Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-04

and the throng gave vent to long ana
loud shouts Of exultation.
THE OLD BEIL-RINGER.
The old bell-ringer had been at his post
since early morning. He had placed his
boy below to announce when the Decla-
ration was adopted, so that not an IN
slant misht be lost in transferring the
glad tidings by means OF the bell to the
awaiting multitude. AS the wearisome
hours passed and no sign came 10 him,
''They will never do I'll They will never
do it, Just then he heard his boy clap
ping his hands and vociferating at the
top Of his Juvenile lungs: Ring! Ring!
The old hands swayed che sonorous bell
with delirious vigor. Its reverberation
was echoed by every steeple In the city:
That was a gala day In Philadelphia,
what with rejoicings and poniires ana
Examinations. The cannon doomed ana
messengers rode away holly TO all quar-
tiers TO announce the news. washington
then was in New York with the army.
BY his orders II was read to the soldiers,
who acclaimed it enthusiastically. The
townsfolk on that night tore the statue
of George III. from It's pedestal In Bow
ling Green and it was melted into 1900
bullets for the patriot troops.
Yesterday" wrote John Adams to his
wife, "the greatest question WIS decided
that was ever debated In America. and
greater. perhaps, never was or Will be
decided among men. A resolution was
passed without one dissenting Colony
that these United Colonies are, and or
right ought to be. free and Independent
The day is passed. The 4th of July, lUo,
will be memorable epoch in the his
tory of America. i am apt 20 believe IL
will be celebrated by succeeding genera
tions as the great anniversary FESTIVAL.
1t ought to be concentrated as the DAY
of deliverance by solemn acts OF devo-
tion to Almighty God. 1t ought TO De
solemnized with pomp. shows, games,
, sports, guns. bells. bonfires. and illumi-
nations from one end of the continent to
the other from this time forward Tor
ever"
by a strange coincidence John Adams
died on July T. 1896, the fiftieth. anniver-
sary, of the Declaration Of Independence nee
wives" But at / O'clock on the same
day Jefferson also passed away.
Boys and girls for generations have
been taught these facts in history-that
the history of the United States. There
are thousands resident here now who
have never had this opportunity; To
them the Fourth of July Is honday-a
dav TO celebrate, day OF enjoyment. 10
the American boy and girl who know
what happened here 11 years ago, IL Is
so much more than that that II Is no
exaggeration to say they enjoy the cele-
bration with twice the keenness that
those who are ignorant of the country s
history could possibly experience.
Among the older ones. plenty OF whom
have studied history, too, there Is host
F, who only know that Fourth Of July Is
the day when the Declaration OF indie
pendence was made public. That Is What
we celebrate. to be sure, but the kindred
| incidents must be known to those who
would appreciate the greatness Of the
/ day. We love the Star-Spangled Banner
| We celebrate the Fourth of July. To the
! American citizen these two are the Da-
mon and PythiaS of freedom. We wave
! the first and we set off fireworks i'm OBJ
| servance of the second And then, in
| cidentally. we all make little Declara-
/ ton of Independence of our own.