The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-02
The Fourth Of July.

-s-&~%
The Fourth Of July.
MIR. EDITOR: Having noticed som Q
discussion in your paper rs to the OBJ
servance of this day by our people, I
venture to throw out few considera-
tons. One question that has arisen is,
whether Saturday or Monday should be
kept rs holiday, the Fourth itself
coming on Sunday. This question
strikes me as very immateriaI, one un-
til the first question is answered, viz:
Shall we of the South celebrate what, by
figure of speech. is called the "na-
tional anniversary" at all; and if so, in
what manner? To this point alone
shall address myself.
There is no doubt in my mind that the
people Of the South should observe this
day; on each recurring anniversary, with
the most earnest and jealous solcitude.
1t marked the inauguration of great
rebellion, when our people, grooming
under military despotism, taxed with
out representation, having the basest
rulers imposed on them without their
consent, declared "tbat all men were
born free and equal, and that all govern
ment rested on the consent of the 60
| verned"
"Whon Washington, Jefferson, Madison and
Sinned with d great transgession,
In their old-fashioned notions Of freedom and
right,
And their hatred of wrong and oppression. F."
And when. appealing to the god of bat
ties, they declared that they would
rather die freemen than live slaves.
Every school-boy in our country knows
what was the result of the contest that
sprung from this great rebellion Of '7G;
the rebels and traitcrs triumphed; they
threw Off the "best government in the
world, and set up another in its stead.
But what was the result? After the
lapse OF three-quarters Of q century, the
descendants of Washington, of Henry,
of Jefferson. of Madison, of Lowndes,
Rutledge, Marion and Pinckney, acting
on the bad example taught by the rebels
of rs, and under the fatal delusion that
| the principles enunciated in the Declara-
tion of Independence applied to them as
well as to the dwellers around Plymouth
Rock, re- enacted the great drama of '76,
and declared themselves "free and indie
pendent. But such crimes do not
always go unpunished of Heaven. The
rebels of '76 not only succeeded in their
wicked purposes, but mankind was so
blinded by that success, as to call them
patriots. But the rebels of '61, their
sons, have been justly punished for the
sins of their fathers.
Their declaration that all governments
derive their powers from the consent of
the governed, has been laughed to scorn.
Their assertion that "they were. and of
right, oug ht to be, free," has been de-
med; and for daring to exercise the
rights they supposed assured to them by
the immortal Declaration of Independ-
ence-the right 10 beJree-they have been
made slaves. The Federal bayonet tells
us that the rebellion" of '61 was q great
crime; Federal Senators and Federal
preachers reiterate the assertion, and the
great lesson the South has now to learn
Is that the sum of all wickedness is 're-
bellion," while the perfection of all
Christian grace, is "loyalty." Let us
profit by these stern lessons. While we
deplore among our desolated homes, our
prostrate cities, our overthrown altars,
our kindred's graves, the great crime we
have committed in qciShing TO be free.
let lis bemoan, as we should do, the sue.
cess of the rebels and traitors of '76. TO
this end, would it not be well for the peo-
pie OF the South to keep every Fourth
OF July as day of fasting, humiliation
and prayer" fasting and humiliation for
the rebels OF '76 and '61, and prayer that
God may forgive them and restore our
people ut last to that great and good 60
vernment which the traitors Of '76 threw
OH. LOYALIST.
speech of one of the most thorough
republicans that can be found in the
North: SIT is ali ID nonsense to talk