Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/379

 good will and approval. Stone and I were both pall-bearers and attended the funeral. I issued a public proclamation.

During this summer the International Exposition at St. Louis, to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase, was opened. I determined that Pennsylvania should take a prominent part and that the opportunity should be seized to bring before the people of the state and the nation the importance of what she did at the time of the purchase in contrast with other parts of the country. Her vote in Congress was unanimous for the purchase, but the fact had never been pointed out except by Henry Adams, who describes her as the potent factor in the government at this period. Without this purchase we never could have been much of a nation.

The legislature appropriated the sum of $300,000 for the state's participation. I appointed a commission of representative men to take charge of the matter consisting, together with those selected by the legislature, as follows: Rh