Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-07
The Fourth in Our History.

The Fourth in Our History.
Everybody knows that the Fourth Of
July is the most historic day on the
calendar Of the United States ard
everybody knows about the great event
which its celebration commentaries.
But the day is also the anniversary Of
many other important events in Amer
lean history besides the signing Of the
Declaration Of Independence. There IA
no other day SO rich with patriotic
straightforward this aside from the
signing of the declaration. The Wash
ington Star gives an interesting sum-
mary of the reasons why the Forirtn Of
July has a peculiar place in the calen-
dar of American history independent
Of its character as the national birth
day.
The Wyoming massacre took place
July 4, 1873. On June 30 in that year
a militady force Of 400 Tories and 700
Seneca Indians, commanded by Col.
John Butler. invaded the Wyoming val
ley and were met by 300 of the valley
men. commanded By Col Zebulon But
Ter. On July the valley patriots were
defeated. with loss Of two-thirds
their number. and took refuge in Fort
Forty. On July I this fort was taken.
and the wounded and other survivors
were slain. Then the valley was raw
eyed.
The Star points out that July I is
the birthday Of the American tariff
On this day. 1889. the first national
tariff law was adopted. 1t was called
the Hamilton tariff. after the Secretary
of the Treasury. who was identified
with the preparation Of the bill. July
| 4, 1904, was the birthday of the Middle
sex canal. connecting Boston harbor
and the Concord river and July 4, 1917,
was the day on which ground was
broken for the Erie canal. Thomas
Jefferson. author of the Declaration OF
Independence, and John Adams. a
member Of the committee to draft and
report the Declaration of Independence
both died on the 4th of July. 1926. The
resolution of annexation of Texas to
the United States vas approved by the
Texans in convention July 4. 1845
James Monroe, who had been law
student under Jefferson. died on July
4, 1881. John C. Fremont. the path
| finder, declared the independence Of
California at Monterey. July 4. 1S45.
1t was July 4. 1s4s. that the corner
stone of the Washington monument
| was laid with impressive ceremony. On
July 4. 1861. the Thirtyseventh Con-
sress was convened in extraordinary
session by Abraham Lincoln. and this
| Congress made an appropriation OF
$500, 100000. on the strength of which
| appropriation the President called 70:
| 100000 volunteers in addition to the
$4,000 called for April Is. 1861. Or
| July =, 1000, uelcIui FciHUcTtUIl sui
rendered and Vicksburg was yielded tc
federal troops. The battle Of Gettys-
burg. fought July 1. and 3. 1862. c,me
near being another Of the Fourth Of
July events of the Union. On the 4tf
CT July. 1866. general amnesty was pro-
claimed to all late rebels not under
Iresentment or indictment in the
United States Supreme Court"
The site of the exposition building
in Fairmoupt Park. Philadelphia. wa.
turneu over to the centennial com
mission. July T. 1873. and the Fad!
bridge over the Mississippi river at st
Louis was opened July 4, 1874. Han
nibal HamIin. ex-Vice President, dice
July 1. 1881. TIE naval battle off San
tiago came near being g Fourth o
July fight. and the victory over Ger
Ivera's squadron was referred to b. All
miral Sampson az a Fourth of july
present