The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-07-01


gested by the day crossed his lips.
independence forever!" he said, and
never spoke again.
Exactly five years after the deaths
of Adams and Jefferson, James Mon
roe died, the third president to die
upon Independence Day. He was one
of the most American of American
presidents. His death, on July the
4th, emphasized anew the fatality
that has pursued so many of our chief
magistrates upon this day.
In 1895 Washington selected a plot
of ground within the city of Washing
ton as a suitable spot whereupon to
erect monument to the American
Revolution. This was never acted
upon, but thirty-four years after his
death, it was decided instead to erect
there monument to Washington
himself. Slowly funds were collected.
and on July 4th, 1S4S, the cornerstone
was laid with imposing civic, military
and Masonic honors. The monument
was built so slowly, however, that not
stone fitted into place, and the beau
tiful Washington obelisk, the tallest
structure in the New World, COM
pleted.
Two years after the cornerstone
was laid. the unfinished shaft had
reached the height of more than $50
feet. Zachary Taylor, the beloved
old Rough and Ready" of the Mexi-
can war, had been president sixteen
months. On the national holiday,
July 4, 1850, he visited the uncomplet-
ed monument, in which he took great
interest. Once on the grounds, he laid
aside the dignity of his high Office
and stretched himself under the
grateful shade of the partly complet-
ed shaft. A peculiar lassitude SEEM
ed to come over him, and he lay there
long time. Suddenly paroxysms Of
internal pain. came on. He had been
struck with death on independence
day, and that within the shadow Of
the first presidents monument. Again
the old fatality to a president upon
the Fourth of July. He was carried
back to the White House, where he
fingered five days and died.
The civil war that devastated our
land, 1865, had progressed none too
favorably for the Union cause up to
the middle of 1863. Grant was dog
gedly besieging Vicksburg, which con
trolled all the lower Mississippi. AS
stubbornly the Confederates resisted.
Lee had determined to carry the war
into the North, and had invaded Penn.
sylvania with great army. The fate
Of the nation swung in the balance.
North and South, the people trem-
blingly awaited the issues of each
day. July 1st found Vicksburg still
holding out, after six weeks of ter
rife cannonading. The same first
day of the same month brought the
clash between the invading army
of Lee, and the defending eXpulsive
army of the Federals at Gettysburg,
Pa. 1t was American against Ameri
can and July 1st passed into July "nd.
and that into the third of July, and
yet the dreadful battle ragged. Sixty
thousand men on those three days
were taken prisoners, wounded OF
killed. Lee was forced back. In the
turning battle of the war fortune had
favored the Union forces.
The dawn of the Fourth found the
heart of our people torn with contend
ing emotions. The mother mourne6
the field of Gettysburg; the father re
joiced over a crucial battle won; the
South sank, appalled, at the blow tc
her pride, her hope, her ambition;
the North was buoyant and elated
Then over the wires at night flashed
the news that Vicksburg had surren,
dered that day, and the Mississippi
was open to our gunboats. Great and
wild, long and loud, was the rejoicing
of the one part of the nation. Sorrow
full and filed with despair was the
rest of the nation. God grant that
never again may independence Day
find one portion of our people rejoic
ing over the discontinue of another
portion, "for we be brethren
The "sad Fourth" was in July, 1881
Two days before President Garfield
had been shot by Guiteau. the assas
sin, and for the fifth time in our his
tory the shadow of death hung over
an American President upon Indepen
dence Day. The country Fourth-of |
July picnics were abandoned, the cele |
brations in the great cities were sus
pended Here and there flag waved |
mournfully, as though anticipating its
early hanging at half-mast. 1t was a
quiet Fourth, a sad Fourth, a hard
Fourth. All hearts were touched |
From that awful day, July 2, until the |
dread day in September, when the last |
summons came to the poor, worn, suf |
fering President, there was never 3
waking hour but that the thoughts OF |
our people we're with their stricken |
chief, fighting heroically for life |
The Spanish-American war was oD
hand in 1898. On the third of that
July the Spanish admiral, Cervera
made a desperate attempt to escape |
from Santiago harbor. 1t quickly end
od in q victory for the Americans 4