The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-06-30
The Fourth Of July.

'ItNo p'tlcl thuI 'hc We nav ic''''''
N our mind upon the same subject, anc
vas about to commit to paper wlicl
,nr eye fell on this. Certainly If W
we're to make huge demonstrations OF
he coming "Fourth," the Radical.
'ould accnsc rs Of hypocrisy-the,
ill condemn us if we remain silent
md while the Southern States are KEEP
mt Of the Union, it would be a bur
esquc to shout hosannahs to a fla
representing us in the union.-ED
loME JOURNAL
Those newspapers in the North
which make Il business of finding raul'
With the rest Of the world, and are par
'icularly fond Of abusing the South, are
.!rcady started upon Il fresh trail o
.alumny. at is evident says tn,
Philadelphia inquirer. that the Fourth
" July will not be observed to any
General extent in the rebel States
yhcrcat that virtuous journal waxctl
Merry and is exceedingly glad. No
respect is 50 charming to its vision as
that ofthc rebels refusing to celebrate
tlc Fourth Of July!
We have looked into this matter, and
find it to be, in the main, as the In,
quirer anticipates. The Ninetieth An.
nivcrsary Of American independence
is likely to receive very limited and
very poor acclaim, in that portion o!
the territory wrcstcd from Britain by
the yalor Of the Continental Fathers,
known in common parlc AS "Dixie.'
On reflection We think this is AS it
should be; and, albeit not Indifferent TO
patriotic emotions, We commend it and
advise it.
1t will not become the Southern pco-
pie to celebrate Incorporating Fourth
Of July, because, if they had the means,
which they have not, 10 do it the old
honors, t. wakcn it with drums and
cannon, to crown it with garlands, to
adorn it with flags, to c~nIiyen it with
speeches, to drcnch il with winc-surh
demonstrations would be set down for
OF srrvaI ty, derilsd by some
and Stand red by others.
In the next place it is not p actica.
BILE or cXpedicnt, because if We should
assemble, rs we used to do, peacefully
and patrioticaIly, singing the old songs
and breathing the old spirit, we could
scarcely hope to escape the presence
Of some Malignant person, cut altcrthc
of the orators who poured forth
their bitterness over the graves Of the
dead soldiers Of the Union the other
day near MurIrrcsboro, mingling with
our mcrry-making insulting words and
partisan violence.
Then, again, il is not settled that. in
quarters, the nccdiul quantity
Of powder would be allowed by the
military authorities, and it is quite sure
il some representative citizen
should consent to grace the OCCASION
with an address, he would be miscon-
and perhaps unsupported, by
many political detectives, who are
passing to and fro for the purpose
If gathering mctcrIal for our drstruc
lion.
We have not the mcans-wc have
not the opportunity-we have not the
spirit. We are in no condition to be
,atriotic-in no mood to be festive
md we feel far more like lowering the
lag at halfmast and dropping our
lcads in silence, than stepping to the
Of drums which seem to threaten
md crying our own defeat in hoarse
We refuse to do this. 1t is
more than human nature ought to
rear. We shall not celebrate the Fourth
If July, for we cannot forget the pres
MT, and we dare not mock the past.
lct-lrt lis say to you all, gentle
men, soldiers of the Union-it is our
a,t not less than yours and that free
ag which floats above us, hearing six
nd thirty stars in testimony Of onc
nited, equal family of States, owes
S glory and its power to II fathers
; well rs yours; to us as well as You.
They have fought FL it, and we have
under it, and the country grew
ich and great. The winds which car
led its tri-colored folds to heaven.
songs of union, which insultcl
10 class, no section, no citizen, and
we're sprung from Il common heart.
Ihc trophies and inscriptions which it
for the sun to Tighten and dis
lose, to warm and to bless, told of val
", sacrifice and death in no unfair por-
ion FROM the South and from the
1t was a flag which denoted
and Independence, and Which,
lighting for nothing more--wrconsen
d to relinquish it and take another,
We did u grievous error, We should
AVE hoistcd the stars and stripes, art
you under the old banner for
he old birtli-right.
Therefore, do not misconccive us i'll
We pass in sorrow and silence the
holiday of the nation. May it
'c a new birthday, from which the
vIole of ms may set out a!rcsh upon
he onward and continued journey of
rational life. May it revive in the
hearts of the narrow and wicked
thoughts ofOld Lang Sync. May it
1--WE us all Il more tolerant spirit. May
t make the sections manly, the politi-
just, the people generous, so that
When the day ome round again, and
he graves of the dead are sodded over,
md our gricis, our resentmcnts. our
and II fears are laid at
est, VIC may salute the flag as we used
o do. and join with sincerity and truth
II the old chorus. conceived hy Il
southern heart and wrought by a
Southern hand
The star-smngled banner. oh, long may IT
wave.
Ter the land of the free and the home of
the brave"
tuyL,,iU, R,oo,. |