Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-04
NO OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
Lack of Interest in the Celebration of the
Day.
How the Fourth Was Observed Over
Seventy Years Ago, According
to nm Eye Witness.

Outside of the closing of the executive
departments and a suspension of business,
the only official recognition of the national
holiday in this city today was the order
ing out of the Marine Band to assist in
the celebration conducted under the aus
pieces of the civic patriotic societies This
apparent lack of official recognition is not
peculiar to this year. but has been the case
for many years past. In the earlier years
of the republic the government took the
lead in celebrating its birth, but from and
since the war the custom has gradually
fallen into d:suse, so far as the official
representatives of the people are con-
cerned, and the celebrating has been done
by the citizen in his individual capacity
or as member of some military or civil
organization.
Celebrations Years Ago.
How the day was observed at the coun-
try's capital many years ago is briefly
told in an interesting way by Mrs. Eliza
n. Moulder, afterward Mrs. Joseph S. VIII
son of this city, the respected mother OF
Col. John NJ. Wilson of the engineer corps,
in charge of public buildings and grounds.
This account is contained in letter bear
ing date of Washington city, July II, 1S2I-
seventy-one years ago-written by Mrs.
Wilson to her uncle. Mr.. Peter G. Chler,
is as follows:
Seventy Years Ago.
1.-The Fourth of July has never been SO
much celebrated in this city this last
time. The procession was very interesting
1t formed at the south of the Presidents
house and proceeded thence to the Capitol
Col. Brearley, the marshal of the day, ap-
peared at the head of it on horseback. He
Il Ill. I,
by crimson sash. The band of the marine
corps came next, playing patriotic airs
Presently afterward appeared the plain and
simple chariot of the President where he
sat, attended by George Hay, esq. Next
came an open landau, in which were seated
his secretaries, Mr. Adams .and Mr.. Cal
houn. Then followed the foreign ministers
resident here. These were followed by the
Grand Lodge and the members of the sew
eral Masonic lodges of the city, all distin-
guished by blue scarfs, aprons &c. After
them came the president, professors and
students of the Columbian College, followed
by the Washington Benevolent Society,with
a large green flag at their head, gold harp
and wearing a green ribbon at the breast
In car drawn by an elegant gray horse
was seated one of the scholars of Mr.. Nc
Leod's school, appropriately attired with
wreath, banners, &c, representing the God
dess of Columbia. In another car, drawn
by two gray horses, were two young girls
representing Liberty and Independence
with copy of the Declaration displayed
Then followed beautiful cavalcade OF
girls and boys from the same academy. The
next part of the procession was the Typo
graphical Society, at the head of which
was seen a press, arched over with ever
green. worked by rressmen in uniform and
continually throwing out Declarations OF
Independence, which were distributed among
the specta tors. Then appeared a smiths
shop upon wheels, containing forge and
anvil, at which several hands dressed in
white were employed in making the ham
mers ring and urging the fire with a huge
bellows. This is not the description OF hall
of it, but my memory fails me in the rest
and I must STOP"