The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-07-04
'Mmhe Getil M1E!hia
ELKTON, JULY 4, 1874.
THE GLORIOUS 4th.


This day ushers in the 9Sth anniversary
of American Independence. The early
modes of celebrating the day are rapidly
falling into disuse. Whether the people
who are reaping the ripe harvest made pos
sible by the earnest, sturdy men, who
staked all for American independence, and
gave a death blow to the pretensions of
kings, and like all who have been Toasted
become Indifferent to the food, OF whether
their tastes have becoming more educated
and refined, they look upon the ancient
mode of giving vent to their patriotic feel
ings, as not the most rational way of ex-
pressing their grateful remembrance of the
boon achieved by their fathers, or rather
grandfathers, we are not prepared to de-
eide; perhaps both have something to do
with the comparatively quiet and languid
manner we have fallen into of observing
the day.
The mode of manifesting patriotic JOY
prescribed by that tough old Puritan, John
Adams; the firing of cannon, ringing of
bells, bon. fires, fire crackers and military
parades, was practiced with much vim for
the first fifty years after Independence, and
has been growing less and less impressive
on the public since. In those days, before
the innovations of railroads and telegraphs,
every ear in the country within thirty or
forty miles of the large cities, would be
strained to hear the faint boom at that dis
lance, of the morning salute, fired at sun
rise, the opening ceremonies of the day.
Then every village had its militia parade;
a stand was erected for the orator of the
day; the Declaration Of Independence was
read, and the speaker or speakers recited
the deeds of the heroes of the great strug-
gle, and held up the character of Washing
ton, as the perfect pattern for every boy to
initiate in his life. At these patriotic as
semblages an intense hatred of England
was inculcated, by recital of the cruelty
practiced by the British and their hired
mercenary Hessians. The hot day ended,
the people retired to their homes, their
souls filled with patriotic ardor and Amerl-
can pride. These periodic reminders OF
the struggle for Independence, did much
to amplify and strengthen feeling OF
nationality SO necessary in people COM
posed of so many nations.
But times have changed and men too
have changed, and with them their customs.
The boom of the 4th of July cannon now
nd
stir our patriotic blood as it did half CEN
fury ago. The orator is voted bore, and
his discourse spread eagle display of old
platitudes The 4th of July sun is found
too hot to parade under; and the bold
militia boy in soldier plumes is laughed at
and called a fool in languid way by his
comrades lounging in the shade, Indifferent
to all else save their individual ease. The
fire cracker is pronounced nuisance and
every village in the land has placed this
invention of the Celestials under the ban of
law.
America is a great country in extent,
natural resources, in cosmopolitan popula-
ton, in enterprise and industry; in the
rush and roar of trade, and eagerness of
the people to grow rich; but Young Amer
lea has the least reverence for the opinions
and cherished CUSTOMS of his paternal
grandsire of any other branch of the human
family. He labels them all "old fogy
and dismisses them with the most admira-
BILE nonchalauce, to the limbo of forgotten
things. This speedy forgetfulness of the
most cherished customs of the past is the
result of several causes, the greatest of
which, perhaps, is the tide of immigration
which constantly tumbles in with every
wave of the Atlantic from many nations,
upon our shores. These people come in
such multitudes that their numbers but i'm
perfectly blend with our native population,
and keep us in a constant transition state.
The manners and customs, and modes of
thought of the old world countries meet
and clash and mingle and fuse here on this
universal stage for the discussion of every
theory in government, morals, religion and
social science. The age at present ad-
vances with such tremendous strides that
the great things of yesterday are drawfed
to pigmies in contrast with the colossal
productions of to-day, and the forces, SEEM
ingly Insignificant, put in motion a century
ago, have changed the whole face of. the
civilized world, and overthrow Kingdoms
and empires, are now lost sight of or
regarded as small events, in these days
of magnificent enterprises. And SO it
comes to pass that our glorious old 4th,
the 4th of ZIG is coming to excite less
interest and less reverence, or observance,
at least, than our Puritan thanksgiving.
1t has accomplished noble work, and
as it floats out of sight down the stream
of time, the future historian will recall it,
as one of the most wonderful turning
points, or epochs, in the history Of the
nations. On that day Liberty, which had
been SO long struggling in the hearts of
the people, sprang upon the stage, like
Minerva from the head of Jove, armed
cap-a-pie, to assume an organized part in
the government of the nations in the future.
TIE WAY SIDE.-This is small eight
page weekly magazine, published at Will
minpton, Del, edited by Thos NJ Hicks