 mats ; where rests the Army, the Nav}^ and the Treasury, 
 containing more money and less matured debt than any 
 national treasury in the world. What place, what city, 
 can command such attractions, save the Capital of such a 
 nation ? And especially so, as this District is the only 
 place where " national jurisdiction " and " exclusive legis- 
 lation" are provided for in the fundamental law. 
 
 This prerequisite of authority in the premises, is not ob- 
 tained in any State, or any cit}- of a State. And all such 
 claims for the Columbus Exhibition of 1892 are con- 
 fronted by legal obstacles which cannot be overcome in 
 season for the needed preparation. 
 
 The title for such a site as is needed cannot be acquired 
 from unwilling owners, in a State, by appraisement and 
 condemnation. The natiomd authority for this cannot 
 be exercised in a State, for the State has no authority to 
 acqiiire title in this way for the uses of the General Gov- 
 ernment. And that Government cannot exercise such 
 authority unless the State cedes it, and the State cannot 
 cede it, except the United States acquire the title. 
 
 Again, it has been decided, over and over again, that 
 the General Government cannot exercise control over land 
 in a State, except for the uses provided for in the Consti- 
 tution, such as customs and the post-office uses, etc. And 
 even this provision does not carry with it authority to 
 
control the site, until the jurisdiction be ceded by the 
 State. The State then looses the right to tax it, or to 
 govern it. 
 
 The obstacles in the way of National control of the ex- 
 hibition-site, in a State, are so great that it is best to 
 abandon the effort before it is undertaken. 
 
 I know of no way it can be secured from unwilling 
 owners of the land. 
 
 The one place free from all embarrassments is the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia. 
 
 This is National gro\ind. The people of the whole 
 countr3'are at home here. Here is exclusive jurisdiction. 
 
 It is the grandest capital of the grandest nation on the 
 face of the globe. 
 
 As this Republic is to be the controlling centre of the 
 English-speaking people of the world, so this Capital city 
 shall be its concentrating focus ; and all English civiliza- 
 tion shall revolve about it. 
 
 The beginning of such an epoch is now at hand. Al- 
 ready business and commercial alliances are being formed, 
 our own corporations are being bought up, and such 
 commingling of European and American capital fore- 
 casts the grand political alliance, which shall ere long- 
 secure the peace of all the world. 
 
 To inaugurate and carr^^ forward such an exhibition is 
 a work of National magnitude. Tlie wliole matter should 
 be placed in the hands of a National Commission to be 
 called the " Celebration Commission,'''' to be composed of 
 two men, appointed by the President and confirmed by the 
 Senate, from each of the 42 States, two from the District 
 of Columbia, and one from each of the Territories. 
 
 AVlien thus appointed they should meet, and apportion 
 the work to such sub-committees as may be necessary, 
 and the lesser committees should have the full powers of 
 
the whole Commission upon the subject-matter committed 
 to it ; such a Commission equalHng in numbers the Amer- 
 ican Senate, and we may hope not inferior to it in abihty 
 and patriotism. Into the hands of such a Commission, 
 Congress can afford to place all the appropriations, and 
 leave all the responsibility to their management, from the 
 beginning to the end. 
 
 This having been provided for, Congress should place 
 in the hands (or at the disposal of the Commission), under 
 the approval of the President, sufficient money to pur- 
 chase, b}^ appraisement and condemnation, 300 acres of 
 ground as sites for buildings and appurtenances upon 
 the elevated plateau of land overlooking the city upon the 
 north or east, and not included in Mount Pleasant. 
 
 Ten acres of this ground, not including what may be 
 necessary for streets, should be set apart for the uses of 
 the National Government, and two and one-half acres for 
 the use and occupancy of each of the States, and this same 
 amount (not lessened by streets) for each of the Spanish- 
 speaking States south of us, or of their central govern- 
 ments if they so elect, and five acres for tlie Republic of 
 Brazil ; and the same amount for the Dominion of 
 Canada, with two and one-half acres for each of the lesser 
 provinces. 
 
 Congress should authorize the free use and occupancy 
 only of these respective parcels of ground, leaving all and 
 each of the occupants to erect such exhibition halls and 
 places of exhibition as their own tastes and means may 
 allow, and all at their own expense ; the purpose being to 
 concentrate and congregate at this Capital an exhibition 
 of the handiwork of all the peoples of the Continent, with 
 their varieties in language, products, and achievements ; 
 and such a congregated show of all American Nationalities 
 will be an admirable spectacle to gods, to angels, and to 
 
men. It marks the progress of liiimau development and 
 stimulates to the greatest achievements Avithin the possi- 
 bilities of created intelligence. 
 
