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Show Grand Welcome That Was Given the Declaration - - - '' I ' T GOES without saying f& that every boy nnd girl In L JM Philadelphia knows per-MlB per-MlB fectly well how tho sign Mm IB Ing of tho Declaration of TjBiB independence was cclo-OHtLMl cclo-OHtLMl bratcd In that city, and flCJT yot It seems woll, now K thnt tho anniversary of our country's birth Is bo near at hand, to read onco more of that which wns dono in tho principal cities in tho way of rojolclng by thoso who Btood within tho shadow of tho scaffold, because be-cause of daring to declnro themselves freo from nil allegiance to tho king. As n matter of courso, tho first rc-rejolclng rc-rejolclng wns Indulged In when tho old bell In tho stccplo of Indopond-enco Indopond-enco hall rang out its notoB which proclaimed "Liberty throughout all tho land, unto all tho Inhabitants thereof;" but It was not until tho eighth of July that any grand demonstration demon-stration was mndo by tho people. Then, as wo aro told "from tho platform plat-form of an obsorvntory erected near the Walnut streot front of tho stato house by Ulttenhouso mnny years before be-fore for tho purpose of observing n transit of Vonus, John Nixon read tho Declaration to a vast concourse of people gathored from tho city and surrounding sur-rounding country. When tho reading was finished tho arms over tho seat of Justice In tho courtroom woro torn down nnd burned In tho street; In tho evening bonfires woro lighted, the houses wero Illuminated nnd It wns not until n thundershowcr at midnight compelled the peoplo to return to their homes that the sounds of gladness glad-ness woro hushed." Washington received tho Declaration Declara-tion at headquarters In New York, on tho 0th of July, nnd caused It to bo read nt six o'clock that evening at the head of each brigade. Mr. Todd In hlH "Story of Now York" writes regarding tho scono: "Ono of tho brigades was honored by tho prcsenco of tho commander-in-chief, it was drnwn up In a hollow squnro on tho historic Common. Within tho square Washington 'snt on horsobnek, whllo nn nldo in a clear voice read tho Declaration." In Boston on tho 17th of July tho Declaration was publicly read, and concerning tho celebration, Mr. Gil-man Gil-man says In his "Story or Boston:" "Tho day of tho Thursday lecture was sot apart for tho reading of tho Declaration, and after a good sormon tho congregation followed tho crowd to King street. Tho town was thronged by crowds In holldny suits, with Joy beaming from every oyo. Artillery Ar-tillery wns drawn up In front of tho Jail on Court streot, nnd Infantry lined tho adjoining streets. Exactly as tho clock struck ono, Col. Thomas Crafts appeared on the balcony of tho stato house, and rend tho Declaration, tho great audience listening with nt-tention nt-tention to every word. When ho snt down a shout, "God save our American Ameri-can states!" was hoard in tho hall, to which tho throng below responded with three henrty cheers; tho bells rang, cannon wero discharged from the shipping nnd from tho forts and batteries, tho lnfnntry followed, and Mr. Bowdoln gave the sentiment, 'Stability 'Sta-bility and Perpotulty to American Independence!' In-dependence!' Tho better clnss of citizens attended a, banquot In tho council chamber; much liquor wns distributed to tho populace, according to tho old custom, and tho king's arms wero taken down from the town houso, cuBtom house, courthouse and other places and consumed in a general gen-eral bonflro in front of tho Bunch of Grapes tavern." There was rojolclng throughout all tho "rebellious colonies;" but, unfortunately, unfor-tunately, np detailed account of tho festivities can bo found. Watson, In his "Annnls of Philadelphia" writes regarding tho first Fourth of July celebration cel-ebration in that city, 1777: "Tho 4th of July, bolng tho first anniversary, was colebrated at Philadelphia Phila-delphia with great display and Joy. About noon all the armed ships nnd galleys woro drawn up before tho city, with their gay streamers (lying. At ono o'clock, all tho yards being manned, they severally (lred 13 guns. An elegant dinner was given to the congress, the civil and military ofll-cera, ofll-cera, etc. Tho Hosslan bnnd played some flno music, and at oach toast there was a discharge of artillery. Towards evening several troops of horse, a corps of artillery and a brigade bri-gade of North Carolina forces, wero drawn up in Second street, and reviewed re-viewed by congress and the general officers. At night there was ringing of bells and a grand exhibition of fireworks fire-works on the Common and an Illumination Il-lumination of the houses. Tho face of Joy and gladness was universal." |
