Correspondence, p. 3
Dublin Core
Title
Correspondence, p. 3
Description
"[From our Salt Lake Correspondent]
Salt Lake, U.T., July 4, ’73.
Mr. Editor, - We hail with gladness the returning anniversary of our glorious national birthday, and let us in an appropriate manner with the enthusiasm which characterizes the Americans in honor of the day of days, the Easter or Passover of our national liberty, from the oppressive yoke of England, and let us forever swear before the shrine of liberty against all forms of royalty; and never shall we bow our knees to crowds or sceptres; for we as American citizens, standing Peers to Kings and Potentates of the earth; for our revolutionary fathers have secured for themselves their posterity, and the oppressed of all nations a free existence , and formed a just and free government.
The Greeks may look back on the history of the heroic achievements of their ancestors, and point with pride to Acropolis, Marathon and Platea – crowned with monuments of their valor. The Swiss peasants have congregated themselves together on the fields of Morgarten and Laupen, and decorated their martyred dead with garlands of flowers, whose actions preserved the independence of the Swiss Republic, against the powerful empires by which they encircled. The Romans, in the superstition attached and paid veneration to the rock of the Capitol, and loaded its temples with the spoils of the world; but we as American Citizens will ever venerate the Fourth of July with pride and gladness.
The eyes of the oppressed sons of Europe are fixed upon us as a living example of freedom; where millions of her sons found an asylum, and where the unhappy found solace, and the persecuted reposed from the tyrants under the cognomen of royalty; standing now upon our shores as citizens of our free government, champions of freedom and liberty – then let the fire of freedom and republicanism ardently burning ‘neath the azure skies, shedding its invigorating influence among the inhabitants of the earth, unfurling its redeeming standard on continents and the isles of the sea. France and Spain have already caught the kindling influence of the fire of freedom and hurled emperor and king from their high and elevated positions to the ground, and have proclaimed a republican form of government.
The republics of olden time, as Greece Rome, Carthage have passed away in oblivion, but with the protection of Omnipotence, our great republic shall live now and evermore, with all its freedom and glorious splendor, with all its arts and sciences, and all that great, grand and good, tending to the amelioration and the condition of mankind, and to their elevation, irrespective of color or nationality. We extend our hand of fellowship to all oppressed sons of earth, who are willing to accept our civilization and customs, and are willing to let their dead bones remain in the sacred soil of America, sanctified with the blood of our patriotic sires.
Hail glorious Fourth! Hail stars and stripes, which fill the hearts of freeman with delight, the beacon and pilot of the children of earth, from a long obscure night of oppression and wrong; our stars will illuminate them in their pilgrimage to our shores while our constellations blazed brightly dispelling the darkness and gloom, and will strike their oppressors with amazement and blindness like Saul of old, until they themselves bow down on their knees before the shrine of liberty, repent of their sins and join the rank of freeman.
Hoping ere long that the inhabitants of the Antilles will flock to our shores, renouncing the crowns and sceptres by which they are bound, and increasing our political influences in every part of the wide domain of our great republic, and singing with us our national jubilant song, on every Fourth of July. Hoping those who are already on our shores may see the folly of not joining with us in our band – the band of American citizens, the grandest title that can be conferred o man; higher and grander than the ancient title of Roman citizen.
This day sells our hearts with joy and gladness and magnanimity toward all our enemies, and to those who were more fortunate than we during the dark nights of our peoples oppression, wrong and injustice; and in our disfranchisement, haughtily laughed at us derision of our misfortunes inflicted upon us by our ungrateful countryman. Now to some extent the story is changed, vice versa; we need no retaliation, seeing that we are elevated to the highest principles of freedom and liberty, and look down upon them and pronounced the kindest words of forgiveness on their guilty heads, and bid them from their level in due form ascend our platform and be worthy members of our band in peace and union.
While we are rejoicing over our national anniversary, let us not forget the patriotic sons of Cuba in the struggles for their national existence, from the misruling of the government of Spain; whose troops, brute-like and fiendish in disguise have perpetrated acts of brutalities and cruelties on the Cuban patriots; not for the first time have they disgraced her banner and civilization. May the brave sons of Cuba, courageously continue the contest for freedom and right, for in far North we faintly perceive in the clouded canopy of heaven the gleam of her star of destiny, which will ere long dispel the cloud which for years shadowed its appearance, and will display itself in the azure skies. Guard yourselves, sons of the Queen of the Antilles, our sympathy is with you in your struggle, and ere long you shall take your stand among the galaxy of nations of the earth; unlike the wretched mother country, without tarnish or blot of innocent blood on your proud banner. Arm yourselves sons of liberty with the shield of liberty and the sword of justice; although your tears and groans are many, take courage , and they shall turn to joy and gladness; for the sweet zephyrs from our country, from Hayti, and from the Central and South American republics gently whisper to you that the day of your deliverance is near at hand, for they have passed the same ordeal before.
July 5th
The city was alive with citizens from different parts of the State to participate in the celebration of our anniversary. At 8 o’clock a.m., the fire department turned out in a procession with all their appendages, and made a very creditable appearance on our streets. This was the only procession in this city since the 4th of July, 1871, when there were on that occasion two processions; since that time it appears that the Mormons and Gentiles cannot agree.
Madame Anna Bishop gave a grand festival at the new Tabernacle, and a large number of our citizens left the city on an excursion on the great Salt Lake, on board the steamer City of Corine. In my next I will give you the details of my traveling to little Cottonwood and American Fork Mining Districts.
Yours,
F.H.G."
Salt Lake, U.T., July 4, ’73.
