The Day We Celebrate

July 4, 1836. This is called the American Jubilee. Sixty years to-day since Independence was declared. A day of confusion. At home and worked hard.

July 4s, 1837. Fine weather. The Whigs had a splendid celebration. The Jacksonites hid their faces for shame, and well they might, for they have been the means of a very great calamity the length and breadth of the land.

July 4, 1838. Up before four. Went to pasture with the cows, and returned at the rising of the sun, guns firing, cannon roaring, all noise and bustle. O how many today will be intoxicated, and altogether dependent upon others to take care of them. Very independent in the morning, very dependent in the evening. Seldom, if ever, were there so many people in the city as to-day. Two processions, more than a thousand in each, Whigs and Tories. The Whigs dined in a pavilion on the hill, the Tories in the City Hall.

July 4, 1839. The American Jubilee. The whole country in an uproar. Bells ringing, cannon roaring, guns firing, drums beating, fifes playing. Many lives will be lost to-day through carelessness. There is no calculating the mischief that will be done.

July 4, 1840. Overcast this morning, but a fine pleasant day, called the birthday of America. This day, sixty-four years ago, we declared ourselves free and independent of our mother country, old England. We keep this day in remembrance by behaving very badly. Much disorderly conduct marks the proceedings of the Fourth of July. To-day I am told a great concourse of people assembled in Portland, a multitude of all ranks, colors, ages, and sexes. O what a time they must have had! I don’t know the particulars; when I do, I shall take some notice of this celebration.

By a request of the committee of arrangements in Gorham I was invited to that place and officiated as a chaplain. Neal Dow delivered an address one hour and ten minutes long, very good and well spoken, good assembly, good dinner, saw no one drunk.

The democratic celebration in the city was a total failure. Between eleven and twelve hundred in the procession, more than three hundred of them boys, dirty and ragged, and among them not over fifty of the citizens of Portland. It would appear that the Portland mocrats were rather ashamed to associate with their country rats, democrats, emocrats, mocrats, ocrats, crats, rats, thus the word may be analyzed. It may mean anything or nothing. A democratic government means the government of the people. The people should go freely to the polls unbiased by party, unbought by rum or money; they should be well informed and understand the principles of government, know their rights, and maintain them. But it is not so in this country. The great mass of the people go to the polls and cast in their suffrages as the leaders of the great political parties dictate. The party that can urge, buy, persuade, or threaten, and by these means obtain the most votes, is considered the most correct and the most worthy of confidence. The Lord have mercy upon a democratic nation who are in such a situation. Can a Government stand long when things have come to this pass ? God grant that there may be a change for the better!

July 4, 1841. Sunday. Cool day. Preached at the usual place to the usual number, and I think I preached as well as usual.

July 5. Monday. This day is celebrated as the American Independence. It was observed at Saccarappa village in a very splendid manner, six thousand people present. An entertainment provided in the woods, an oration and prayer. No intoxicating liquors used, but pure cold water and lemonade. A somewhat similar celebration took place in Portland, conducted by reformed drunkards, two hundred or more, who had come to themselves like the prodigal.

July 4, 1842. Monday. This is the great national jubilee, to be kept in remembrance as long as the sun and moon shall endure. It has heretofore been celebrated by drunkenness, but the temperance movement has made quite a change. July 4, 1843. In the morning I went into the city to see and hear what was going on, and I saw the most folly I ever did see on this anniversary, a procession of the worst looking objects the imagination can conceive, and thousands gazing at them as they passed through the streets. After this was over there was a procession of reformed drunkards, called the Washingtonians, and others, escorted by the “Blues” and a band of music, led on by truckmen and youths called the Cold Water Army and Sabbath School Children. They made a fine appearance.

July 4,1844. A cool morning and day. Such a Fourth never before spent in the city of Portland. No drunkards about the streets, a wonderful display of temperance principles. A great mass meeting from the neighboring towns. Cold water men and boys and girls walking through the streets with their banners, the longest procession ever in the city, reaching from Oak Street to Washington, and marched on to the heights of Mount Joy, where were erected two stages for the speakers.

1845. [Volume of journal missing.]

July 4, 1846. Saturday. A great day and a proud day for the city of Portland. Up before four and aroused the family. Prepared to go to the city, which we found crowded with people. A little after ten a procession was formed of all classes from the noble to the ignoble, marched up Middle, Free, High, Danforth, State, then down Congress to a Pavilion erected on Mount Joy, sufficiently large to contain six thousand people. Here we took our stand, and partook of what was provided, such as cold beef, cold tongue, and all that was necessary, cold water to drink, and perfect order. Rev. Asa Cummings invoked the blessing. A procession was formed, and we walked down to Fort Burrows, where a new scene presented itself and another celebration commenced, the opening of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad. After an address by Judge Preble and a solemn and appropriate prayer by Dr. Nichols, the work of the railroad was commenced by Judge Preble throwing tlic first shovel of dirt, followed by the Governor of the state, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. All for a few minutes engaged in the work. I then looked up my company and horses and carriages and we returned home. So let it be remembered that on the fourth of July, 1846, a connection between the city of Portland and the city of Montreal was commenced by the consent of thousands assembled. The day is closed. We are under great obligations to Almighty God for his care of us, and it is a melancholy reflection that all this multitude must in a few years lie low in the dust, and what will be the final destiny of us all is wisely concealed from mortal conception.

