The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-04

i
tho Period Regard It-Also the Ad.
vanced Woman.
1t is unfortunate that the very nature of the
case precludes the didactic mind from point
ing back to the youth of George Washington,
and advising Young America how that great
man used to spend the Fourth of July when
he was little boy. Did not the very sup
position of such thing involve an anachron-
ism it would be pleasant and perhaps instruc-
tive to inquire whether the same strict fidelity
to the truth which characterized his conduct
with respect to the Ratchet of his adolescence
accompanied him through his period of pin
wheel and shooting cracker. It is easy to
imagine with what avidity the antiquary
would search musty records for the purpose of
tracing the relations of the youthful Washing
ton to Bengola lights and China flyers Was
his conscience tender on the score of short
the question of blue lights and "grass-
hoppers?" Did his cherry tree veracity never
waver when vertical wheels came on the tapis
Was he proof against the Establishments of
fire balloons and Japanese torpedoesp Alas
we shall never know, simply because he
never knew himself. Unluckiy for the
sentimental and improving tone which we
should have liked to take, the first
glorious Fourth that ever came to the Father
of his Country found that father taking sides
with his country against its unnatural mother.
The tea which was thrown over at Boston Har-
hor hod not into tho N t;op' q hood IN v,cuch On
though they had swallowed instead of spilled
it, and the people were as ripe for indepen-
dence as a mellow pippin for the hand of the
picker. Let us be thankful that the moral
essayist has one less text to drag in. We do
not want too many and too sublimated speci-
mems Of adolescent integrity. Without ap-
proving of untruthfulness in boyhood as Q
habit, we rejoice that cherry trees are occa-
sionally injured by the concealed deadly
weapon Of the juvenile, if it is only for the
sake OF teaching prosperous land owners that
perfect security is not one of the boons of
human existence. But the question now be-
fore us is, whether the average boys celebra-
ton of Independence Day is admirable and
trustworthy; whether he is more of bless
ing OF curse to his family and society ct that
time; whether the nineteenth century contem-
plates him with pride or aversion, and whether
there stretches before the human boy an end
less eternity of Fourths of July, each Of the
series finged with penumbra of several
days, all of them sparkling with the shooting
cracker, corruscating with the pinwheel, do
tonating with the torpedo, picturesque with
procession and eloquent with Grafton. This is
what we want to know.
The modern boy has our sympathies, and if
he reads the HERALD, as of course he does Tor
he is not modern), he knows it Whether he
fights for his base ball ground or clamors for
his free baths, his instincts are the substratum
of his common sense, and to that extent he
will always find an advocate in us. The
Fourth of July is his Midsummer Christmas,
and he ought to be allowed to enjoy it to the
top Of his bent. subject only to such restric-
tons as will insure public order and safety.
How gunpowder and patriotism first came to
be inseparably associated, except that the
discharge of the one was frequently found
necessary to support pretensions to the other,
we do not profess at present to explain. The
fact remains saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal
are the instruments through which, once a
year, we express that devouring love of coun-
try which burns within us. The custom has
spread with the spread Of the Republic, until,
from Maine to Mexico, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, the Union is ono vast shooting
cracker one day in every year. Who says
that the custom will ever die out? We will
leave the consideration of that question to
those philosophers who affirm that humanity
having one day had beginning will one day
have an end For our part we are content to
look forward llimitably. 1t is hard to
realize Fourth of July without fire.
cracker, mere corpse of Independence Day
without even the galvanio ssmblance of life
Imagine what the day would be like No
tolls popping off at every corner, no flashing
and gaudily epauletted procession, no pyro-
technic display at night, no Grafton on the
village green, no matinee at the theatre
Imagine Fourth Of July passed in decent
dulness-as Washington birthday is now
passed. Think of the anniversary of the
country's birthday passing into as much
desustude as that of the birthday Of that coun-
try's father! Fancy the schoolboy plodding
demurely to his Rotations and the patriotic
people drudging away in their stores and
offices. Picture to yourself the music hushed
and the bunting slowed away, and the flags
lowered and the parsdes annulled, and the
fireworks vetoed and the orations put an end
to. Imagine all this, and then tell us that that
would be a more dignifed sensible and
eminenuy proper method of celebrating the
Fourth than the one now in vogue and the
least that we will claim is that such an epoch is
very, very distant Meanwhile the bells will
peal and the balloons go up. We shall have
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