Mr. Editor, - We hail with gladness the returning anniversary of our glorious national birthday, and let us in an appropriate manner with the enthusiasm which characterizes the Americans in honor of the day of days, the Easter or Passover of our national liberty, from the oppressive yoke of England, and let us forever swear before the shrine of liberty against all forms of royalty; and never shall we bow our knees to crowds or sceptres; for we as American citizens, standing Peers to Kings and Potentates of the earth; for our revolutionary fathers have secured for themselves their posterity, and the oppressed of all nations a free existence , and formed a just and free government.
The Greeks may look back on the history of the heroic achievements of their ancestors, and point with pride to Acropolis, Marathon and Platea – crowned with monuments of their valor. The Swiss peasants have congregated themselves together on the fields of Morgarten and Laupen, and decorated their martyred dead with garlands of flowers, whose actions preserved the independence of the Swiss Republic, against the powerful empires by which they encircled. The Romans, in the superstition attached and paid veneration to the rock of the Capitol, and loaded its temples with the spoils of the world; but we as American Citizens will ever venerate the Fourth of July with pride and gladness.
The eyes of the oppressed sons of Europe are fixed upon us as a living example of freedom; where millions of her sons found an asylum, and where the unhappy found solace, and the persecuted reposed from the tyrants under the cognomen of royalty; standing now upon our shores as citizens of our free government, champions of freedom and liberty – then let the fire of freedom and republicanism ardently burning ‘neath the azure skies, shedding its invigorating influence among the inhabitants of the earth, unfurling its redeeming standard on continents and the isles of the sea. France and Spain have already caught the kindling influence of the fire of freedom and hurled emperor and king from their high and elevated positions to the ground, and have proclaimed a republican form of government.
The republics of olden time, as Greece Rome, Carthage have passed away in oblivion, but with the protection of Omnipotence, our great republic shall live now and evermore, with all its freedom and glorious splendor, with all its arts and sciences, and all that great, grand and good, tending to the amelioration and the condition of mankind, and to their elevation, irrespective of color or nationality. We extend our hand of fellowship to all oppressed sons of earth, who are willing to accept our civilization and customs, and are willing to let their dead bones remain in the sacred soil of America, sanctified with the blood of our patriotic sires.
Hail glorious Fourth! Hail stars and stripes, which fill the hearts of freeman with delight, the beacon and pilot of the children of earth, from a long obscure night of oppression and wrong; our stars will illuminate them in their pilgrimage to our shores while our constellations blazed brightly dispelling the darkness and gloom, and will strike their oppressors with amazement and blindness like Saul of old, until they themselves bow down on their knees before the shrine of liberty, repent of their sins and join the rank of freeman.
Hoping ere long that the inhabitants of the Antilles will flock to our shores, renouncing the crowns and sceptres by which they are bound, and increasing our political influences in every part of the wide domain of our great republic, and singing with us our national jubilant song, on every Fourth of July. Hoping those who are already on our shores may see the folly of not joining with us in our band – the band of American citizens, the grandest title that can be conferred o man; higher and grander than the ancient title of Roman citizen.
This day sells our hearts with joy and gladness and magnanimity toward all our enemies, and to those who were more fortunate than we during the dark nights of our peoples oppression, wrong and injustice; and in our disfranchisement, haughtily laughed at us derision of our misfortunes inflicted upon us by our ungrateful countryman. Now to some extent the story is changed, vice versa; we need no retaliation, seeing that we are elevated to the highest principles of freedom and liberty, and look down upon them and pronounced the kindest words of forgiveness on their guilty heads, and bid them from their level in due form ascend our platform and be worthy members of our band in peace and union.
While we are rejoicing over our national anniversary, let us not forget the patriotic sons of Cuba in the struggles for their national existence, from the misruling of the government of Spain; whose troops, brute-like and fiendish in disguise have perpetrated acts of brutalities and cruelties on the Cuban patriots; not for the first time have they disgraced her banner and civilization. May the brave sons of Cuba, courageously continue the contest for freedom and right, for in far North we faintly perceive in the clouded canopy of heaven the gleam of her star of destiny, which will ere long dispel the cloud which for years shadowed its appearance, and will display itself in the azure skies. Guard yourselves, sons of the Queen of the Antilles, our sympathy is with you in your struggle, and ere long you shall take your stand among the galaxy of nations of the earth; unlike the wretched mother country, without tarnish or blot of innocent blood on your proud banner. Arm yourselves sons of liberty with the shield of liberty and the sword of justice; although your tears and groans are many, take courage , and they shall turn to joy and gladness; for the sweet zephyrs from our country, from Hayti, and from the Central and South American republics gently whisper to you that the day of your deliverance is near at hand, for they have passed the same ordeal before.
July 5th
The city was alive with citizens from different parts of the State to participate in the celebration of our anniversary. At 8 o’clock a.m., the fire department turned out in a procession with all their appendages, and made a very creditable appearance on our streets. This was the only procession in this city since the 4th of July, 1871, when there were on that occasion two processions; since that time it appears that the Mormons and Gentiles cannot agree.
Madame Anna Bishop gave a grand festival at the new Tabernacle, and a large number of our citizens left the city on an excursion on the great Salt Lake, on board the steamer City of Corine. In my next I will give you the details of my traveling to little Cottonwood and American Fork Mining Districts.
Yours,
F.H.G."
Creator
F.H.G.
Publisher
San Fransisco Elevator
Date
1873-7-19
Collection
Citation
F.H.G., “Correspondence, p. 3,” African American Fourth of July, accessed April 27, 2024, https://africanamerican4th.omeka.net/items/show/57.