Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-03
How 1t Was Celebrated Before It
Became the Glorious Fourth.
SCEP7ER OF NOISE now SWAPS
Early Observance Near AIexan-
dria, With Washington Present.
D IN N ERS AND ASTS

u
powder.
And placed in a bottle so that it would sound the
louder,
When it went of July the Fourth He stopped to
Sc, IT burning
Then he went OF There is n bourne whence there
is no returning.
That simple but expressive obituary
would not have been written, probably.
had the subject not attempted to celebrate
independence day in the manner which has
become unfortunately national But he was
recognizing the Fourth of July instead of
Independence day. When the glorious an
niversary was first established, it was In
dependence day that was recognized and
revered and made notable in other than
noisy ways. 1t was then pregnant with
real patriotism, and it is claimed that the
appreciation of it was deeper and had
greater meaning. There was noise of
course, but it had it's limitations 1t didn't
begin before midnight July g. and continue
until after midnight July A. and it was not
accompanied by destructive fires or disas-
trouS accidents, like that which eliminated
little Tommy Turner as possible presi-
Dental equation. Fish horns and giant
frecrackers, torpedoes and sticks of dyna-
mite were unknown in our grand daddies'
days, and there are a good many people
who would gladly see the old-time cele-
bration of Independence day succeed the
modern riot of the glorious Fourth, as it
is now SO generally called
John Adams Idea.
1t was President John Adams, the patron
saint of New England, who would prob
ably run Edward Atkinson and George
Fred Williams and others of that Boston
cult out of Massachusetts We're he in flesh
today, who suggested that the early part of
independence day should be given up to
solemn acts of devotion and then COM
memorated with pomp and parade games,
sports, guns. bells, bonfires and illumina-
tons from one end of the continent to the
other, foreVermore." Continent. That old
mans prophetic vision must have seen the
Louisiana purchase and those other "im
perialistic" extensions with an eagle eye.
History May Repeat Itself.
And maybe this year history, which is
grimly humorous at times may repeat it
self. 1t is a matter of record in its pages
that upon the first official celebration of
Independence day by the continental Con-
gress that body secured music for the oc
casion by forcing the Hessian band, which
had been captured by George Washington
at Trenton in the previous December to
play in the public square. all day, to the
great delight and amusement of the people.
1t is also said the musicians were obliged
to practice appropriate airs for three weeks
previously in order that they could not
plead ignorance as an excuse. Who knows
but what General Otis is putting that Fill
pino band he captured recently through
the same practice, and that it will be re-
CURED tomorrow to play THE Star Span.
Dixie" Marching Through Georgia and
THE Battle Hymn of the Republic?'' Who
knows? The very thought is almost
nerve tonic to help those with nerves to
withstand the giant crackers on this side
of the world tomorrow. IL
George Washington Attended.
pt,nrn fc Of I,,6a 1a1y
celebration which George Washington at
at Spring Gardens, near Alexandria, Va.
Sixteen guns were fired at daybreak, and at
an early morning hour Washington re-
viewed a parade of infantry, cavalry and
artillery. Then he went TO church and lis
tened to discourse on independence, Pa
triotism and the Duties of Citizenship" by
Rev. T. Davis, an eminent Episcopal cler-
gyman of those days.
Dinner followed and there We're fourteen
tcasts drunk. At this time John Adams
France. Accordingly, the list of toasts is
interesting. They were The Day We Cele-
brate," 1.-The President of the United
States" THE Vice President" THE Con-
ary,' The Governor and the Common
wealth of Virginia" 1.-The Patriots of '76''
THE Militia of the Union Our Infant
Navy" 1.-The Gallant Youths of America
lions for Defense, but Not One Cent for
Tribute" "Firmness in the Present Crisis
Gen. George Washington, the First of
Heroes and the Best of Men"
1t is recorded that Washington bowed
himself out as the last mentioned toast
was proposed.
That creature comfort of the liquid sort
was early part of the celebration of the
day is shown by the fact that on the first
anniversary Washington gave his soldiers
at Morristown Heights IAN extra gill of
rum"
Dinners We're a great feature in. old-time
celebra lions. In Hartford, Conn, it was
the custom to have a great dinner Sin the
field" where all the crack militia COM
panies Were assembled, and twenty toasts
were drunk, after which the militia drilled!
In Boston official dinners were given on
Independence day in Faneuil Hall.
Change in Character.
About 1910 the character of the celebra-
tons began to change There were still
parades, but noise began to take the place
of oratory The opening of trade with
China brought the small firecrackers, and
American manufacturers followed with big
ores. Noise has reigned ever since.
Many plans have been suggested to
change the character Of the modern cele-
braton of Independence day, and to make
it more orderly and solemn. One was
Gently suggested by a writer in the North
American Review, who advises that in all
communities where the population is not
so great as to make it impossible all young
men who have reached the age of twenty
one years during the year be invited to
great banquet, given seats of honor and
addressed by representative men upon the
vast responsibilities which their coming of
age imposes on them as citizens.
But it will probablyi be q difficult thing
to dethrone noise, whose scepter now sways
so arbitrarily over Independence day, and
tomorrow will probably prove the truth of
this most emphatcally.
GROWTH OF OUR SHIPPING.
a.