Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-01-17

ida to land west of the Mississippi
Col. Taylor had his Christmas victory,
nevertheless, though it is often forgot
ten in the greater glory of his Mexican
campaign.
The cabinet meeting held on Christ
mas day in 1861 was momentous one.
1t was then decided by President Lin
coin and his advisers that it would be
wise to accede to England's demand
that Mason and Slidell be released.
Seven years later, President Johnson
made December 25 a veritable day of
peace by issuing a proclamation grant
ing full pardon to all who had taken
part in the War of the Rebellion.
Two great conquerors of the olden
times tasted the sweets of success on
Christmas day. Charlemagne, having
Christianized the SaXons by thirty
two years of fierce and passionate
warfare, was crowned emperor of the
Romans in the Holy City itself, by
Pope Leo III. on Christmas day in the
year 500.
In 1866 on the same festival day
William the Conqueror was crowned
king of England at Westminster. A
number of his soldiers mistaking the
cries of jubilation set up by the con-
querer fell upon them and slew them,
making the day run with blood. Two
years later at the same season the
Saxon queller matured the plan by
which 100000 men, women and chill
dren were ruthlessly destroyed and
the sweep Of country between the ci-
ties of York and Durham left desc
late as though no human being had
ever lived there.
The first Still Christmas" was not
that proclaimed by the long parlia-
ment. 1t was that of 1926, because the
king, Henry VIII. who had not then
forfeited the love of his people, was i'll.
All the usual signs Of merriment-the
music, the mumming, the masking and
the bell ringing-were abandoned to
show the sympathy Of the subjects for
their sovereign. The silent Christmas
proclaimed by an ordinance of the long
parliament when the Puritans were in
power was ordered for different rea-
son. The gayety Of the Stuart court
was displeasing to the reformers.
Many innocent customs shared the
censure with those which were really
evil.
In 1914 an ordinance was passed de-
creeing that Christmas day should be
observed as a fast instead of festi-
val and that the workaday world
should not cease from it's labors.
Preaching in churches was pro-
scribed. the hanging of Christmas
greens prohibited, the bakers warned
to discontinue the practice of baking
Yule bread and farm laborers order
ed to yoke their ploughs.
Instead of the chimes which had for
merly welcomed Christmas from ev-
cry church tower the crier passed
along the silent streets of the town,
ringing a harsh tone bell and pro-
claiming in a monotone, mo Christ
mas! No Christmas"
The people received what they re-
garded as an infringement of their an
cient rights with sullen disapproval,
and in not a few instances riots occur
red.
No public act of the time, Macaulay
says, seems to have irritated the COM
mon people more. They refused to re-
gard romping under the mistletoe, eat
ing boar's head and drinking ale fla
vored with apple as great national
sins. The joy with which the restor-
alton of Charles was received was due
no doubt to the uncompromsing strict
ness of the extreme Puritans.
With the ''merrie monarch" there
came back all the old customs, and it
was at a Christmas feast that ha
knighted a lion of beef, giving the ma
ton it's highly priced sirloin.-Chicago
Record Herald.