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Hit the very front of the best class of periodical literature in America, stands the Magazine of American History, one of the chief leaders of public sentiment in all affairs concerning American history.

The June Number closes the Twenty-first Volume of this excellent Magazine.

"The Magazine of American History is the most vigorous and valuable journal of its class in this country."-PITTSBURG CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

"Its contents always embrace papers of real worth and of deep interest."-NEW YORK TIMES, December 31, 1888.

HE MAGAZINE OF AMERICAN HISTORY is carefully read by the great majority of our public men-in the various departments at Washington, and by State and municipal officials everywhere—and, as in no other monthly periodical, the former politics, policy, and measures of the government are intelligently discussed for the benefit of present affairs. With the June number is completed its twenty-first Volume, and these volumes, handsomely bound, are a treasure in any library, public or private. They form a unique and valuable library in themselves of the history of the country. The vast field for historic research in even so young a country as ours is well illustrated by the fresh and varying contents of each number of this ably edited and popular Magazine. This magnificent periodical is sustained by the best and most cultivated people of the country; it is a magazine that has a remarkably flattering outlook for the future. PRESS COMMENTS. "The Magazine of American History is an honor to its accomplished editor, and to the country at large."-NEW YORK EVANGELIST. "This periodical is one of the most valuable undertakings in American journalism."-THE CHURCHMAN, July 7, 1888. “We delight in this review, there are such choice chapters of American history told so vividly."-ZION'S HERALD, July 20, 1888. "This excellent publication is a public benefactor as well as educator, exerting, as it does, an important influence in cultivating a taste for historic reading, and a desire for historic knowledge.” -FREEMASON'S REPOSITORY. "It is a superb work. There is no kind of reading

more refined and pleasing. If you wish to keep posted on all the important facts of history, nothing can be of more value than this magazine.”—THE STUDENT, Cumberland University. "Romance and fiction pale before the glowing interest that is stirred up by raking the embers of our own historic lore."-CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. "What promises to be an unusually valuable series of papers on 'Historic Homes and Landmarks,' has been begun by Mrs. Lamb in the Magazine of American History."-NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Jan. 10, 1889.

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VOL. XXII

JULY, 1889

No. I

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THE STORY OF THE WASHINGTON

CENTENNIAL

HERE is a force streaming from a nation's glory-the memory of its great men-as irresistible as the sunlight. The personality which invested with warmth and color and invigorated with vitality every feature of the recent centennial festival in New York, was the genuine secret of its overwhelming success. While the birth of the Republic was the dominant idea, the majesty and magnetism of its first guide and guardian ruled the hour. And associated with Washington everywhere at this supreme moment, like veritable guards of honor, were the heroic statesmen of his time, whom we all learned to know much better than hitherto as they were marshaled again and again before us in their velvets and satins and ruffles and shoe-buckles.

The celebration has passed into history, and we are now sufficiently advanced into the next century to be able to turn and review its scenes and incidents without prejudice and with decided pleasure and profit. No one concerned in the brilliant affair either as an auxiliary or spectator will be apt to forget it, but, like the participant who could see only a fraction of the battle in which he was engaged, may not be able to appreciate its picturesque magnitude and world-wide significance unless lifted into some descriptive height where the immense whole may be taken in at a glance. The graphic accounts which appeared from day to day in the monster metropolitan and other newspapers during the jubilation were marvels of journalistic cleverness, and must have been extremely welcome to those who had the opportunity of reading them. But to the multitude of workers who were exerting every energy to keep the complicated machinery of such an enormous undertaking in good running order, and to the legions who every instant for three successive days had too much of interest passing before their eyes for literary recreation, the accumulation of record became unwieldy. If the statement be true that the newspaper accounts of the jubilee joined together would be ample in extent "to carpet a strip of landed territory reaching round the globe as wide as the

VOL. XXII.-No. 1.-1

Equator," then we must not expect the field will ever be exactly convenient for ready reference. Yet no one can expect or hope to do the subject better justice than did the press contributors. As to overestimating the grandeur of the occasion or the importance of the events which inspired it, that was not within human possibilities. The first century of a free government was sublimely opened by the revered Washington, sustained and applauded by an intelligent and liberty-loving people, and the second century of the same government, having meanwhile been tried in the fiery furnace and come forth like true steel, with its blessings for millions of the human race, was opened by the President of the nation on its one hundredth birth-day, in 1889, in the midst of an object lesson impressive beyond any ever witnessed in the world's history, and more effective in its educating properties than a million schools with their teachers and books and blackboards. Where is the language that can fashion a picture surpassing the reality? The common vision has fortunately been immeasurably broadened for all time, and the triumphal arch spanning the entrance to Fifth Avenue at Washington square, will, it is hoped, stand to the end of that interesting period as a permanent mile-stone in American progress.

Our present concern is with the salient facts attending the commemorative demonstration. To touch these in a single chapter requires heroic treatment; thus many details must necessarily be omitted.

The committees and others in charge of the observance of the anniversary were for months engaged in active preparatory work; for celebrations have not the miraculous power of creating or controlling themselves. The scope of the programme was enlarged and amended from time to time as the exigencies of the prospect seemed to demand. Two hundred of the prominent citizens of New York formed the general committee, of which Hon. Hamilton Fish, former secretary of state, was president, and Clarence W. Bowen, secretary. From this committee were appointed an executive committee and ten sub-committees, each with onerous duties to perform. The efficient chairman of the executive committee was Elbridge T. Gerry, a grandson of Elbridge Gerry who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and was elected vice-president of the nation in 1812. Every state in the Union was invited to participate in the festivities, and almost every organization and interest applied for recognition. Invitations were everywhere accepted with alacrity, and the uninvited were disconsolate. The spirit of patriotism seized the entire continent. When it became apparent that not less than two or three million visitors would honor New York with their presence, much anxiety reigned lest the great hospitable city should find her resources insufficient for their accommoda

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