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PRESENTED BY MR. COPELAND

FEBRUARY 1 (calendar day, February 3), 1928.-Referred to the
Committee on Printing

23

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 143

[Reported by Mr. BINGHAM]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
February 9, 1928.

Resolved, That the manuscript entitled "Report of the Sesquicentennial of American Independence and the Thomas Jefferson Centennial Commission of the United States" be printed as a Senate document.

Attest:

II

=

EDWIN P. THAYER,

Secretary.

NATIONAL SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

REPORT OF THE SESQUICENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

AND THE

THOMAS JEFFERSON CENTENNIAL COMMISSION OF THE UNITED STATES

I. CREATION OF COMMISSION

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: The Sesquicentennial of American Independence and the Thomas Jefferson Centennial Commission of the United States was created by Public Resolution 20, enacted by the Sixty-ninth Congress, hav.ng been introduced into the Senate by United States Senator Royal S. Copeland, of New York, and in the House of Representatives by Congressman Robert L. Bacon, of New York, and after having been passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House of Representatives it was duly approved and signed by Hon. Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, on April 26, 1926.

Under the terms of the joint resolution the commission included the President of the United States, the Vice President, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In addition, Vice President Dawes appointed Senators George P. McLean, of Connecticut; Joseph T. Robinson, of Arkansas; Simeon D. Fess, of Ohio; and Royal S. Copeland, of New York; Speaker Longworth appointed Congressmen Finis J. Garrett, of Tennessee; John Q. Tilson, of Connecticut; R. Walton Moore, of Virginia; and Robert L. Bacon, of New York; and President Coolidge appointed Charles Francis Adams, Dr. Edwin A. Alderman, Claude G. Bowers, Mrs. Anthony Wayne Cook, Henry Ford, Stuart G. Gibboney, Thomas Fortune Ryan, and Felix M. Warburg as members of the commission.

There is attached hereto and made a part of this report as "Schedule 1" a copy of the joint resolution known as Public Resolution 20, Sixty-ninth Congress.

II. ORGANIZATION MEETING

The first meeting of the commission was held at the White House upon the invitation of the President on Thursday, May 13, 1926. The commission duly organized and the following were unanimously

and duly elected as officers of the commission: Honorary chairman, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States; honorary vice chairman, Dr. Edwin A. Alderman, president of the University of Virginia; chairman, Stuart G. Gibboney, president Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation; Charles Francis Adams, vice chairman; Claude G. Bowers, secretary; executive committee, Royal S. Copeland, chairman; Robert L. Bacon, vice chairman; Finis J. Garrett, George P. McLean, and Felix M. Warburg.

A copy of the secretary's minutes of the first meeting of the commission is hereunto annexed and made a part of this report and will be known as Schedule 2."

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III. MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A meeting of the executive committee of the commission was held at the office of United States Senator Royal S. Copeland in the Senate Office Building on June 10, 1926, at 11 o'clock in the morning, and United States Senator Simon D. Fess, presided.

A copy of the secretary's minutes of the meeting of the executive committee is hereby attached and made a part of the report as 66 Schedule 3."

IV. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

On May 31, 1926, in accordance with the provisions of the public resolution creating this commission, Hon. Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, issued an address to the American people calling upon them to renew their fidelity to the fundamental principles of the Declaration of Independence, while according to Thomas Jefferson, its author, the recognition due him by virtue of his services enumerated by the President in his address.

To this end the President suggested in behalf of the commission that the period commencing June 28 and ending July 5, 1926, be known as American independence week and be celebrated throughout the Nation, in accordance with the program prepared by the commission and published as a part of the President's address.

There is hereunto attached a copy of the address to the American people promulgated by Hon. Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, together with the plan for American independence week and the instructions to all committees for the observance and celebration of the said week. The said copies are hereby designated as "Schedule 4."

V. CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE WEEK

American independence week was celebrated throughout the Nation in accordance with the plan suggested by the commission and promulgated by the President of the United States on June 28, 1926. The celebration commenced with the ringing of bells throughout the country at the moment of 11 a. m. as the "Echo of the Liberty Bell." At that instant millions of school children in all parts of America stood at their places and recited the official Patriot's Pledge of Faith. In Washington the ceremony was arranged by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, under the

direction of Mrs. Alfred Brosseau, president general of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

On July 3, 4, and 5 national exercises were held at Charlottesville, Va., Thomas Jefferson's native city; the University of Virginia, of which Jefferson was the father; and at Monticello, Jefferson's home, which was established as a national patriotic shrine in memory of the author of the Declaration of American Independence. The main address on that occasion was delivered by Hon. Frank B. Kellogg, Secretary of State of the United States.

A report of this celebration is contained in the report of the president of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, hereinafter referred to.

The text of the addresses delivered on this occasion is set forth as part of this report, to be known as "Schedule 5."

VI. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

On September 25, 1926, the commission received the formal report of the president of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, in which he included a report of the work and accomplishments of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation since its organization, including therein a report of the observance of American independence week, and also the plan for the future education and patriotic work of that association, with which this commission was directed to cooperate under the terms of the public resolution creating the same.

There is attached hereto and made part of this report a copy of the report of the president of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, which is marked "Schedule 6."

RECOMMENDATIONS

We respectfully submit the following recommendations for the consideration of the Congress of the United States:

First. We recommend that the 13th day of April of each year shall be celebrated as the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence.

The State of Alabama has set that day apart as a legal holiday, and has thereby shown a splendid example to all the other States. Not from his pen alone but from the mind and soul of Thomas Jefferson was created for the American people and for the inspiration of the world that immortal certificate of the birth of American democracy, our Declaration of Independence.

No document can be more sacred to us. Our Constitution is but the form we adopted to carry out and preserve the fundamental ideals of liberty and equality which we proclaimed in the Declaration. At best it is a transitory form changing by amendment and interpretation with the progress of our Government and civilization. It is our bounden duty as good citizens to support the Constitution and to regard with a just pride that great creation of American statesmanship.

But the immortal Declaration of American Independence is a sacred document worthy of the deepest love and reverence; for Thomas Jefferson therein once and for all time set down the funda

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