The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1904-07-02

then little later, a sentiment sug-
gested by the day crossed his lips.
Independence foreveri" 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 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 a 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
until December, 1884, was the last
stone fitted into place, and the beau.
tifdl 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 I, 1850. he visited the uncomplet.
cd monument, in which he took great
interest. Once on the grounds. he laid
aside the dignity Of his high ONCE
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 paro1ysms 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 toe
fayorably for the Union cause up &c
the middle Of 1853 Grant was dog
gedly besieeing Nicksburg which con
troiied all the lower Mississippi. As
stubbornly tho Confederatos resisted
Lee had determined to carry the wal
into the North and had invaded Penn
sylyauia with great army. The fate
OF the nation swung In the balance
North and South. the people trem
blugly awaited the issues Of each
day July lst found ViCksburg stiL
holding out after six weeks Of ter,
rifle canuonadinE The same first
day OF the same month brought the
clash between the invading army
of Ice. and the defending expulslvs
army 81 the Federals at Gettysburg
Pa 1t was American against Amerl
can and July LIST passed into July md
and that into the third Of July. ane
yet the dreadful battle ragged Sixty
thousand men on those three days
were taken prisoners. wounded On
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 muurneo
Ike Rachel over her son. stark upon
the field OF Gettysburg the father re
jo!Ced over a crucial battle won. the
South sank appalled, AZ the blow &c
her pride, her hope her ambition
the North was huoyant and elated .
Then over the wires at night flashed
the news that vicks surg had surren 4
dcrcd that day and the Mississippi .
was open TO our gunboats. Great ano
wild. long and loud was the rejoicing
Of the one part OF the nation. Sorrow
ful and filled with despair was the
rest of the nation God grant thai
never again may independence Day
find one portion 81 our people rcioic /
ing over the discontinue of another
portion. Tor we be brethren"
The sad Fourth was In July. 1881 .
Two days before President Garfield
bad been shot uy Guiteau the assas
sin. ard Tor the afth time In our bis .
tory the shadow OF death hung over
an American President upon lndepen
deuce Day The country Fourth.of .
uly piJulcs Ncrc abandoned. The cele /
bratluus RI the great cities we're sus .
pended Here and there flag wavee
moufufuliy as though Anticipating lie
early hanging az half mast. n vas e
quiet Fourth p sad Fourth. a hare
Fourth AT hearts were touched .
From that awtui Jay. Iuly 2 until The .
dread dsy iu September when the last
summons came o. The poor worn. suf 4
frfjuE President. there was never .
waking hour but that the thoughts II
ulr people wefe wlth their strtck ~ i
chief aRhtiur heroleAily for mfe 4
The spauish.Ameriean sar waa rs
hand n lk#& ou the thttd II that
Iuty tire Spanish admiral CeFveFa
made dies operate attempt to eNCaps
from Santiago hAftur. II quickly end .
1T TIA a viefary for the Americans a
victory sa complete that it annihilate8
ths entire feet saa tee halo hpsiy If
aassss s4ses8a NssrRrns uYsaars#Hm If var