The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-15
The Centennial.

There could be no such thing as q
Centennial until Adam and Eve were
a hundred years old. From that time
centennials of many things may have
commenced whether or not they were
celebrated. We have no account OF
even celebration of the first centen-
NAL, that of Creation. Adam lived to
see nine centennials and thirty years
into the tenth. The fall of himself
and wife, so soon after they were cre-
ated, may have so associated the Two
things together in their minds that
they could not think of their Eden
home without thinking also OF their
fall and expulsion. So they may have
passed their first and succeeding cen:
tennials during life rs quietly and
with as little thought Of what they did
one hundred years ago, two hundred,
three hundred, and so on-as possible.
As centuries have come and gone
centennials have increased, and the.
celebration of centennial events OF
more or less importance have multi
piled.
Tuesday April 80, 1889, was celebrat-
ed in New York City as the centen-
NAL of the inauguration of George
Washington as President of the Unit
ed States. The celebration is repre-
sented as unparalleled in magnitude,
magnificence and multitude. IL Is
supposed by some that a million OF
persons were present Oh the occasion.
Although the celebration was the
greatest mixture of the people that has
ever taken place at one time, yet 1t is
doubtful whether there has been an in
crease of cement between the various
sections of this wide and widening ma
ton. The competition in display and
the consequent disappointments, Jeal-
ousies and envyings on the occasion
NAV have been more than has yet ap-
peared on the surface.
The prominent and most imposing
feature in the celebration was the mill
tary. Nothing can be great with some
people without military demonstla-
tions of some sort-if it be no more
than to rattle trappings, beat a drum
and shoot q cannon. But this was the
wav the powers and managers that be
decided to have it. George Washing
ton in his farewell address, September
II. 1896, said, "Overgrown military es.
tablishments are under any form OF
government inauspicious to liberty,
and are particularly hostile to- republl-
can liberty"
If that Centennial Ball and attend
ant debauch had been left out OF the
programme, and every thing of mill
tary feature and flavor had been super
seded by plain dresses for men and
women with white flag for each State
inscribed, On earth peace, good s0IN TO-
avard men, with the name OF one OF
the States under each inscription,
would it not have endeared the people
of the different States more to one on,
other, and consequently strengthened
the union feeling in all hearts. -,
According as the territory OF the
United States is enlarged and the pop
ulation with immigration is increased,
there must be corresponding increase
of unifying cement or the government
will sooner or later drop to pieces;
This should never be lost sight OF
when it is remembered that !mmlgra-
tion. Romanism, Free Education, Tax
alton, Popular elections, and the ne,
gro are problems that must be solved
by the Republic before another Gen.
tennial comes round.