The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-08-01
Fork Creek Fourth of July Celebration.


8the School taught at that place by Mr.. ]. A.
wv. BEEsoN, highly esteemed and eminent
teacher, who, with six of his students, constitu-
Sted the speakers of the day: About 10 o'clock,
$between four and five hundred persons were
&convened, who were formed ntoa line Of
8march by Mr.. ]. E. Robertson, Marshal of the
Mday. The male youths first, next the older
%citizens, followed by the speakers, and the la
dies bringing up the rear. This was done in,
Sorder that the ladies, though last in the march,
$should be first at the stand. They marched
23to the stand preceded by the Jefferson Band,
#cheerng their hearts with sweetly flowing mu''
&sic. When arrived at the stand the ranks'were
Szopened, and the ladies, bless their rosy cheeks
q and ruby lips forever-marched through first
and were appropriately seated-then came the
&speakers, who assembled the stand-then the
$.citizens and youths: who. being we'll seated,
the services were opened with prayer by Mr..
SsR. T. Myers Mr. NJ. D. Hill was then intro.
q duced who, in feeling. .and eloquent style,
Esread the Declaration of independence. Mr. J.
"a. w. Beeson, the orator of the day was then
sintroduced, who rose with serene and placid
kcountenance and rivited the attention of the al.
ditors for forty. five minutes, by delivering one
3of the ablest, most powerful and sweetly en-.
chanting Orations upon Independence, ever lis
tened to in Old Chesterfield. Indeed | would
mot be doing justice to the Orator, were not to
inform the reading public, in language void of
fattery or exageration that his Grafton was pro-
ssnounce, by many judges, to be the most chaste
!. eloquent, thrilling and mastery speech ever
3heard in this district, and the best adapted to
5&the occasion. The Orator beautifully and
spathetically parahrased upon the scenes prece-
5 ding, and following the Revolution; at oAe
time filling the hearts ofhis auditors with sympa.
.&~thy by reflections on the glorious struggle for
: liberty, and at another raising their minds and
hearts to the highest pitchofjoy, gratitude, and
sweet emotions, by reflections on the 'superla:
lively grand progress of our country in all
! those things having atendency to advance our
. prosperity, enhance our value and influence
!. and happiness, beautifully characterizIng: our
sons as plants grown up in their youth and our
stair daughters as corner pillars polished, after
'the;similitude of palace, giving fine portrait
OF the constitution, its benefits and its bles.
!, sings and closing with brilliant allusion to
! the extent and population of our noble union
and the spirit of freedom which characterizes
sathe American People Mr.. j. Fl. Garland wa
,next introduced, who delivered a beautiful ora
..tion upon South Carolina, in noble, pleasing
and eloquent manner, nicely, illustrating the
rise, progress, and advancement of our noble
.,likie state; and in his peroration eloquently
citing our beautiful daughters, to our high
schools as being great semnaries of learning
to which places they might 60 and gather lau.
rels on the hill of science and then be prepared
to become greater blessings and ornaments
: to their country. A recess was then given
when the Ladies who had prepared good eat
sings for the OCCASION, spread their ample ia
bles. A general invitation was gived whe
.the assemblage repaired to the different ta>
bles, and did ample justice to the festival
board had a.plenty and many baskets full were
! left. At the roll of the drum the audience
quickly assembled, when Mr.. J. A. Evans arose
/. and held them spell-bound with an address on
the progress Importance and influence of the
press. His Grafton was well composed and de.
liyered, in very excellent and oratorical man.
ner in which he most glowingly portrayed to our
minds the difficulties attending the infancy of
: this Republic, and then chased her beautifully,
in her unsurpassed progress from the day Un'
Gle Sam was born, to the present time, dwell
ing eloquently upon our progress in Plank and
Rail Roads, steam propelling and tanning the
lightning and causing it to pass from city to
city and say, there we are."
Mr.. T. C. Eubanks was now. introduced,
who entertained his hearers with chaste and
: truthful, beautiful and laudab!e address upon
Male and Female Education, delivered in a
feeling, eloquent and penetrating manner; beau
tifully illustrating the great advantages OF
cultivated mind over one in an unlettercd and
5 ordinary state, warmly urging the sons of our
I land by all means to seek and acquire an edu-
cation, and cheerngy and feeling y reminding
the fair sex, that their true home was in the
valley, among the flowers and not in the pull
pit, forum, or battle field; yet, it was to their
peculiar advantage and happiness to cultivate
their minds, by which, they could send forth
the emahations Of their souls to enliven and
ehlighten the world. B. F. Miller, youth,
then deivereda a beautiful ode on the beauties
of ourcountry, which was highly gratifying,
and to crown the Declamatory scene, a youth,
sir J. R. NJ. Beeson, son of the Orator, in an
excellent, pleasing and diverting style, deliver
!, ed an ode prepared for the occasion, in which,
he told all who wished to become good and
great farmers or statesmen, Just to paddle
their own canoe. "The little man was loudly
applauded." In fine, either more appropr-
. ate celebration, or more beautiful assemblage
of manliness and beauty, 1 never witnessed.
The ladies especially, of whom some 200 were
present, added infinite beauty and delight to
the occasion, with their countenances bcamng
with smiles upon the orators. must, in truth
say, that the ladies of Fork Creek are hard to
beat in beauty, sense and wit; in loveliness of
manners, rosy cheeks, and sparkling eyes
Ro The rouular toasts wera read hv Cant