Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-04
EVENING STAR.
Celebration of the Fourth Of July in Santa
Fe, New Mexico.
Correspondence Of the Evening Starl
SANTA FR Julv "a 1855

notice of the celebration of tho 4th of July in
this far distant and secluded portion of our
Union. The performances of the day were
conducted in beautiful and imposing man
ner. No accidents, no disorder, no fights, nc
drunkenness or bad conduct occurred to mar
the pleasures of the day or entertainments Of
the evening.
| The Masons were out in regslia, and, headed
by the brass band of Col Fauntleroy's regi-
ment, they marched from the lodge room to
the Plaza, in front Of the Governors palace.
The band made the welkin ring with rich notes
OF sweet harmony; and as We looked aloft
and saw the stars and stripes futtering in the
| breeze at the top OF the flagstaff, we felt that
we had country, matchless republican, free
country. A handful of Americans as we are
| in the midst of seventy thousand Mexicars as
yet unfamiliar with our history and institu
tions-surrounded by hostile and pIundering
tribes Of unframed savages, and seemingly
forgotten in our interests and welfare by the
Government of the United States-yet on this
| day the glorious "reminiscences or the past and
| blessed hopes Of the future came thronging
upon US with redoubIed vigor
The procession was formed a few minutes
before twelve o'clock, under the direction of
Mr. Elias Brevort marshal Of the day, and
consisted of Hon. David Meriwether, Cover
nor; Hon. VIM. NJ. III. Davis, Secretary Of the
Perry E. Brocchus; the members of the Ma
sonic lodge, and the military officers from va
rious parts of the Territory; the speaker of
the day, and the citizens generally-Ameri-
cans and Mexicans.
At II O'Clock, IN, the procession marched
| around the Public Plaza, and the usual salute
was fired; after which the whole body entered
i a nnrt-l ruho he L,x, -,
| eral national airs in fine style. The Declara-
| tion of Independence was then read in the
| Spanish language by Mr.. Charles P. Clever,
and neat, elegant and patriotic speech was
delivered in the Spanish by a native New
Mexican, Don Nicholas Quintana after which
the Declaration of Independence was read in
English by the Hon. Perry E. Brocchus, who
prefaced it with few beautiful, eloquent,
and appropriate remarks, a copy of which,
! through the politeness Of Judge Brocchus,
| enclose for publication.
Remarks of the Hon. Perry E. Brocehus,
before reading tie Declaration of Inde-
11endence.
This day seventy-nine years ago. the sun
which now shines upon happy nation of
american freemen, emitted its rays upon an
injured and oppressed people, Spartan few,
VINO, reslgnlng for season, the pursuits of
peace for those of war, determined to write
with their blood the charter Of their liberties
What the holy Scriptures were to the spir-
ltual salvation of fallen world, in the m ana
cles of human depravity, such was the Decla-
ration of American Independence to the tenn
porai salvation of mankind in the chains of
political bondage. Both were consecrated by
precious blood-the one by streams drawn
from the veins of q crucifed Redeemer-the
other by crimson food from the hearts Of
martyrs In the cause of human rights The
one points, with the finger of faith, TO a fairer
land and brighter CLINE beyond these subluna-
ry scenes-the other, by the light of hope,
guides the patriots eye to the distant future
to luxuriate in the countless, priceless bless
ings to be enjoyed by the remote posterity of
the free. The one has eternity for the dura-
ton OF Its benefacti0ns-the other, in its be-
nignant influence on the human race will be
bounded only by eternity, and have its end
only when time shall be no more. The one.
written by the inspiration of divinity, has
God for its author-the other, written by the
inspiration of liberty, has for its author the
genius Of universal freedom.
Assembled as We are to commemorate the
day on which the morn of freedom dawned
upon our land, it is we'll for US to turn our
eyes, our minds, our hearts to this sacred de-
claratiOn of the free-to this illustrious and
enduring charter of glorious and inalienable
word, We may imbbe the sweet and ennobiing
inspirations of wisdom, justice, moderation,
and virtue. AT each annual return of the day,
which declared for US q station and a name
amongst the nations Of the earth, let US press
1t fondly to our bosoms. While we admire
and revere its great and holy precepts, let US
initiate and rival the sublime example of its
immortal trainers. Then, the freemen of
America, whether upon the ocean-shore whore
their banner was unfurled, or here, where it
now proudly floats in the midst of the wilder
ness, will have the proud satisfaction of seeing
the American eagle lot only shadow and pro-
tect with Its wings, our own beloved land, but
bear, in its mighty talons, this great charter
of human freedom throughout the Universe,
20 lrradiate, to gladden., and emancipate the
world.
W hile We now read il In tho language in
which it was first written, on the hemisphere |
on which it was first promulgated, and With |
the reverence in which it YVES first conceived,
so, ere long, may it be read in every language,
heard In every land, and reyerenced by all |
mankind
After the reading Of the Declaration of In |
dependence, the audience was entertained |
with an Grafton from the Hon. J. Houghton, |
which done hC-or to the speaker and the oc- |
casion. The speaker was frequently inter |
rupted with bursts of applause, but the length |
Of the Grafton fOrbids US copying the whole OF |
II; but as specimen of its elOquence and |
beauty, We give you q few passages, which /
impressed themselves upon cur memory with |
unusual force. The speaker said, speaking of |
the Constitution:
"Progress, prosperity, greatness-all that we |
are, all that we hope to be, we owe to that |
great gift Of our fathers, that great band of |
union and compromise-the constitution Our |
gratitude for it should be heartfelt and endu- |
ring. Thrice, thrice has sectional prejudice, |
fanaticism, and guilty personal ambition as
sailed it, and amidst the stormy strife thrice /
has this sacred ediice seemed tottering to lis |
fall but the people, the people have always |
been true TO it, and rallied around it, and thus /
far on in our history, amid the fury of the |
darkest political commOtion, men for the time |
and the occasion have been able to say to the |
tempest, "Peace, be STILL" "Through all |
the din of party strife, of fanatical and guilty |
personal ambition, the flag Of our Union still |
floats safe and pure, not one stripe erased, not |
one star obscured." Our widespread domin- |
ions kiss the shores of either ocean, the sails |
of our commerce. catch the breeze of everv saa II