The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-28
THE POLITICAL ASPECT OF THE
CENTENNIAL.

On the fourth day of July of next year will
end the first century of the lifetime of ou1
great North American Republic. To the eye
Of common sense there is not very great
difference between the ninety-ninth, the hun.
dredth or the one hundred and first anniver.
sary of that event. Yet by pretty common
consent it is understood that the centennial
of the Declaration of Independence is to be
marked by memorial observances of various
kinds, such as the occasion may suggest and
such as may be congenial to the people.
Philadelphia having been the place where
the rebel delegates, assembled from the sew
eral colonies, did without authorization from
their respective constituents but with their
more or less cordial approval, declare the col
onies independent for well-known reasons and
causes, it has been thought proper that the
same city should be the scene of the gather
ing Of the people to note this hundredth an
niversary.
The annual return of the day of the signing
of the declaration is noted with white stone
in our national calendar. The enthusiasm of
celebration has rather declined from monot-
ony and frequency, but yet American citizens
of all classes will take more or less note of the
4th day in the month of July in this year,
which here, as in most States, is made legal
holiday.
According to the experience and sensations
Of all citizens over thirty years Of age, Inde-
pendence Day as holiday will be pronounced
something but little short of bore. Any
one who glances back through the dim vista
Of the bygone for q score of years and at
tempts to mass his conceptions of the Fourth
of July, will be apt to arrive at stupid
amalgam of noise, birthstone, inebriety, bad
rhetoric, perspiration, fre-crackers and gen.
eral nonsense. The attempt to make of the
hundredth anniversary anything much more
grand, gloomy and captivating than its many
predecessors, will not prove to be the sort Of
success that is anticipated.
It is natural that the politicians should
attempt to make the Centennial snbservient
to their purposes. 1t is to occur during the
choice of Chief Magistrate. It is possible
that one or both of the rival political nomi-
mating conventions will assemble at Philadel-
phia between the Goth of June and the Goth of
July. The massing of many hundreds of
of our people from all parts of the
country, far and near, will afford very extra
ordinary chance for political maneuvers and
combinations
The governments Of many countries will be
there by their commissioners,
and each of our own thirty-seven States will
have its agents and representatives. The OPP
portunity for political maneuvering will be
more favorable than has ever before been
offered. as the political field will in manner
be concentrated in Philadelphia, not more |
than fifty miles from the seat of the National
Government at Long Branch.
The grand Sanhedrim of spectators,
gamblers and politicians will assemble in the |
checkered City Of Brotherly Love, and there
those most interested in the great election of
'76 will flock and swarm to take share in the |
great game. The curious and we'll informed |
traveller will there meet with many stupen-
dous specimens of North American scoun-
drelism.
There is no question as to the intent of the |
party in power to make tool of the Centen.
NAL If Radical politicians can compass that |
intent, the prolonged celebration will be
brought to bear upon the election in
with all the force that betting,
colonizing, bribery, stumpspeeches,
pamphlets, promises and patronage can pro-
luce, and the Radicals will employ /
he celebration in all its machinery as cover
,eneath which they win carry on their very
npostnnt political engineering.