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From: "Fran Warren" <>
Subject: [ARKANSAS] July 5, 1879 Van Buren Press
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 15:36:28 -0800


Van Buren Press
Van Buren, Arkansas- Crawford County
July 5, 1879

[An editorial written by the editor of the Van Buren Press, Mr. Joseph Starr
Dunham]

FOURTH OF JULY

The undemonstrative and quiet manner in which our 4th of July now passes off
is in strange contrast to that which characterized similar occasions, thirty
or forty years ago. When we were a boy, youngsters looked forward with
inexpressible delight to the near approaching of that day, as it was the
only one during which our juvenile overjoyousness- rather than patriotism-
could boil over through the medium of exploding firecrackers, and bursting
torpedoes. When "night's candles had burned out, and jocund day stood tiptoe
on the misty mountain tops", the golden sunbeams were welcomed by the
thundering cannon, its echos answered back by merry voicings from the
ringing church bells. At 12 this was repeated, and again at sundown. And
when the holy night had drawn its sombre veil across the sky, fireworks
delighted our juvenile optics. We were delighted by the bursting sky rocket
and the revolving pin-wheel. In the day military and civic processions
passed through the streets, and spread eagle orators poured forth their
eloquent eulogies.
"But since that time, how things have changed". Young America no longer
manifests the old-time enthusiasum. Parents of the present are not as
anxious that their children should thoroughly understand and appreciate the
large array of events that make the 4h of July dear to every true American
heart, as were the mothers and fathers of sixty, seventy, or eighty years
ago. This, however, is not because Americans love their country any less,
but because of the lack of the old-time education and practices.

Quite a number of picnics have been given in commemoration of the day in
different parts of the county and although they did not resemble the
enthusiastic demonstrations of thirty years ago, they were highly enjoyable.
We do not hardly deem it possible to around the American of the present time
to that patriotic appreciation of this holy day which so eminently
characterized our great great grandfathers and mothers.

Fran Alverson Warren

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