Monday, October 1, 2012

The Fourth: Sandwich Islands News, 1848


The Fourth
Sandwich Islands News: Thursday, July 6, 1848

THE FOURTH. –The fourth of July has come and gone, and with it went many a bottle of liquor, and many a patriots’ dollar. Yes! The “Fourth of July” –the anniversary of the independence of Yankee-doodle-dum-has made his seventy-ninth appearance, his face begrimed with seventy-eight years use of powder, and his nose dyed with seventy-eight years’ imbibing of the ardent. This eventful day entered upon its duties with all the dignity becoming its station in the calendar, and all seemed disposed to render due its honors. Jonathan, John Bull, Johnny Crapeau, Sawney, Pat-Mister, Monsieur, Mynbeer, Senor-English, French, Irish, Scotch, Dutch, Spaniards, Portuguese, and last of all, Hawaiians –all had their fingers in the patriotic pie, and each vied with the other in bellowing forth his patriotism, and drinking the health of the great Republic of Yankee-doodle-dum. Numberless were the loyal bumpers drank on that day, and countless were the bottles that suffered. –Bruised noses and black eyes attested the devoted patriotism of their owners. In fact, the day passed off as such a day usually does, with a mixture of patriotism and liquor, singing and shouting, eating and drinking, pleasuring and fighting.

It is gratifying to our national feeling and vanity to see all of the foreign residents, without distinction of Country, engage in the celebration of this day; but we must confess that we do not like to see them actuated to it merely by the spirit of wine. We believe there were one or two parties who spent the day in rational amusements in a manner highly credible to themselves, and more befitting the character of the anniversary. 

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