July 4, 1847. Sabbath morning. Attended meeting in Westbrook. It was a communion occasion, and I assisted. This congregation appear very different from what they did seventeen years ago, when all was alive, all peace and good feeling. The congregation is low and languishing, and will become extinct, unless God take the professors in hand and give them a shaking over the bottomless pit. A shaking like this may wake them up and make them attend to their duty.

July 5. Monday morning. This is celebrated as the Fourth of July very improperly. Yesterday was the day, and ministers might have preached upon the subject of religious freedom; this would have been sufficient, and ought to have been satisfactory. But no, there must be a noise, the drum must beat, and the cannon roar, the children be dressed in their best and paraded, and “don t these children look nice”! O yes, very nice, but if their parents would teach them to respect their superiors and behave with propriety, it would be far better. Well, there has been a general turn out, rich and poor, young and old, all mixed up together. This is a free country, but not so; it is a country of slaveholders. We hold 3,000,000 of our fellow mortals as slaves. O how inconsistent!

July 4, 1848. Tuesday. Like to be a fine day. All are alive this morning. At sunrise tire bells of the city notified the citizens as usual that the Fourth of July had arrived. Ten miles of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad were opened to-day. I rode to Yarmouth and back that it might be remembered I was present at this celebration, and was present two years ago when the first shovel of dirt was thrown at the commencement of this grand enterprise.

July 4,1849. Wednesday morning. In my chamber at Westbrook. At the rising of the sun the bells of the city are ringing and the cannon roaring, calling upon those within hearing to awake from their slumbers, arise, and call upon their God, and give him thanks for this great blessing, our national Independence, which we this day commemorate by making all the noise we can, and by acting as well as we can and as bad as we can. I went into the city about nine o’clock. A multitude of people were assembled from all quarters to hear and to see and to say nothing, to eat and to drink and to pay nothing. This was literally true with regard to many, A great procession was formed and moved through the streets to Mount Joy, where the Declaration of Independence was read, and some short speeches made. Then, as many as could come to the tables were bidden welcome, without money and without price. Splendid fireworks in the evening.

The Fourth of July is now past and gone. The day ought to be remembered with gratitude to God by every American for the blessing of freedom, liberty, and equality, that is, if all these blessings were equal, and if all the inhabitants of the land did enjoy them, but not so, for nearly 3,000,000 are slaves. O America, where is thy shame! where is thy blush! Hast thou no feelings of tenderness or compassion ?

July 2, 1850. Tuesday. A fine day. All seem to be talking about the Fourth. Crackers are already snapping under one’s feet, the boys are trying their skill to see who of them can do the most mischief and frighten the horses. Instead of parents governing children, children seem to take the lead. I ask the fathers, “ Why do you give your boys money to buy crackers ? ” What is the answer ? “ Why, it is customary.” It is done in other cities, the boys expect a good time, and must be gratified, no matter how much damage is done, how many horses take fright, how many chaises destroyed.

July 3. Wednesday. The nigher we approach to the Fourth, the more bustle and confusion; the little boys and girls, yes, and the great ones, too, are so thick we can hardly move up and down the sidewalk without running over some and against others. What would an inhabitant of the moon think, could his vision extend to the city of Portland! Would he not think that some great calamity had befallen it!

July 4. Thursday. At sunrise the bells ringing, the cannon roaring. Nine o’clock went into town to see the procession form and march. A number of fire companies, and other societies and citizens and bands of music made up the great whole, and they moved on under the escort of several marshals till about eleven o’clock, when they halted in front of High Street Meeting-House, and those who chose went in and attended to the delivery of an oration. Splendid fireworks in the evening.

1851. [Volume of journal missing.]

July 4,1852. Sunday.

July 5. Monday. The community were not satisfied to have yesterday as being the Fourth of July, because they could not serve Satan so openly and boldly as to-day. My opinion is that when the Fourth of July comes on the Sabbath it ought to be remembered in a suitable and proper manner by assembling in the sanctuary and hearing the proclamation of peace announced from the pulpit, good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. Suitable prayers and suitable readings would be a suitable acknowledgment that our blessings are of God, but because this won’t do we must have a great noise and bustle, and much that is derogatory to the Christian character must be put in operation. Dined in town. Tea at home. Been preserved from evil. Laus Deo. O tempora, 0 mores.

