The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-06-25

the British crown and that all political connection
between them and the state of Great Britain is
and ought TO be totally dissolved"
This of course is the real Declaration of hide
pendence, the document now known as the Declare
ton being adopted two days later. OF the adop-
ton of the Lee resolution John Adams wrote to
MS wife the historic letter which says, among
other things:
The second day of July 1776. will be the most
remarkable epoch in the history of America
am apt to believe that 1t will be celebrated by
succeeding generations as the great anniversary
festival 1t ought to be commemorated as the
DAY of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to
GOD Almighty. 1t ought TO be somenized with
pomp and parade, with shows games sports bells
DonnreS ana illumination from che end of this
continent to the other from this time forward for
evermore"
Time has proved that John Adams though be
got his dates mixed, was true prophet ProhahIv
the Fourth Of July is our distinctively American
celebration All the civilized world celebrates
New Years, Easter, Memorial day THANKSGIVING
ana Christmas in one way or another But hide
pendence day is ours alone To be sure we have
Nashingtons birthday and ,Lincoln's birthday
winch are also ours alone but "the Fourth" in
Guides most lf not all of what they stand for
In short the Fourth of July comes mighty near
being our national day when the American Eagle
screams Tor everything from the Mayfower to the
i,
Armistice day That introduces the pertinent
point that another change must be made in rho
long evolution of the celebration of the Fourtb of
July. For If the Fourth of July stands for one
speclnc thlng that one specific thing is Just ex-
actly what It's original Observation-Disclosures day
signifies And after Armistice day-and all hat
IL stands tor-its quite evident that the American
eagle must be taught to coo instead of scream
when it goesato the John Bull part of its perform
ance
For we have seen our Observation-Disclosures
nghtng for his life and for our lives too against
foe that would have destroyed all that we Eng
disappearing peoples in common hold dear And
after long while crowded in alongside our
ancient enemy and got busy to make up for lost
time Never mind who won the war We have
gumption enough TO know exactly what John Bull
did for Uncle Sam-and are grateful accordino,v
And it's quite likely that Uncle Sam came near
enough to saving John Bulls life to feel somethiny
more than a friendly interest in him. So some
parts of our Fourth of July celebration will have
TO be toned down from now on
Moreover it's high time that the American neo
pie put their mind to fixing up the "day we cele
brate" For the Fourth of July celebration right
now is betwixt and between. The oldfashion
Fourth was done away with The Sane Fourth"
suppanted it. Now the "Sane Fourth" is in dam
ger of becoming merely holiday. Holiday ceIe.
brations like men and nations, do not stand still
And the Fourth of July is worth the closest AT
tention and best effort of the American people
The first Fourth of July celebration, which was
held in 1777 In Philadelphia canot serve as mod
ell. Its principal feature was banquet at which
many toasts were drank, each toast being follow
ed by the discharge of firearms and cannon Ger.
1ainly too wet and possibly too noisy
The peace inaugurated by the coming of the
Monroe administration and continued during the
stwenties was unfavorable to demonstrative cee-