The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-03

! The first Fourth of July celebration
took place in Philadelphia four days after
the adoption of the declaration of in
dependence, on July s. 1776, "a warm.
sunschiny morning." as one of those who
were present described the day. John
Nixon read the declaration in the yard
of the state house, and the great as
emily of people gave three repeated
huzzas." The kings arms were torn
down from their place, and then the
proclamation was read before each of the
five battalionS on the commons. In the
evening, which was clear and starlight,
! bonfires were kindled, cannon We're fired.
bells were rung. with other demonstra-
7 lions of joy upon the unanimity and
agreement Of the declaration
On July 9, Washington himself directed
! the celebration which was held in. New
/ York. The declaration was read in the
/ presence of the army, and the assembled
people INDUCED in displays very like those
/ of the preceding day in Philadelphia, al
| though the New York celebration went a
/ step farther, for in their enthusiasm the
| people tore down, beheaded and melted
the statue of George III. in Bowling
Green, 1.-The troops long having had an
| inclination so TO do
The news was hurried forward to Bos-
ton, and the messengers made such in
credible fast time that they arrived on
the 18th of July. The people were dressed
in their holiday suits and with the
at 1 o'clock Thomas Crafts arose in the
town house and read aloud the 1eclara-
ton, and the men stood up and repeated
the words of their officers and Sgore to
uphold the rights of their country. The
town clerk read the declaration from a
balcony to the crowd, 'at the close of
which a shout, begun in the hail. passed
to the streets. which rang with loud
huzzas, the slow and measured boom of
cannon and the rattle of musketry." Then
Der, ito which ali the richer citizens were
invited, while great quantities of liquor
We're distributed among the people. and in
the evening there was general illumin-
alton of the entire town. There was no
King George to be broken, but the people
did the next best thing, for they tore
down the lion and the unicorn from the
east wing of the state house.
FIRST CELEBRATION BY CONGRESS.
One of the unpublished letters of John
Adams gives the following description:
The thought of taking any notice of this
day was not conceived until the second
of the month and was not mentioned I'M
til the third. 1t was too late to have
must be deferred to another year Con-
gress determined to adjourn over that
day and to dine together. The general
officers and others in town were invited
after the president and council and board
of war of this state. In the morning the
Delaware frigate, several large galieyS
and other continental armed vessels In
Pennsylvania ship and row galleys and
guard boats were all hauled off into the
river and several of them were dressed
in the colors of all nations displayed
above the masts, yards and rigging. Ar
l o'clock the ships were all manned; that
is. the men were all ordered Gloft and
arranged upon the top yards and shrouds.
making striking appearance of men
drawn up in order in the air. Then 1 went
on board the Delaware with the president
and several gentlemen of the marine COM
mittee, soon after which we were saluted
with a discharge of - guns which was
followed by Is others from each of the
armed vessels in the river, then the gall
leyS followed the fire and after them
the company returned in the barges to
the shore and were saluted by three
cheers from each ship, galley and boat
in the river. The wharves and shores We're
lined with q vast concourse of people, all
shouting and huzzaing. At we went
to dinner and were very agreeably en-
tertained with excellent company good
cheer and music from the band of Hes
slams captured at Trenton and by con-
tinual volleys between every toast from
a company of soldiers
The letter then goes on to describe the
professions and SaluteS of the soldiers.
and expresses the surprise of the writer
in the evening TO behold almost every
though a few surly houses were dark.
I had forgot" he continues, the ringing
of bells all day and evening, and the
bonfireS in the streets, and the fireworks
played off. Had General Howe been here
in disguise, or his master. this show
would have given given them the head
The anniversaries had been celebrated
in the army by the discharge of guns,
the setting free of prisoners. and festiv-
tiles in which the wives of the generals
had been very active. Mrs. Knox and
The year when peace was declared wit
messed the introduction of the grafton
Guns and bells, of course. continued to
be very much in evidence, and toaStS were |
drunk and responded to at the dinners,
which were provided on every village
green or city common. George Washing