Smyrna times., 1865-05-04
MISCELLANE S.
Written for the "Smyrna Times"
AP RIL,

The name Of this month is derived from the
Latin word apoto Ito OPEN, and was no doubt
bestowed in allusion to the season "when the
bosom Of the earth opens to send forth its
riches, and the buds and flowers expand be-
meath the genial influence of its showers But
it has been, borrower, pregnant with many Ie-
markablc and observable events, and has Open
ed to the world names made illustrious by
achievements in literature and art has mark
ed luminous epOchs in nations life, and has
wept its generous tears over immortal graves.
The recent melancholy calamity which has
stricken the American Republic in tears, and
clothed it in sackcOth and ashes, is of more
Immediate moment to us; and may, perhaps,
exercise as potent an influence upon the destiny
Of man as any event which has preceded it !;
but it may not prove uninteresting to the gem
cral reader to enumerate few evcntful dates.
In the year 300, on the 23d of April, Saint
George, the patron Saint Of England, after
having been drawn through the city of LYDIA,
for having openly avowed himself the cham
piOn Of the Christians, was beheaded. On the
Dist Of April, 1898, St. Anselm was born at
Aoust, in Piedmont, and created Archbishop
of Canterbury by William Rufus. On the
26th Of April, 1864, the entry of the baptism
Of the immortal dramatist, William Shakespeare,
was made in the register of the parish church
of Stratford-upon-Avon. On the 25th OF
April, 1899, Oliver Cromwell, one of the most
extraordinary soldiers and statesmen Of Eng
lish history, was born at Huntingdon. On
the 25th of April, 1916, William Shakespeare
died. On the 1st Of April, 1858, William
Harvey the celebrated discoverer of the circu-
lation of the blood, and Physician to James
|. and Charles |. was born at Fokstone.
On the 18th of April, 1859, George Frede-
rick Handel, the author of "The Messiah, ,"
"Israel in Egypt, Judas Maccabaeus' and
other oratorios died at Halle in Saxony On
the 10Th of April l775, the first battle of the
American Revolution was fought, at Lexing
ton. On the 18th of April, III, Henry Clay
was born, in the region of the Slashes, Vir
pinia hence the sobriquet-"The mill boy
of the Slashes." On the 10Th of April, 1882,
cessation of hostilities was proclaimed in the
American army, and the war terminated. On
the Goth of April, 1889, George Washington
was sworn into office as first President of the
limited States. On the 18th of April, 1870,
Reniamin Franklin, the moralist, statesman,
philosopher and champion Of liberty, died.
On the 14th of April, 1861, Fort Sumter, with
a few brave and patriotic defenders, surren-
dcred to 10000 chivalrous (?) Carolinian trai-
tors. On the 10th of April, 1861, in the streets
of Baltimore, the great conflict of Treason
against Liberty and Law, was inaugurated in
a baptism of blood. On the I'd of April, 1865
the Great Rebellion received its death wound
in the capture of Richmond. On the 9th of
April, 1865, General Lee surrendered the
Army Of Northern Virginia to Lieutenant
General q. s. Grant; and the head of the re,
bellious serpent was crushed. Last, though
not least on the 18th day of April, 1865, the
great nd pure patriot, the honest man, the