The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-07-12

Tn Day We Celebrate.
The Fourth OF July, 1877, the first
I.ds p-nJeuce day OF the second CEN
tury VI American nationality, was Gel
ebraird in Austin and throughout the
C. ua'y j" spirit Of brotherly love
and patriotic devotion which has char
acteriZed no occasion OF the kind since
1851. Business in the city was almost
entirely suspended; during the after
noon especially the streets we're deserted
and Austin looked Ike she had gone
into bankruptcy, aud that every
body was locked up inside taking
account OF stock. But not SO,
and better thar this. After the
closing of the exercises at the Cap
itoI and free indulgence in good
home dinners, the exodus 10 the country
became general. Some went to Round
Rock on the International to be pres
ent at the celebration there; others
went fishing up Bull creek and down
the river, while the greater number OF
those who left the city took themselves
TO the tournaments and picnics out on
Williamson and Onion creeks, four and
a half and nine miles south of Austin.
These doings had been gotten up en-
tirely by the people of the country liv-
ing over the river, and they had in
vited the people Of the city, through
the columns OF the STATESMAN, to join
them in the exercises and pleasures Of
the day we celebrate, the glorious
Fourth OF July, and Of course the peo-
pie of Austin were pleased TO respond
in goodly numbers to that invitation.
An occasional mingling of the people
from remote portions Of the country,
all coming together on the shady banks
OF a beautiful stream, in sight of fields
of waving corn and growing cotton,
strengthens the ties of society and
tends to open up new avenues of inter
course for pleasure and profit between
the producers and the consumers, the
artizans and the mechanics, all of whom
are equally dependent upon one an
other and interested in government
and society. The celebrations or pic
MICS and tournaments on Onion and
Williamson creeks, to the credit of the
people who got them up, were sue
cess, and those who went out from
town came back smiling and happy
over the incidents of the day.
AT THE CAPITOL.
BY 1890 o'clock goodly audience
had assembled at Representative Hall,
among whom were many of the State
officers and employees Of the different
departments, and numbers of the fair
sex. After prayer by Rev. DIR. Phil
pott, and the reading of the Declare
ton OF Independence by DIR. d. w. c.
Baker, the assemblage was addressed
by several speakers, notably Judge
Thomas, J. =. G. Whitehead and Gov
ernor Hubbard. Judge Thomas's
speech treated Of the Declarati IN of In
dependence Of Texas, in particular,
and he urged upon the rising genera
tion to venerate the San Jacinto heroes
as we did those who fought in the rev.
olution of 1915. Mr.. Whitehead's
speech was u mastery effort and
riveted the attention of the entire au-
dience. He spoke Of the declaration
as securing to every one two blessings
enjoyed no where "liberty of
speech and free press" He eulogized
the. press, especially, rs the palladium
of our liberties. Mr.. Whitehead's
delivery was fine, showing that he
fully appreciated the old Greeks mot
to, "Action." The address abounded
in fine figures of speech and bold
flights Of Imagination. When he
closed with that oft-luoted but never
hackneyed stanza, "Lives there man
with soul so dead" etc., a round of
applause went up from the delighted
auditory. Governor Hubbard being
repeatedly called for, he rose in his
place on the floor and spoke, saying
that though he had been invited to
speak by the committee, he had de-
clned, but felt impelled to say some
thing. His remarks, though few, were
full of tho spirit of patriotism. 1t was
noticeable that Hayes received his en-
dorsement in what he did regarding
Louisiana and South Carolina. In fact,
all the speakers were Of the same mind
rs the STATESMAN upon this point.
The old spirit, "The Union, one and
indivisible, now and forever" took
possession of all, and we doubt beth
or any Fourth Of July was ever cele-
brated in Austin with as much zest as
was this fist one after the emancipa-
ton of all the States from the shackles
OF oppression.
AT HORSESHOE BEND.
The attendance at the picnic and
tournament at "Horseshoe Bend"
was very large, some estimating
that fully 400 or more people
were present, about fifty Of whom, or