The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-07-07
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JULY Z, Is6,
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

What memories does it not awaken? The
innocent and happy days Of childhood, when
q fire cracker was all that the little soul de-
sired when our wants were few and easily
gratifed; when the whole 9aS long was one
Of happiness and delight. Then passing BY
these happy years we come to the days Of
boyhood, when the drum and the FIFE ex-
cited our martial ardor, and we thought how
We could fight against oppression if we only
had chance. But childhood, and boyhood
have both passed away; with some of US
long ago and instead Of mimic war, We
have seen the coSptry red from the Potomac
to the Rio Grande. There has been bleed
ing and suffering and dying. The swamps
of Chickahominy, the quiet banks of the
Rapahsnnock, and the father Of waters have
echoed back the murderous roar Of the can
non, and the bones of our sons and brothers
have bleacbed upon hundred battle fields.
1t was the hardy cons of toll who grasped
the musket, and rallied to the rescue when
the country was threatened They had no
monopolies to protect, no great monied in
terest at stake; never bad any government
contract to enable them to accumulate their
ill-gotten wealth by selling shoddy clothes,
and tainted food to feed the army. What
made them goS Nothing but patriot
ism the love Of country. They had read,
or at least heard of the immortal declaration
of independence. They knew that in that
document were incorporated those principles
towards which the eye Of toiling, suffering
humanity is directed in the hour of it's desc
lation. When hope has well nigh vi ed
her final fight, and despair is staring s 10
the face, it is then that we remember that all
men, and not merelEthe freedmen, are born
with certain inalienable rights, and we
thank God in our hearts that men had the
courage to Eannounce this eternal truth,
which their successors Of to- day are attempt
ing to deny.
1t was considerations such as these that
filled their souls with FIRE, aud made the
country soldiers camp and so it will be
again when the attempt is made by treason,
wherever found, to overthrow that govern
ment, which is at least the formal exponent
Of human freedom. Thst class of men,
then, who are to be found in the workshops,
pouring the liquid iron or driving the en-
CINE or the say or the plane, are the men
who make the countrywide saved it--and
not q bloa.ed monied sristocracy, who
squander more at debauch than would sup
port family for month, and whose car
riage spatters the dirt on you as you pass
by-these men are the drones, that society
could well enough dispense with.
What have they ever done in behalf of
the laboring man? Nothing. Nothing has
and nothing ever will be extracted from
them except that which is obtained by
sheer necessity. Speaking of the Fourth Of
July, our national anniversary, they have
even grudged the paltry pittance of making
any worthy appopriation to minister to the
happiness Of thousands who could not leave
the city to seek enjoyment elsewhere. The
South Grapes the Fourth of July in mourn
ing because il is the gala day Of human
happiness. Does the same idea enter the
minds of northern capitalists? sss,<.