, 1873-07-04
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.

uGH IhAlllQHu 4l$H.
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.
Tho day NO celebrate has arrived, and It Is
therefore incumbent upon cach c1tzcn of Chica-
go. NC presume, to manifest tho measure of pn-
triotis1n which ho possesses by suoh demonBtra-
tions in hia backyard OF Star spnnglcd charao~
tor aH boat comport with hiB dignity and conyon-
ienco. Tho occaeion, however, which gavo birth
to the Fourth Of July is now so remote in nation
al history, and the American people have Bufror-
cd 30 many petty tyrannios since tho English
yoke was broken, that tho primal meaning Of the
day has become quito indiatinct. The result ia
that tho celebration OF the nntional ami
Voraary has Of lato years boon of
very heterogeneous description. Thoro is ono
class Of people who mako q Fetsh Of Fourth Of
July, aud fall down and worship it, Tho othor
class declnroa It nuisance and runs away from
1t, If 1t is possible to run away II not, 1t bears
tho inaiction with philosophical composure, and
rejoicoB when Tho last rocket sputtors itself
away in the clouds, md tho eaglo screams lis last
aoream. Tho former class is conscientious in it's
Fotish worship, md, like true dovotoc, ia ready
to bo crushed undor tho whoo]s OF tho national
juggernaut, or to sacrifco itself in some other
mannor. Bomo men blow off two or three fingers,
or even give up m arm or log to their
Fetish. Small boys will choerfuly ill their
facea With gunpowtor, or sacrifice ono oyc. Some
mon will got drunk and fall into tho riyor. Some
will get drunk, and, In the resultant fights, sno-
riAco themselves by cold lead or atcol. Some
will ohoerfully contribute smashed buggy,
wrecked horse and two or three broken ribs.
Othors will sot fro to their lousos or storcs,
and manifest their devotion by general illuml-
nation. Othera will fill themselves to ropletion
with groom pnaa,- c,1cnmhara, and mint Ju1opB,
and have tho cholera morbus. The other class
OF people Inns already flown from the torture of
Fourth OF July to remote green paatures far
or sen coasts anddiBtant obscure hamtets, whero
tho oagle nover Boass. and the Star spangled
Banner, il it waves at all, waves In becoming
manner; where tho Fourth Of July orator is as
got unknown, and small girla in white hnyo somo-
thing else to do besides riding round In chariots
and making Themselves uick with leo croans aud
lemonade.
The Fourth OF July viii. hnyo plenty Of celc-
orators. There is no doubt Of that. 1hore will
ba pleuty Of noise. There ia no doubt Of that,
also. Thore will be plenty Of accidents. CANAL
ties, anee, hapH and mishaps, also. Thcro is no
doubt OF that, either. But still tho question
rccnrs: What are wo making all the fuss about
II wo must blow our legs off, and burn up our
housos and fire rockets through our nolgh-
bors' vitals, and got patrioticaIly drunk,
md keep tho evcr1aating bird screaming,
why not have some motive for it Why not
hayo aome method in our madneHs For nearly
hundred yaars wo have bcon celebrating q
declaration Of independence from British power,
and hailing Colu1nbin's heroes Of tho noavou-
born band, who fought and bled in Frectlom,s
sacred cat,so, aud also those American tars who
" Dousel tho royal onsign so handy, obi" Why
not foi tho aake of variety, at least, have a
change in the programme There ia no immo-
diato danger of British tyranny at present, nor
ia 1t probable that wo slall over again have to
pay taxoB to Her Most Gracious Majosty. WHY.
thou, fro tho American heart and tho Chinese
cracker oyory July7 Why not got mp new
Declaration of Indopendonco7 Tho farmers hayo
alroady got tired Of patriotic business whom there
is nothing to DO patriotic nbout, and shooting
aquila at the foreign tyrant who oxists no long
or, and layo got up d Fourth of July Of thoir
own, will, q bran.now Declaration Of Indopend-
onco. Why should not tho whole American
poople 60 md do lkowiso There la Just ae
good causo for Declaration OF Independence
now a. there was hundred years. ago. Tho oyila
which King George aud his minions inflicted
upon III wero 10 aorao than tho oylla which arc
now inflicted upon us III Tho nn,no OF Loyalty.
Lot uB declare ourselves freo from tho corrun- |
tlona of party from abuses Of power from tho
monopolioa OF hugo, overgrown corporations
from tho dictaslon OF political bummera and
ecallawags from tho frauds mud pcoula- |
tiona Of carpot~bag knayoa from tho |
speonlationH aud swindiipgs OF Indian !
agontB; from dofaulting Government |
officials; from Crodt Mobillora; from baolt-
aalary grabbors; from Interference with State |
Qoyomrnonts; from rotton insurance COM
panlos ind co1lapsing banks; from hot corn and |
graln.gambling; from wheat corllora and etook !
bubbles; from bonzine whisky md Legislative
lobblos from omotionally insane murdorors |
md frea-lovo aoandal-mongera; from filthy |
alleys and cholora-brooding alumH; from fauatt-
cal puritaus and crazy .thlnkora from /
Jersey champagne and domestic oigars and. lu