The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-07-11
THE CAMDEN JOURNAL.
Wednesday Morning, July IL, IS49.
W. TuURLow cAsToN, EDITOR.
CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH.

- CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH.
Engagements elsewhere prevented us from
hsias: present at the celebration in this place.
but friend has kindly furnished US with the
following notice: ~
The 73d Anniversary of our National exist.
ence dawned upon US bright and beautiful, &c.
na and bland as May day, yet bracing as
October. At early dawn, the boom of cannon,
the merry peal of bells, and the glorious " stan
dard sheet" proudly floating from our venerable
steepIe, announced that Americas sons were
again called on to celebrate their natal day,
and to do honor to the memory OF those choice
spirits who had achieved their country's great.
ness by their own ruin.
Owing to the allurements presented in
Charleston and Columbia, many Of our citizens
were absent; the streets were very qniet, and
our accustomed procession very small, but to
our surprise, OH reaching the Presbyterian
Church, we found that spacious buiding-sa.
cred alike To relirin,, nnlI nlIA-..-,-:~+ism-crowd
ed to overfowng,
The services of the day were introduced by
tho Rev. DR.. S. S. Davis. who read from Goth
Numbers the blessings of God upon vrtuous
people-a mos, appropriate selecton-one most
fitting the day and the OCCASION. This is, as
far as we are informed, an innovation upon the
usual routine of the celebration but, for once.
we ware pleased with innovation, and hope that
this occasion will have established precedent
never to be departed from. 1t will certainly
not be custom '' in the breach OF it better com.
mended than in the keeping"
Alter reading, the Rev. Doctor poured forth
from the depths of his heart full measure of
thanks to the Great Ruler Of Nations, who had
so long marked us as His "chosen people" and
implored continuance of His divine guidance
and cherishing care. This prayer was most
affecting, and must have met thrilling response
in the heart Of every listener.
The Choir sang in fine style a patriotic ode,
after which the Declaration of Independence
was read in clear and impressive manner, by
DR.. C. J. Shannon. The Choir again delight.
ed the audience with its inspiriling strains,
when F. L. Villepigue, Esq, arose and pro.
nounced an Grafton which we should be sorry
to subject to the injustice Of sketch. After a
most graceful and chaste Introduction, the Ora.
tor proceeded to very discriminating review
Of the past of our country-apostrophize in
glowing rapture the blood of Lexington, and
rejoiced in it as the invigora'ing fructifer Of
that tender germ of L beny which was further
developed amid the Carnage of Bunker Hill
aud the heroism of Fort Aloultrie; and whose
fruits, after lhe fross Of seven winters, in rich
profusion hung invilingly for the wearied and
oppressed of all the earth. He drew with mas.
lerly hand sketch of the events and their et
fects from the Declaration 10 the present limeS
took an enlarged and patriotic 1iESof our pres.
ent position, and lifting the ve held up to view
the bright promise of the future, obscurcd by
one dark, threatening, cloud-lanaticism-drcw
a striking analogy between the relation which
the South now bore to the Federal Union, and
that which the Colonies III 10 Dore 10 Inc
NJ other country.
There was no heart in that audience which
did not thrill with Indignation upon consdca.
ton of our wrongs-which did not join with
the Speaker in his appeal to Heaven, to avert
the crumbling Of this fair fabric-to prevent
the destruction of this goodIy heritage, and, in
any event. there was no true man there who
was not ready to excam with the Speaker:
"I.and of the South, lmperal Land,
Then here s health 10 thee.
Long as thy mountain barrieEi end,
Aay'st thou be blest and n
May dark dissension's banner ne 'cr wave
Over Thy fertile loan.
But should it come, here s one will die
To save his native Home"
| nAFThp doy of execution of James Brown