 And not only is this true of American Nations, but all 
 European countries have mingled their blood and are 
 amalgamating with American citizens. And this process 
 will not sooner Europeanize America than it Avill Ameri- 
 canize all Europe. And the}^ are now ready to celebrate 
 human achievements with the nations of this continent. 
 
 And should such European nations signify to the Pres- 
 ident their wish and purpose to join in such an exhibition 
 for the benefit of mankind, and desire a place alongside of 
 us, for their products and achievements, then the Congress 
 of the United States should authorize the purchase, " by 
 this Commission," giving live acres of ground for each 
 European nation that accepts it for this purpose, upon the 
 same terms and conditions as are enjoyed by American 
 nations. Thus let also the Empire of Japan, which is 
 already adopting our civilization, and has signified a wish 
 to participate with us, be also provided for. Let all come 
 who wish to come. It is a convocation in tlie interest of 
 all human achievements, and will tend to the advancement 
 of mankind and secure the peace of the. world. In such 
 an undertaking we may Avell pause to reflect upon its dan- 
 gers and benefits. 
 
 Tlie dangers will lie in our want of conception of the 
 magnitude of the Exhibition and failure to enlist National 
 support. To this end every citizen of Washington, every 
 business and professional man, and especially the press, 
 of this city should now be earnestly enlisted. 
 
 With this local aid and preparation, thoroughly iitilized, 
 the early action of Congress Avill be necessary. To be suc- 
 cessful there, the ajjpropriations, modest in amount, must 
 all be administered upon by the Commission provided by 
 law. Something like the following Avill be required : 
 
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 For exhibition grounds (or so mucli thereof as 
 
 found necessary) $5,000,000 
 
 For gradino- the streets and clearing the lots, 
 
 &c ^ ' 1,500,000 
 
 For buildings necessary for the General Govern- 
 ment 500,000 
 
 For expenses incident to the celebration and 
 
 necessary thereto 1,000,000 
 
 Making in all $8,000,000 
 
 That sum placed at the control of the Commission, with 
 the co-operation of the President of the United States, 
 Executive officers, and Governors of States, and State leg- 
 islatures, and success Avill be assured. 
 
 I cannot enlarge upon the benefits of such a celebration. 
 They are unspeakable and full of glory. Pecuniary ad- 
 vantages may be calculated by millions of dollars for every 
 thousand expended. 
 
 But there are other considerations besides dollars and 
 dimes. There is for this nation power, dignity, and glory, 
 which money cannot purchase. Tliink of a government 
 and institutions planted upon an unappropriated continent, 
 which had been reserved and preserved for this purpose ; 
 a government which had no precedent in the world's his- 
 tory ; a government securing inalienable rights to men in 
 the fundamental law ; a government embracing all humanity 
 in its terms of citizenship — shall yet become the control- 
 ling centre of the civilizations of the world. Older nations 
 which cannot recuperate or expand will gravitate to such 
 a centre. The bone and muscle of the best nations of the 
 Old World are now citizenizing in the New Hemisphere, 
 and coming, too, with their wealth and their power. 
 
 Nations which accumulate del)ts and never calculate to 
 pay principal, only a low rate of interest, and struggle by 
 taxation to do that, will ere long learn that, with an emi- 
 
10 
 
 grating population, taxation has its limits, and they are 
 reaching that limit. Roj'alty, too, is expensive ; imperial- 
 ism is extravagant ; and undtu- such conditions revolutions 
 are inevitable. 
 
 The success of this great National Commemoration means 
 an open view of the achievements in civilization of all the 
 nations, at the Capital of the greatest of all, to be utilized 
 and appropriated. This will in turn augment the wealth 
 and power of the New World Columbus discovered. 
 
 I leave this subject by saying — 
 
 1st. This is to be a National and International Convo- 
 cation. 
 
 2d. It must be held under the /^^;v'.sr//6V^:»rt and anfhority 
 of the National Government. 
 
 3d. That jurisdiction and authority cannot be acquired 
 or exercised for this purpose in any one of the States, 
 without a change in the fundamental law, and the uniform 
 l^-actice of the Government. 
 
 4th. It can only be held where the General Gov- 
 ernment has " exclusive legislation," and unquestioned 
 authority. 
 
 Respectfully submitted by 
 
 S. C. POMEEOY. 
 
 WashinCxTon, D. C, 1339 K Street. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 011 250 686 ft