, 1864-06-10
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
FRIDAY EVENING. JUNE 10, 1864.
The Fourth of July.


A goodly portion of the citizens have ex-
pressed a wish to see the 4th of July cele-
brated in some manner in this city. The
Fire Company have resolved to celebrate
the day by Parade in the morning and
Ball in the evening. But something else,
in which all the citizens of both the town
and the surrounding country could engage,
would be preferable to many. The commit
teemen Of the fire company took this mat
ter into consideration, but not liking to
take upon themselves the responsibility of
conducting the affair entire, they resolved
to defer the matter to the citizens for their
action.
We like to see this ever memorable day
celebrated, and we most earnestly hope that
the time will never come when the thou
sands and hundreds Of thousands of our coun-
trymen will forget to assemble together, in
their respective towns and villages, and,
with thankful hearts, bestow their benedic-
tions upon their countrys altar. In the
days when peace crowned our land, when
the horn Of plenty poured out its ample
store from the pine lands of the North to
the palmetto groves of the South, when the
cannon's loud rattle had not not proclaimed
that those who once met as brethren under
the broad tree of liberty to celebrate our ma
tion's natal day were engaged in deadly
strife, thus changing its tone from harm
less sound of rejoicing to that of a Kissing
engine of death, we loved to hear its roar as
it echoed through the air upon our nations
birthday, and felt that thrill of pride and
pleasure which every true American has ex-
perienced upon such occasions, when listen
ing to its booming, commingled with the mu-
sic of the fife and drum. But now, while
our nation is mourning over its desolation,
we doubt the propriety Of indulgence in
such demonstrations as only waste our sub
stance upon the air, when it might be ap-
piled to purposes nobler and more useful
the assistance of those who are fighting for
the Union and the maintenance of the prin-
ciples which were enunciated by our fathers
on the 4th of July 1776. While our breth-
ren in the east are engaged in the struggle
for the preservation Of our nationality
they should have the sympathy and the CO.
operation of those who are not called upon
to make equal sacrifices; and while not ex-
pected to render that assistance in person,
we can do so with our means and do much
toward alleviating the suferings of those
who lie stained with blood upon the tented
field We all have brothers in the army.
We have three there-a Captain in the
west; Regimental Adjutant, who has gone
with Grant for nearly three years, through
all his grand battles, and ffer-boy, only
sixteen-the last darling of a mothers
heart-marching with the same army on to
Richmond. When these thoughts come
home to the heart, as they will to every one,
who would not willingly forego some of the
pleasures of show, even upon the 4th of
July, to be better able to contribute to
a fund portion of which might 90 to al
leyiating the sufferings of his own house
hold gods
Still, while we may "mourn with those
who mourn" we should not forget to ere
joice with those who rejoice" Isolated
from the scenes Of blood and carnage, and
surrounded with peace and comfort, we still
have much to be thankful for, and it is fit
ting that we should give expression to those
thanks,-if not in boisterous display, in
quiet unostentatious way that will involve
no useless expenditure of means.
A picnic and an grafton has been sug-
gested; and even picnic without the ora
tion could be made pleasant affair, if all
would attendant manifest disposition to
make themselves agreeable upon that day.
For real, solid social enjoyment, celebrations
of this kind are always preferable to the
grand displays which our countrymen have
been wont to make. With no waiting for
the orders of a marshal of the day to "fall in
line" and march for hours in the hot sun
making a grand procession, the gorgeous
ness Of which can only be seen and admired
by those on the outside-every one can feel,
as he should, that he is his own master, and
at liberty to enjoy himself amid the assem-
bled throng wherever fancy may dictate.
A grove for such meeting can be found
at the upper end of Alder street or, per-
haps the soldiers at the Fort would be
pleased to meet the citizens in the grove ad-
joining the garrison. Let those who have
expressed the wish to celebrate hold meet
ing and appoint a committee to act in con-
junction with the 6remen and the people at
the Fort and adopt the means for one day of
sociality. Let the business men of the city
close their stores and shops and join in the
celebration, that it may be said, at least, that
self is not the only rule here, and that the
people of the town have enjoyed one National
Sabbath day together, unoccupied by the
pursuit of mammon
OREGON ELECTIoN.-Co Ruekle and Mr..
Dan'l Welch give us the following election
returns from Baker county, Oregon:
Auburn gives Henderson, Union
candidate for Congress, ............ maj.
Baldock's Precinct, ,......... ......., 4
Morrisons Precinct. ..............14
La Grande, ,..... .....................65
Total
Pocahontas Precinct gives Kelly 25 maj.
Union, n,.................. 10 .
Henderson's majority. y,.............. .....49
The whole Union ticket in Baker county,