The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-07
BALTIMORE.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1858.

must now return to its daily work. The Fourth
of July has come and gone Even the distant ap-
proach of this National Festival is like the grateful
prospect of an oasis in the DESERT standing, as it
does, solitary and Alone in the otherwise unbroken
calendar of the working year, the dull monotony
of whose days it serves to illumine although but
for an instant, like the rockets that mark its close
Christmas and Thanksgiving day, can, neither of
them, claim such measure of popular or general
observance, as to deprive the Fourtb6rf July of
its title to be considered the ~ American
Holiday. Apart, therefore, from historical as
sociatons of the day, and the FItant event it
commentaries, the mode and manner of its OBJ
servance is in itself matter of interest. 1t shows
how the American people deport themselves on oc-
casons of public festvity, and affords an instruc-
tive commentary upon national morals and man.
ners.
Its festal observances for the present year,
are over, and there only remains the
passing record of its events and incidents, which
is contained in the daily papers. Thehum of bust
ness has replaced the sound of drum and fife, the
blare of trumpets, and the noise of FIREWORKS
The threats of guns and orators, that, on Monday,
proclaimed to the world our patriotism and our
pride, to-day, are silent. The Fourth of July flag
has been folded away; the Fourth of July toasts
have been drunk; and now, nought remains in the
wine-cup but the lees while all that is left of
fireworks is ashes. A fitting type are those dregs
and cinders, of the sorrowful memories, which each
return of our National Anniversary, now leaves
behind, to dim the glorious associations of its ORR
gin. On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the
birthday of the Republic, but, too generally in
manner that reflects dishonor upon the very name
of republicanism, and argues badly for the
permanence of our institutions. The observ-
ance of Independence-Day is now too often
attended with orgies and excesses such
as illustrate all too painfully, how easily
liberty may degenerate into license. That this is
no exaggerated statement of the customary Incl
dents of Fourth of July celebrations, the police
records of every city in the UNION will this day
show and prove that the picture we exhibit al
though by no means fattering to our national
vanity, is neither over-drawn nor over-colored
How far the portrait is applicable to our own COM
munity, the details of murder and outrage, which
we publish elsewhere, will enable every reader to
judge for himself. Nor are such occurrences I'M
happily confined to the cities. Steamboat-land-
ngs on the Mississippi, and cross-road taverns, in
every section of the country, will have similar
records to furnish, of drunken brawls and coward
ly murders-of patriotism becoming first STEPPED
in liquor, and then in blood. Under any circum-
stances the occurrence of crimes and outrages such
as we this day chronicle, happening on an occasion
of National festivity, would be sufficiently dis
graceful and amount almost to positive demon
,+ro Sc Al.
rational enjoyment of public holiday That our
actions however, should so belle our boastngs,
and our practice prove thus inconsistent with our
professions, on the very day which we habitually
set apart for the purpose of segoriication should
be an especial and additional modification. If
then, BESIDES contrast these 'Incidents of the
Fourth" as they are termed, with those of similar
holidays, in other lands, whose people and nstitu-
tons we affect to despise our humiliation ought,
indeed, to be extreme. The happy smiling throngs
who fill with life and gaiety, on public .fees and
gala-days, the Streets parks and gardens of Eu
ropean capitals never have their pleasure disturbed
their lives endangered by the Eruption of armed
bullies with oaths and curses, and blows and pis-
tol-shots; for in all the languages of despotic
Europe, there is not correative term to be found
for the American word 'rowdy."
We believe that we are not deficient either in
love or pride of country. Certainly, we are not
disposed to undervalue our privileges as American
citizens. 1t is simply because we blush to see the
Republic so dishonored on the day of her most SOL
emn festival and tremble for the perpetuity of our
privileges, in the presence of crimes such marked
Monday for red day in the National calendar
that we lay such stress upon this abuse of our
great Holiday AS our retrospection has not ex-
tended beyond the Fourth of july, neither shall
our reflections 60 further. We will not speak,
therefore, of the growing insecurity of life and
property in this community, and throughout the
country, nor will we comment upon the alarming
fact that many of the outrages that daily COM
mited in our midst, appear to proceed from 9TH
er motive, than the mere wantonness of power,
and the sense of impunity. Upon these considera-
tions we shall have time and occasion to dwell
hereafter The question which we would submit
to our fellow countrymen, to-day, is, whether
drunken orgies be a fit commemoration of the
deeds and virtues of our ancestors who, through
much tribulation and many trials, purchased for
us the liberties we enjoy, or whether the birthday
of the Republic requires to be celebrated with rites
of blood-for that such things were not deemed
inappropriate to the occasion, in Baltimore, at
least, the record which we publish to-day, is our
melancholy witness.