Evacuation Day

( statk of Michigan, "( ExecütiVe Office. To the People of the State of Michigan: For many years after the eessation of active hostilities between Great Britain and the United States in the revolutionary war, the Britisli refused to carry out the terms of the peace and surrender to the Americans the territory (hey had won, and it was not until the eleventh of July, seventeen hundred and niuetysix, at Detroit, thiit tlie Brilish flag flually eeased to float over any part of the country whose indepeudence had been acknowledged thirteen years before. It is proposed to recognize tlie centennial of the evacuation of Detroit by the British, by a celebration at Detroit on the eleventh day of nextJuIy. The importance of this e vent to the Nation, and especially to the great middle and western states, demands filting recoguitiun from the executive of the state, and every citizen who can do so is earuestly urged to attend the celebration of the anniversary of this memorable event. The definite and final yielding up of this western región gave the federal govermnent the control not only of the great lakes, but of the Mississippi as well, and indeed, in its finality, of all our western territory clear to the Pacific coast. On that date the American flag, with its seventeen stars, was first raised over our soil, and its raising meaut the speedy iounding of the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. With the raising of the flag on July eleventh, seventeen hundred and ninetysix, British domination over any part of our country ceased, the "rebels" then living here breathed freeh', and the way was opened for all the blessings we now enjoy as a part of the United States of America. In historie interest and importance, no other date in connection with the west is of equal value, for the surrender of Detroit marked the close of the war of the revolution, and the final accomilishment of the results fought for by our fathers during so many years, and ;he date of that event should excite natriotic loyalty in the breast of every member of the commonwealth and be ;reasured in the memory of every citizen. Given under my hand and the great seal of the State at Capitol in Lansing, ;his twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight mndred and ninety-six, and of the independence of the United States the one hundred and twientieth. By the Governor, Washington Gardner, Secretary of State.