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

Lipcolh's hrBt vice president, Hannibal
Hamlln, died at Bangor, Ne.
The naddeSt Fourths OF July IN the
history OF the nation were those OF the
years Of the civil war; the day was no
longer the day OF rejoicing Of q united
people, and brother fought brother
With a valor never surpassed In the
history OF the world. II when the
day came the north reJOiced II was a
day Of sorrow for the south, and y the
north Wept twas q time OF 1upuation
for the south. Such q day was the
Fourth Of July, 1858. when, after three
days Of terrific fighting and awful
slaughter, the north and south heard
rn6nenfous news from Gettysburg's
bloody field. Meade'S dispatch to Pres
ident Lincoln caused the north to re-
jolnce, but the south was plunged IN
gloom.
The same Fourth, too, was made
memorable by the capitulation of
Vicksburg, and those Federal veterans
who saw the long line Of white fags
fash out along the Confederate RAM
parts about 10 o'clock In the morning
felt surge through them q feeling Of
deVout thankfulness, for Thousands OF
war-Worn soldiers knew the battle ter
rors that were signalled on by those
welcome Fourth Of July truce days.
The order had been given by Grant
that the whole army was to charge
along the line on the morning of July
should the defenders OF Vicksburg show
no signB Of capitulatlng. 1t Is true that
the news Of this event did not reach
the country until three days after,
though II had been on the Fourth that
the Federal soldiers left their trenches
before Vicksburg AID marched into the
besleged town to the tune OF THE Star
spangled Banner"
But the Independence days Of the civ
n war were not days Of rejoicing for
the north. In 1851 Big Bethel had Just
been fought, and had been won by the
south, and Ellsworth had been shot
while hauling down the Confederate
nag In Alexandria. On this day also
the Thirty-slXth Congress met In spe-
cial session with eight states not reps
The Fourth Of 1862 had also been a
gloomy one for the north, for McClel.
Ian suffered severely In the Seven Days
Battle, and had been foced to retire and
change his base OF supplies,
Dark Indeed was the Fourth OF July
OF 1854, and with the exception Of the
sinking Of the Alabama by the Rear-
sarge, on the coast OF France, two
weeks beforehand, the north had little
cause for rejoicing. For the south as
well II was not q day Of happiness
Grant was slowly forcing Lee back, i
II true, but he was doing so with
friRhtful slaughter In his own ranks.
HIS loss after crossing the Rapldan,
two months previously, had been $1,000
men, and II was impossible to forecast
lust how events would turn out. The
following year the dark clouds Of war
had rolled away, and had It not been
for the tragic death Of the President,
the Fourth Of 1855 would have been one
OF the hlppIest holidays In the history
Of the nation. The only notable event
on this day was the reading OF the
proclamation of amnesty to those
southerners who had taken part in the
late war.
The next Fourth to stand out promi-
nently from all the others was that OF
the Centennial year, when the famous
exhibition took place In Philadelphia,
and was in full swing by the time In
dependence Day rolled around. In the
large square to the rear OF 1ndepend-
gathered to witness the centennial cere-
monies, and Richard Henry Lee, the
grandson Of the actual mover OF the
Declaration, stood up before the people
with the original manuscript In his
hand, and from It read the immortal
words that had been framed one cen-
fury In the past. Bayard Taylor read
his famous ode. and Bryant. Whittier
and Holmes dedicated patriotic poems
to the nation at the Congress of Au-
thors and public men associated with
the centennial. On this occasion II
was William NJ. Evarts who delivered
the grafton. But amid all the gayety
that took place there stole In note Of
sorrow, for the news OF Clusters last
battle had Just come out Of the west.
Five whole troops. 262 men. had been
wiped out by the Sioux Indians In the
battle on the Little Big Horn.
In his "Recolleetions' General Miles
tells how he read Of the terrible news
at Fort LeaVenworth, Kansas, on the
morning OF July 8, whereupon six COM
panIes OF his regiment were ordered TO
move forward. The troops, as they
moved toward that dark and bloody
ground" OF the massacre. found many
of the public buildings and private
sal was the sorrow felt by the American
people OF the west.
But on no other Fourth OF July had
this nation been so heavy OF heart, as
on Independence Day, 1881, when Presi-
dent Garfield lay on his lingering death
bed, freshly stricken down by the bullet
Of an assassin. Just as the Fourth oil
1855 had been shrouded in gloom by the
murder of President lincoln, 30 the
same day in 1881 was turned into q day
OF mourning by the trnRedysot July 2,
when Garfield was shot down by a
wretched maniac.
Coming down stIll closer to our own
times, wa have the Homestead strike,
beginning July /. 1899, and by the
Fourth matters had reached critical
condition, though on that day It was
scarcely guessed that the Bloody en-
gagement between the strikers and the
Plnkerton men, which was to take place
two days later, was so near ut hand.
OF ali the momentous Fourths, how
ever, Judged from whatsoever View
point, the Fourth Of July. 1888, was by
far the greatest in the modern history
OF our country. It established US as
one OF the foremost powers OF the
world, 1t swept the last vestige OF Euro
pehH oppIHsHloh run ''u HS" " 49, I.N,
and II demonstrated to our nation and
to the rest OF the world that we had an
army and navy OF which we might well
be proud. So now We Will celebrate
our past deeds and accomplishments,
remembering that while our children
are burning powder for heroes long
dead there are also living heroes burn
ing their own powder for their native
land in the far east.
Fight on the Water.
TOLEDO. o.. July 2.-willIam Paul,
James Collins and Moynert Lewis, col