The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-10
THE sCHUTZENfEST.
A GRAND GERMAN JUBILEE.
The Crowd-The Ground s-Scenes-
Incidents.

Among all the people on this mundane
sphere, none more than the Germans have learn
| ed the art of making themselves multitudinously
| happy The .Frenchman revels in his care and
claret amid the attrition OF a restless crowd. The
Englishmans frolic s at boat or ahorse race, and
ia polished of with "arf'narfn and "ros'blf." The
American is only happy on the jump; he lives at
break neck speed by day and by night; consoles
himself chiefly with an allegretto movement
OF small talk. introduced spasmodIcally be.
| tween the round dances OF social party,
where the balance Of the entertainment consists
of chicken salad Ia Methuselah, fruit Ia
Stumikak and jellies la Kallarmorbus, followed
by iabolical assaults on piano forte, and wound
up after midnight with sundry drinks Of water
weakened with imaginary brandy. Generally
speaking, our comfort is artl8cial-taEen in full
dress-a manufactured article composed OF
starch, fuss and feathers. There is nothing spon-
taneous about it, and It's obituary notice Is either
| headache or chronic dyspepsia. OF holidays
we have nothing worth mentioning. Even that
national burlesque on popular rejoicing, the
Fourth of July. what was 1t but an eruption OF
banners and brass buttons-a competition be-
tween gunpowder and the noisy pyrotechnlcs Of
the politicians.
Individually we may enjoy ourselves perhaps
as much as any people, because we are eminently
social by nature but collectively, it Is the Ger
mans. who carrying their homogeneous charac-
ter into all the affairs of life, excel in the ability
| to extract therefrom the most sensible OF its
pleasures, and set US an example which we great
ly admire, but unfortunately are slow to initiate.
roo tl,of tba, halo t0 ~ q
which to-day preserves the distinctive features
by which 1t was marked anterior to the Christian
era. The very name Ger signifies spear or
lance; man. the lord 'or chief, and it was war
like title OF honor given by the ancient Romans to
distinguish the vaor and manliness Of the nation.
The Romans Justly considered them as an abo.
rlglnal, pure and unmiXed race OF people. AS
historian observes: "They resemble themselves
alone, and like the specifically similar plants OF
the field which, sprInging from pure seed not
raised in the hot-bed Of garden, but germina-
ting In the healthy free unsheltered soil, do not
differ from each other by varieties so also among
the thousands Of the simple German race, there
was but one determined and equal form Of body.
Their chest was wide and strong; their hair yel-
low, and with young children 1t was dazzling
SNe~
and their glance bold and piercing. Their gigan-
tic bodies, which the Romans and Gauls could
not behold without fear, displayed the strength
| that Nature had given to this people; for, ac-
cording to the testimony Of some OF the an
cient writer's, their usual height was seven feet.
From their earliest youth upward they hard
ened their bodies by all devlsable means, and the
cold bath was continued during their whole
lives as the strengthening renovator Of both men
and women.
Their love of arms was assiduously cherished
that they might always be ready for any under
taking, and, In time OF war, those who remained
st home cultivated the land for ALL"
What Lycurgus wished to effect by means OF
his legislation among the Spartans seems to
have been principle and combining power
among the Germans, namely, public spirit SO
general and operative that the individual should
submit himself to the common good and for
which and in which he should only live; and not
by selashness, faction, or by ideness, desire to
separ ate himself from the rest, or consider his
own veal as more important than that OF the
collective body.
Above all things the Germans loved the open
country. Tacltus says they selected their dwell
ings wherever a grove or spring attracted them.
Advantage and comfort were consequently fire.
uuently sacrificed to their admiration OF open and
beautiful scenery, and 1t Is probable that even
now they 80 ardently love the Fatherland because
1t presents them with rural scenes with which life
and Its tenderest associations have been identi-
fed. This strong love Of nature Is q grand fea-
ture of the German character, and as long as 1t
is retained by any people, it will preserve them
fro m that sensual enncrvation and corruption OF
m auners into which the most cultivated nations
Of antiquity hopelessly sunk.
From time immemorlal the German youth have
been trained to manly exercises, the use OF arms
and the fatigues Of the hunt. History records
| no people who possessed nobler capabilities and
qualifications, rule aud order, q sublime patriot
ism, fidelity and chastity In greater proportion
than the race Aow disseminated throughout the
New World, and engaged In writing its Influences
upon the heart of the age In which we live.
It's at the risk Of being tedious that we have
gone backward to show how carefully Ma
sure has preserved to the present day the dis.
tincuishlng characteristics OF this sturdy peo-
ple. And we see them illustrated all around
US; in physique and feature; in the customs
which they perpetuate; in the manner In which
they have attached themselves TO our soil and
Institutions; in their love OF liberty without
license in their industry, hospitality and public
spirit In that soldity and strength which they
are grating upon American society, and finally
| In those rational amusements that unite one and
and all IN true social bond, which for the time
belug Is magnetic, with influences that
"Cheer the melancholy house OF care
Among the chief of the German amusements
are their annual tests, and In the South, among
these fests the principal is that Of the Schutzen
clubs. 1t Is the mre.stonein in the journey OF the
year, around which the German wreathes hl:
lowers In Charleston We all know how tht
Schutzenfest has become an institution-h0w ar
ter the war, Its resumption was hailed with de
light; how thousands OF our citizens look forward
to the week when they and their families may
find rest and pleasure In the congenial associa
tions of the Schutzenplatz, and partake OF 1T
gushing lager without the fear OF cruel criticism
or If they 80 prefer
"Peep through the loopholes OF retreat
And see the crowd, yet not feel the STIR"
THE PROCESSION.
The present occasion was no exception to tn
rule which has been observed for the last fou
years, unless, indeed, 1t be In the fact that tn
arrangements were, II possible more extensiy
and complete than ever before. The day was a
balmy, breezy and beautiful as Paradise coul,