Smyrna times., 1867-07-10
The Tribune on the Fourth.

The following is the New York 1ribune's
editorial on the Fourth of July:
There are some anniversaries that are sad |
dening, and of them is this day. We cele |
brate the birthday of our independence with JOY
it is true and in the good old way of our faith |
ers, and yet not entirely as they did. We re-
member that for seven years this day has not
been celebrated in ten States of the old Union.
While the North glorfed the momory Of the
deed from which the nation dates it's life, the
South was fighting to destroy that nation. For
four years the national banner was banished
from ten States, and foated from Richmond
to Galveston only where bayOncts protected it.
The sOul-stirring national airs were heard only
when the drums beat at the head of victorious
armies Patriotism was prescribed Outside
of the Union lines no man dared proclaim his
loyalty. We remember these things painfully
on this day; we remember that last year the
Fourth OF July was celebrated in most Of the
Rebel States almost solely by the negres.
But these events have served one good pur-
pose if they have given a deeper meaning to
the anniversary. They should have taught us
to think what to-day means to Americans
more than an idle holiday, more than a mere
occasion for speech making, the ringing of bells
and the firing of cannon. Seven years ago
patriotism was to many Americans sentiment,
pride, glory Of the past. The war came, and
patriotism suddenly became terrible respOn-
sibiity. Hundreds of thousands found it to
mean the exchange of home, friends, happi-
ness for weary marches and hellisk battles.
Many found its meaning to be death and a
nameless grave. The farmer boy who had
hailed the Fourth of July as glorious holiday
when the militia drilled on the town common
and fired their harmless musketS in the air,
celebrated it far differently at Ficksburg and
after the terrible three days of Gettysburg
Those
Who through the glare Of Wars red battle BREATH
With steady fronting eyeballs went to DEATH"
had the true meaning of the day burning in
their blood, and it is to their long suffering and
! splendid courage that its celebration is not
now forbidden from Richmond to New Orleans.
Still the triumph is not complete. Last yeal
we trusted that by this time the work of recon
structiOn might have been almost perfected.
But there is too little reason to hope that oul
white brethren of the South are yet ready tc
join in national rejoicings. Yet this day i,
theirs as well as ours. South Carolina and
Massachusetts fought side by side to secure
the independence whose birth every village IL
the North now celebrates with new enthusiasm
But the Rebellion is near, the Revolution i
far. The memories Of w ashingtOn and Greene
Warren and Marion, Of Bunker Hill and York
town, arc dlmmed for many of us by those o
Gettysburg and Chattanooga. We pray tina
it will not long be so; we trust that a wiser
and more fraternal spirit will restore us tn
old Fourth of July-thc good old time wheI
the guns that pealed in Boston were answered
by salutes in Charleston, when the bell whicl
proclaimed Liberty throughout the land unit
all the inhabitants thereof" had echoes from
Maine to the Gulf.