The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-10
OUR EDITORIAL CORRESPOND.
ENCE.
The Centennial I'm Parkersburg---
Fine Display.--Beautiful Tabieaux
COIOre<l Indians Reform.

Fine Display--Beautiful Tableaux
COIOred Indians Reform.
PARKERsBUG, July 6, 1876.
Editors of the Register.
The Centennial Fourth was big day
in Psrkersburg. There has been moth
ing like it in the past, and there will be
nothing like it in tho future, unless it be
at the next Centennial. At midnight the
noise began with tho ringing OF bells, the
firing of cannon, and the shrill scream OF
the whistles at the round house and
the engines at the different manufactures.
IL was one continuous noise until II
o'clock the next night, when many an
over-enthused patriot YEARLY sought his
couch with q tervent prayer that another
Centennial may never be known IN his
LAY and generation.
The display made by the Oil City was
quite creditable, and we have no doubt
surpassed that of many cities of larger
pretentions. The tableaux representa-
lions in the procession were particularly
fine. The frs. wagon, festooned with
flowers and evergreens, bore "Uncle
SAM" represented by a vcritable West
Virginian who stands seven feet three
inches in his stockings. This giant was
dressed in the traditional Yankee costume
of swallow.tailed coat, yellow pants,
six inches too short in the leg, white stove
pipe hat set on the back of his head,
while in his hand he held stick and
iack-kniie engaged in the everlasting
Yankee habit of whiting, The society
of st. Patrick had full rugged ship,
manned by the boys in blue, while on the
side was displayed in large letters Com
modore BARRY's memorable expressions
british gold cannot buy me-" A wagon
drawn by sixteen oxen carried log
cabin, in which the family was being
tomahswked by Indians, representing
the massacre OF Wyoming valley
Another wagon bore ship from which u
lot of men, disguised as Indians, were
throwing tes boxes into an imaginary
Boston harbor. Thlrty.eight young ladies
tastefully and appropriately dressed, rep
resenting the States of the American
Union, were riding in large wagon. a
number of merchants and manufacturers
had their goods suitably displayed, con-
spicuous among which we observed the
Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine.
1t would occupy too much space to give
q full description of the procession
Owing to the threatening aspect OF
the weather and the invalid con
dition of your correspondent, did
not go TO the Fair Grounds, where n
crowd of several thousand assembled, and
the Grafton was delivered. But i learn
that everything passed oil pleasantly,
THE RACE DARLINGTON.
1t may not be improper to state that
the difficulty which l referred to in my
last letter about the negroes participating
in tho celebration, was compromised by
admitting the negroes painted and
dressed as Indians. The better class OF
dsrkeys resented this as an indignity,
and refused TO submit 10 it, and conse-
quently took no part in it. The Repub,
llcan City Council that b charge OF the
ceremonies refused to pi"ca any negroes
on the Committee on Arrangements, &C
cording to q request from the colored
brethren, and this gave offense. But
some of the less respectable darkeys who
were fond of ornamentstion and display,
and who had no regard for any principle
that might be involved affecting their
race, donned the feathers and dsubed
their faces with the war paint of the
children of the forest and joined the
procession. One incensed old African
who had an exalted regard for the dig
nifty of his race, remarked shat none
but id rag baby niggers would stoop
to such a:descension." The negro as an
Indian is a caricature which
exposes anything in that line that l
have ever seen. 1t may be that my ideas
of the noble red man formed from seeing
the Indian of the plains, or the chief that
sometimes visit the Great Father at
Washington, may be wrong, or at least