Weekly Trinity journal., 1865-07-01
The Day We Celebrate.


On the Fourth day Of July, l776, after the
Declaration of Independence was signed by those
wise-and great men who pledged their g lives
and sacred honor" TO establish free and indie
pendent Government on the American continent,
the bell of Independence Hall, Philadelphia, rang
joyous peal and with brazen tongue and - in
the clamor and the clangor Of the bells" the
birth of new nation-the young republic Of the
United States of America was proclaimed The
echo of that bell reyerberated over the civilized
world, and woke an anthem which in spite If all
endeayors has not yet fully died out in Europe,
and even now disturbs the slumbers Of the prin-
ces and potentates of the Old World. The young
nation exuting in its newborn life and liberty,
by example made the Fourth of July National
holiday, and old and young were in the habit of
so celebrating it By abstainipg from labor, by
procession, by music, and the display Of fire.
works. But the American people gradually for
got the sanctity of the occasion the celebration
became mere hollow display, and Fourth of
July|celebration meant the extrayagant, bombas-
tic effort Of new-hedged orator, whose efforts
were principally directed to eleyating that much
@hnsAd bird, tie great American Eagle as high
possible At last there came a day when our
republic saw treason's hand uplifted against its
life and existence when the young giant was
called upon to exert all his strength of limb and
muscle in the deadly conflict for mastery or an
nihilation-lfe or eternal perditon.
At the beginning Of the contest in 1861, the
Fourth of July was universally observed through
out the loyal States with feeling akin to rel-
gious veneration. With compressed lips and
cleaning eyes every loyal citizen saw our starry
flag carried high in the procession, swearing
that neither life nor treasure should be spared
till the insult offered at Fort Sumter was avenged,
and every star replaced which sacrilegious hands
had torn from its azure field. Four years later
four years of bitter grief, of sorrow too deep
for utterance for her heroes slain in battle
starved in Southern prisons, manned and bleed
ing, and the Nation bushes its sound of mourn
ing and wailing and the anthem of triumph
swells sweetly on the passing breeze. Crushed
forever is the dastardly enemy of freedom and
civilization, and the nation, prouder more glo-
rous than ever, prepares TO celebrate the Fourth
of July, 1865, as National holiday which fully
equals the one first celebrated.
Let the Old Flag wave from every hill and ev-
cry house-top in the country fling it to the
breeze everywhere, for it is more beautiful more
lustrous than ever. Not q star erased, not blot
defaces its purity its crimsoned stripes
calling to memory the crimson blood so lavishlv
shed for its defense its brilliant blue reflects
smiling heaven. Let the thunder of our holiday
artillery mimic the terrible monsters which daily,
aye, hourly, for four years. sent death and DESC
lation in the ranks of valiant men, or in the very
hearts of proudly defying but gradually sinking,
crumbling cities of rebel States. Let the bells
again ring out with joyous peal for Nation
saved-a nation regenerated, for the triumph of
right over fanaticism and treason. Let the sound
OF song and martial music be heard all over Co.
lumbia's wide realm, for the East and West, the
NJ IL. -
ton by nature and common law bound together
they form one nation grand and powerful, now
and forever. This Fourth of July will be cele-
brated with equal enthusiasm far up in the
Northern boundaries of our country, in the pine
forests of Maine, as well as in the everglades of
Florida. Common bonds of fraternity unite the
inhabitants of the Pacific coast with the denizens
of the crowded cities of the Atlantic. We all |
feel Though rebels had to be taught that feeling
by hard blows that we are not alone citizens of
one petty State, hut Of a great nation.
From all learn the celebration in our
place will be one worthy of the occasion. 1t
will be gathering of the people of the county
such as has never been witnessed before. From
every mining camp, the remotest, we hear
that nearly everybody will come to participate
in the celebration. There will be room for all |
the citizens of this place will throw open their
houses to accommodate the hundreds who will
visit us, and no effort will be spared to make
everybody comfortable. The Committee of Ar
engagements for the day will spare no endeavors
to seat every in the Theater during the cxer-
cises the music will he superior to anything
ever produced here before ; the fireworks arc the
best we believe, that ever came north of Marys- /
vile in short, arc convinced that the people
of Wcaverville will have reason to look back
upon the Fourth of July. 1868, the proudest
day in her history.