The Redwood gazette., 1897-07-01
NOTABLE EVENTS
OF JULY FOURTH.
Three Ex-Presidents Died on
That Day.
ANNIVERsARY OF TWO BATTLES.
Our First Tariff Bill Was Fought That
Day-The Massacre Of Wyoming Valley.
The Amnesty Proclamation Of 1865.
Treaties Signed.

- G4CA0U w Uu0 dUUCu-
ton of patriotic citizens.
Other events of national Importance are
indissolubly connected with the day, SO
that, partly by intent and rarity by pure
accident the Fourth of July, aside from
it's prestige as the nations birthday, has
become one of the most distinguished
days in the chronology Of our country.
The first tariff bill that the United
States ever had was signed by President
George Washington on the Fourth of
July, 17s9 This measure, which was
the first important legislation of the con-
gress of the new nation, was regarded as
eminently patriotic, and that consideration
had much to do with the selection of the
anniversary of the Declaration of Inde-
| pendence as the day for it's official pro-
mitigation.
At that time the national congress was
sitting in session in New York city, and
early in April James Madison, Jr., of
Virginia, member of the house of repre-
| sentatives, made the proposition to meet
the pressing financial necessities of the
country by system of impost and ton
| mage duties. The subject engaged the at
| tention of the house until late into May,
! when the bill was passed that with slight
| amendments was subsequently concurred
! in by the senate and signed by the presi
! dent. So our tariff system as we'll as our
| independence began on the Fourth of July.
Mr.. Madison the father of the measure,
| condensed into 90 lines, with eight or nine
words each, the essential principles that
governed impost and tonnage legislation
| for many years to come. Specific duties
the rule, ad valorem duties the exception,
revenue the object, moderate duties, the
| burden of taxation upon luxuries-these
| were the characteristics of the measure as
proposed and as finally adopted. The ad
valorem duties ran from to Is per cent,
the latter figure being fixed for pleasure
carriages. Specific duties were also very
moderate. The law was limited to expire
in June, 1896 -..
The Wyoming Massacres.
| Thomas Campbell has celebrated in
| Gertrude of Wyoming one of the most
tragic and most pitiful events in our coun-
try's early history. The poem, as all
know, is in Campbell's most charming
style. The poet sings:
Delightful Wyoming! Beneath thy skies
The happy, shepherd swains have naught to do
But feed their ocks sc, on green deGiyities
From morn till evenings sweeter pastime
With ffimbrel when beneath the forest brown
Thy lovely maidens would the dance renew,
! down
Would echo fageolet from some romantic
| clown.
The Wyoming valley on the Susque-
hanna river was as beautiful spot 100
and more years ago as it is now. Posses
sion Of the territory was in dispute be-
tween Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and
strife between contending claimants was
frequent. The Tories were turned out, and
then, under command of Colonel John
Butler, they allied themselves to the neigh
boring Indians and returned with force
of ], 100 men, 900 of whom were sayages.
| Colonel Zebulon Butler commanded the
settlers, but he and his little army were
enticed out of their fort on the plea of q
parley and, having been led into ambus-
cade, were slaughtered almost to man.
The fort was then attacked and forced to
surrender, and many of its defenders were
massacred. It Is said that Queen Esther,
a half breed Indian woman, tomahaWked
with her own hand ID persons to satisfy
her revenge for the killing of favorite
son. And when this dread Fourth of
July ended it looked upon devasted val
ley, ruined homes and mutilated corpses,
while little band of survivors-25 or 80
| men and 200 wOmen-were driven out in
to the trackless wilderness to find q way
as best they might to friendly settle
ment, long journey that was only &C.
oomplished after much suffering.
The Washington Monument.
When the cornerstone of the Washing
ton monument at Washington was laid,
July 4, 1S4S, there was brilliant assem-
blage. Among those in attendance were
few men and women who had been con-
temporaries of the Father of His Country.
Upon the platform were seated side by
side the widows of Alexander Hamilton
and President Madison, both of whom had
witnessed the birth of the republic. Presi-
dent Polk and his cabinet were present,
and Robert G. Winthrop delivered the ora
ton.
The date, July 4, 1861, the seventy fifth
anniversary of the nations birthday, was
selected as the occasion for laying the cor
nerstone of the extension Of the capitol at
Washington. The celebration was q dis
tinguished affair. There were grand
military and civic procession and impos-
ing ceremonies. Fillmore was president,
and Daniel Webster, then secretary Of
state, delivered the oration, which was one
Of his most dignifed, eloquent and i'm
pressive public speeches.
Memorable Battles.
It was an anxious Fourth of July that
dawned upon the country in 1851. Civil
/ q H.