The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-04

NOW York Press: Long remembered
Wltl be tie Fourth Of July, 1898, because
q 81 dissimilaFity to our previous In
dependence days. This historic day, the
last Fourth but one Of the century.
breaks upon the people OF the United
States With peculiar and unusual sig
niheanee; for, while hitherto 1t has
been a day marked on for the celebra-
ton Of liberties won for ourselves, this
year L u also q day OF thankfulness for
merry brought to others by US
This celebration might have taken
place on our Fourth Of one year ago,
but Americans were too busy burning
powder behind army bullets or navy
ranroad trains" or too breathlessly ex-
becta1t concerning the effect of the
shots to cogitate on the new glorles OF
that particularly busy day. Sampson
and sehley were smashlng Ceryera's
fest. hoodooed and doomed to destruc-
ti9n at its anchor-weighing for qt-
tempting to- escape American sailors
Oh America'B proadest day; Dewey
was getting ready 10 assault and take
the city OF Manila and Shatter was
niAlIinE preparations for his attack on
the walls Of Santiago. The wires were
hot with news OF American victories,
every one was looking for further tid-
dhgs and the decisive blows Of the
Spanish American war were being
struck
When things OF such moment as these
TAD mn
rnEntarily to take place people hnd
Themselves swept along. too swiftly by
the current OF crowding events TO stop
TO deIibefate on Just what has been ac-
cbmpliShed and rejoice over what has
been done.
This Fourth, however, the people OF
our republic have an opportunity quiet
II and calmly TO realize just what has
happened In the last momentous four
teen months to rejoice that the people
Of Cuba, Porto Rico and Hawaii are,
through our fundamentally, enjoying
liberty under the red, white and blue OF
( .Old Glory" and TO give thanks that
the stalwart SONS Of the new north ana
the new south fought side by side I'M
der the old Flag that was raised on
hieh as the standard OF humanity. The
war with foreign foe brought the
blue and the gray nearer together than
they have been since the civil war, and
the small boy Of the south this Fourth
will set OF the firecrRckers which IN
other years he usually reserved for
Christmas. Once more the birthday OF
Liberty will seem a common Inherit
ance to all the people Of the United
States.
rhe most memorable Fourth was, OF
course, that historic day when fifty-slx
men. assembled In the hall of the state
house at Philadelphia, decided after a
hot and stormy debate, that the thlr-
teen colonies OF America were and OF
right ought to be free and independent.
me first celebration took place In
Philadelphia four days after the adop-
Hon Of the Declaration. That particu-
lnr 9th Of July, Of the year 1716, Is de-
Icrihed by one Of the immortal signers
a. the Declaration as being "a warm,
sunahiny morning. and 1t was in the
ward Of the state house that John Nixon
read the new and original Declaration.
The great assembly Of people gave
tiiree repeated huESas." we are told,
and the kings coat Of arms was torn
down. The proclamation was read
again before each Of the hve battallons
on the common OF the old Quaker CITY
ana IN the evening bonhFeB were light
al bells were rIing and cannon were
discharged.
~ New York the next day, July Q,
Wa0hinEton himself took part In the
celebration OF the FIRST Fourth. The
Declaration was read in the presence
al the army, and the populace gave
Won't 10 their feelings IN cannon firing,
hell ringing and bonfire making. En-
thusiasni, In fact, ran 50 high that the
people tore down the statue OF King
George III. from It's place in Bowling
Green and beheadsd and melted the
same, much to the satisfaction OF the
soldlery, whom only stern discipline
had deferred from so doing.
There was no telegraph in those early
days, and It took the good news some
time to reach Boston. 1t was the 18TH
81 July before the Intelligence was
brought by messenger, and though
GorneWhat belated In celebrating
Americas first Independence Day,
those early Bostonlans were none the
less enthusiastic at the thought OF hAy-
ing thrown OIL the burdensome English
yoke. They had no statue OF King
George to break up, but did the next
best thing by tearing down the ION
and unicorn from the east wing OF the
rtate house. and In the evening there
was q general illumination, with much
fnerrymaking on the common.
II was not until 1888 that the Grafton
was introduced as n permanent feature
In the Fourth OF July celebrations. Jo-
sIah Quincy was the orator Of that
yenr. and history says that his Grafton
was q moving and inspiring effort
Toasts were introduced, and later be-
came q feature Of the day. After this
date, too, II became fixed rule to read
the Declaration. though tho older GUS
tom Of "frinG thirteen pieces OF cannon
and leu de joie' was by no means
discontinued.
ON this day Of national rejoicing
death has often stepped In to claim his
share Of respect from forgetful coun-
try. Probably the strongest eoincI-
dence associated with our national hol-
iday n that on July (, 1926, which was
eInctly the hftieth Anniversary OF the
first Independence Day. Thomas JEFF
ferson and John Adams should die.
Just after midnight. when the Fourth
was beginning 10 break over America,
Jefferson, who still retained conHIious-
ness. was heard 10 mutter, "Thlsils the
Foufth Of July" His spirit ara not
aHH r 81. .na.aH "a lob