Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-07-09
independence Day.


large and sure crops Of accidents fires and fights
every thoughtful person asks himself the ques-
ton, not why do we celebrate It at all2 but Why
do we celebrate It in so irrational and expensive
a manner? It Is irrational that the noise Of guns
and fre-crackers, so suggestive Of the method Of
warfare Of the oldest civilization on the face Of
the globe, should be thought the necessary con-
comitant Of the celebration Of the birth Of the
youngest. That this conviction is gaining ground
ia evident from the fact that our large cities are
restricting, entirely forbidding, the Of fire.
crackers and other explosives in the celebration
Of the day; and no wonder since, In consequence
OF IT, extensive confagrations like that in Port
land some years ago and heavy fires In other
cities have swept out Of existence millions OF dol
lars Of property and made thousands Of families
homeless. The fact Is that our country has
passed beyond the heyday Of youth and has en-
tered the age Of manhood, with its attendant
cares and responsibility, and the method Of fifty
years ago is no longer desirable or practicable.
Then, we celebrated the day with every demonstra-
tion Of Joy that our ancestors had declared them
selves independent Of monarchy and had founded
a republic, to be a citizen OF which was greater
than to be king. Since then we have passed
through the fiery furnace OF rebellion, which,
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fit to govern ourselves The spread-eagle oratory
Of our Fourth Of July speakers has long been a
theme for jest and laughter to foreigners and
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ma ,,n,o,,onoo !, "a h,oh ,,n,a ,hs, ye bea,n b
:" see ourselves as others see us.
A. tbap IN that auautinn Ia fhia.
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oro ,'aooss;,,, and oa,,,os oil, ot,on en,ar,a,n
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ns ,oaoh ,ho r,.;n aonora,,on that hv ir,e,,i.en,
and free discusaior ~ such opestions the trptb
will he evolved, teach them IN sbun and ahbor
Tho professional nol,ician and marty organ who.
for merelv selfish purposes trv tn make "tbe
gray mare apnear the better horse.' and. finally.
teach them To he loval IN our common country
rather than to auy portion of It.
Below we give reports of the celebrations in
this vicinity.
AT WATERBURY,
The one hundred and third anniversary Of
American independence was handsomely observed
at Waterbury by salute and ringing Of bells in
the morning. procession, GRAFTON, sports in the
afternoon, and ball at Bishops hotel in the even
ing. There was general turnout OF the people
of Waterbury and neighboring towns, TO the num-
Der OF from fifteen to twenty thousand
The morning train brought down from Mont
pelier Company II, National Guard OF Vermont,
Captain Coffey, numbering about forty-fve, with
the Montpelier Cornet Band, twenty pieces,
Bert Waterman leader. They were received
In depot square by the Seth Warner fire engine
company, forty men, handsomely uniformed,
Seymour Leland, foreman, and marshaled by C..
Q. Warren. They marched-a grotesque company
Of antiques and horrbes," quite originally got
ten up, having preceded them-to the Academy
Park, by way Of Main, Stowe, New and Main
streets There a stand was erected for the band
and speakers. During the exercises that followed
the band gave some excellent selections consist
ing Of quicksteps, watzes and patriotic airs.
Hon. Paul Dillingham; presided After music
and an eloquent prayer by Rev. Mr.. Trevilan
Of Middlesex, the president in few remarks in.
troduced the orator OF the day, who was greeted
with cheers
| The Grafton was delivered by Mr.. Hiram A.
Huse Of this village. He took Tor his subject
Fourth Of July Celebrations and Orations." |,
was a carefully-prepared and wel-received effort
| as might have been expected from the orator.
| He commenced by saying that 1t had been his
fortune to see number Of Fourth Of July cele-
brations but, except perhaps once, never TO have
listened to the Grafton. He had promised to give
them a short talk and nothing more, and II
seemed to him as il little knowledge OF what had
been done on similar occasions in the past might
| be OF benefit. Although the customary spread
eagle Fourth OF July speakers had been, perhaps
deservedy ridiculed in the past, there had really
been spoken vast deal Of sound patriotism and
common sense at such times.
| We celebrate to-day the "husk," the oute
covering of the important event. 1t is the adop
ton, not the inherent matter of the Declaration
we take note of. The adoption occurred reall,
July ID John Hancock signed July 4th, and tn,
other sgners August I'd, with one or two excep
tons The speaker then made some allusion Il
the admirable and patriotic address OF Genera
Washington to the provisional congress of Massa
| chusetts July 4th, 1775, quoting from IT, and
Alexandria, Va, July 4th, 1888 Massachusetts
annually celebrated the 9th OF March, the occa
sion of the massacre in 1870, until 1888 wher
James Otis (hs last public act) moved to substi
tute July 4tb, which was adopted. Among tn,
noted orators at Boston on these occasions hat
been Charles 4. Sumner father of Senator Sum
ner) in 1905 Horace Mann in 1912, Charles F
Adams in 1913 and Charles Sumner in 1916 II,
quoted from their orations to show the spirit o
loyalty and patriotism which actuated the people
Of those DAYS, as well as from other wel-knowr
and wel remembered addresses by other speak
ers elsewhere.
Among the more noted celebrations of the da,
here were those at Burlington in 1929, witt
George p. Marsh. AZ orator; mt St. Adams ant
Montpelier the same wear: Mt Pawlet in 1888 n,
we'll as MANY later ones
The sneaker then endeayored to show that Their,
was danger that the principles and feelings which
actuated our forefathers should degenerate int,
mere craftsmanship. quoting as follows: eth,
celebrations of Independence have departed from
the objects of their institutors The iustitutio,
| had better he wholly abolished than continued Al
an engine of politics and feelings of TODAY in
stead of A memorial of the prineiples and feeling,
of the Keyolutiouists half a century ago"
It was the right of man to govern himself which
made the Revolutiop n success and bnilt the M
tion We need now education morality thrift
nv ipdustrv and nerseverance We mnst hav
| ii. ..,.,.i..,. - -. ,.i,. 81 . -. .,,.