The San Francisco call., 1909-04-04
Why Do We Celebrate April Fool?

bootless search from one post to another is sug-
gested by the fact that certain miracle play usu
ally given in Lent fell about the 1st OF Arril The
scene of the play the trial of Christ. During
the middle ages this favortc play and amid
Nazarene was sent from the high priest Annas to
Caphas, from Ciaphas TO PLATE and from Plate to
Herod. As the miracle plays became demoraEzed
BY the introduction OF secular dialogue and their
lgious significance lost, touch OF comedy
may have been introduced which led this
esty arising from It.
This however, IS merely matter OF conjecture
and the TACT of the Hindus celebrating the same
season IN the same way points to much earlier
common origin
On the other hand many of the most important
events in history have fallen the ls day OF April,
such extent that instead OF celebrating the 1st
of April All Fools day. it might be regarded with
0Sn om Aer SsrfmGny S 3 our te fy & GI deSn msng Of
national congress under the federal constitution was
held this date being the real birth Of national
government, inasmuch as the task Of this congress
nothing less than the organization of a govern
ment "of the people, for the people and by the
people.
On the 1st day of April. 1883, the first national
anti-slavery convention was held at Albany, n
afterward hourished the liberty party, had
gathered such strength and numbers itself in the
short space of its existence that convention was
sentiment that afterward was the means of Hber-
ating millions of slaves, plunged the nation into the
darkest page of its history and proved to be a dav
of destiny to both white and black north and south
and to two continents
The lSt or April, l/Oo the passing the stauD
act by the parliament OF Great Britain published
in the American colonies the spark that touched off
the fuse OF rebellion against English authority
On April /, 1775, the British made their
first fatal on the American troops before war
was declared The determination of the British par
lament to persevere in its attempts to enforce its
measures in the colonies removed all hope of re-
dress by petition remonstrance. Gunpowder
therefore, was manufactured by the colonists and
the militia trained. When this day detachment
OF troops was sent to destroy the military
Concord the Americans resisted attack and pursued
the British far Boston
The lst of April, 1881 the Indian wars of the
middle west broke out with burnings and massa-
cres-the beginning of the rigorous discipline of the
savages until almost so years later subdued by the
American government.
The lst Of April 1862, during the civil war, Gen
era Burnside took the forthcations of Fort Beau
fort, N G. 70 the confederate army this was an
especially unfortunate date On the same date the
confederate forces were again defeated at Putnams
crates were driven back
April to the battle OF Island No 10 was wazed
Here again the confederates defeat with loss
OF lUUO prisoners, loo heavy siege guns several
thousand small guns, ammunition and supplies
April |, 1865, the battle of Five Forks one of
the decisive battles between north and SOUTH was
fought with crushing blow to the confederates
Hers General Sheridan turned the front OF Cen
eral PIcketts forces, driving them of their in
tIenchments and pressing them into disorderly
flight with the loss of 5000 men.
On April l, 1866, the high tariff law became
operative.
April /. 1866, the United States senate overrode.
the pre- presidents ,o,o veto to the civil rights bill
April /, 1910, the state marriage OF Napoleon
Bonaparte to the archduchess Marie Louise of Aus
tria celebrated at ST. Cloud.
April l., 1906, the Prussians seized Hanover and
proclaimed Frederick William king, whereupon
England declared war.
April l. 1901. Copenhagen successfully ba
seged by Lord Nelson and the Danish forces force
to capitulate.
April /, 1873. William Harvey born, the
discoverer of the circulation of the blood possibly
the most important discovery to the health and
longevity of the human race
April l, 1915. was born Karl Otto, prince Won
tEo -
tor of an empirs and foremost statesman OF the
world.