July 4, 1853. Monday. Pleasant as respect to wind and weather. The morn was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the roaring of cannon, the parade of a company of ragger muffins, and the burning of crackers. At eleven o’clock an oration in the Third Parish Meeting-House by a Professor of Bowdoin College. Fireworks in the evening. To pay the expenses of the day the City Government voted five hundred dollars. Had some conversation with several individuals relative to the impropriety of celebrating the Fourth, and the conduct of this nation towards our mother country, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, all about a difficulty which happened more than fifty years ago, when it was settled, and friendship restored.

July 4,1854. Tuesday. Thefirstthing in the morning bang, bang, bang, ring, ring, ring, crack, crack, crack. What is all this noise! It means what is not true, — that we are a nation of free people, independent of other nations. Now, is this so ? We don’t live without intercourse with other nations, we can’t comfortably live without them, and can we say that we are a free people making our own laws ? No, we can’t say this, for there are more than 3,000,000 of immortals who have no voice in making the laws they are compelled to obey, who are bound in chains of iron and fetters of brass.

July 4, 1855.

When the clock struck four, I was on the floor

The bells began to ring and the cannon to roar.

The guns to fire and the crackers to snap.

This is the Fourth of July.

A caravan of a great variety of quadrupeds and bipeds were to be seen in the city. The different school children and Sabbath-school children were paraded and marched about attended with music. No disorderly conduct as informer years; a quiet day comparatively. I saw no men as formerly, staggering by my house, three fourths over the bay, and acting Satan-like. What has made this change ? I answer, the Maine Liquor Law.

July 4, 1856. Friday. Rainy this morning. At ten the sun made his appearance. A great parade in the city. The 4th day of the month, 177G, we declared ourselves free from our mother country, but after all of our boasted freedom we are slaves. O shame! Every American citizen should be ashamed every Fourth of July when so many of their fellow countrymen are groaning under the hands of their masters.

Men, women, and children set their faces towards the city to see confusion confounded. O what a bustle! “Here they come!” “Now they have just turned to go down Middle Street; now they are going up India Street.” “If you want to see the whole length and breadth of the procession, go place yourself at the head of High Street.” “Here they come. O how beautiful they look!” “O that company of horsemen,-look at them!” “How handsomely they are dressed!” “They are worth seeing.” “Where could they get so many pretty horses!” “The horses look full as well as the men who ride them.” O folly!

July 4, 1857. Saturday morning. Up before sunrise, and the first thing which took up my attention was bang, bang, bang, at my corner, reminding the sleepers that it was Fourth of July. Nine o’clock went into the eity, where a great multitude had collected to see and be seen in commemoration of the birthday of our American Independence. This is hailed with all kinds of noises and music, equal to the blowing of ram horns when the walls of Jericho fell, shows of all kinds, and boat rowings, and to close the scenes of the day a balloon ascended from Deering’s pasture. Majestically she took her departure towards the east, and the multitude scattered. I made a call at General Varnum’s, and was soon home, with the cows on my way. Took some bread and milk, and then up to the meeting-house to attend a sacramental lecture. All told, at the meeting were the pastor and myself and four others.

July 5, 1858. Monday. Up at four. All manner of noises since midnight. I walked into the city, attended a morning prayer meeting in the Union Church. Dined at Mr. Eben Steel’s and had green peas. Five o’clock went into a prayer meeting of business men. Fireworks in the evening in Deering’s pasture.

July 4, 1859. Monday. A pleasant morning. At the rising of the sun we were told that it was the Fourth of July. We were reminded by the roaring of cannon and the ringing of bells, and the boys were not slow in discharging their crackers to the great annoyance of citizens and strangers. Eight o’clock the militia companies made their appearance in full dress, and the sidewalks were crowded with men, women, and children, all gazing with astonished looks and gaping mouths. This gaze being over, the multitude assembled in Deering’s pasture to see the balloon being prepared to ascend at three o’clock P. M., all the while a band of music uttering her voice. Two p. M. the companies came down from Mount Joy hill, where they had spent the A. M. firing at a target. Parade in front of the Mayor’s office, when the most successful company received the reward promised by the Mayor, one hundred dollars. The multitude then left for Deering’s pasture to join the great throng already assembled, and waited patiently till six, when the balloon rose from her station with one man on board, and gently took her course southerly, landing in Cape Elizabeth all safe and sound. An exhibition of fireworks in the evening, said to be very splendid. I was at home and in bed.

July 4, 1860. Wednesday. The American Jubilee. The day has been remembered in the usual manner, handed down by the traditions of the elders. Now the question, is it right to keep an ungodly feeling, a grudge, an old quarrel, ill will against the nation from whom we came. This may be considered our natural mother. We are her children. We have revolted from the family and set up for ourselves. Why should we every Fourth of July call the country together and talk over the transaction which transpired with our grandfathers ? The difficulty has long since been settled. Christianity says, forget and forgive. The whole of this Fourth of July business, that is, the way and manner in which it is conducted, is, I have no doubt, an abomination in the sight of God.