1926 Honolulu Advertiser Editorial

The Fourth of July In Honolulu

Source: Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu: July 5, 1926. Editorial page.

America's greatest holiday is taken for granted in mainland communities. It comes and goes with the regularity of the seasons, just one Fourth of July after another. There are the picnic, the celebrations, the parades and the firecrackers. There are patriotic addresses, double-header baseball games and the firemen's ball.

The people always welcome the day. It is different from any other day in the year. To observe it is automatic. To not observe it is unthinkable.

In Honolulu, although an American territory, the situation is slightly different. Everything in the way of a celebration is not so automatic. We have the firecrackers and the picnics and the ball games, of course -also the patriotic addresses, and hereafter the firemen's ball. All these things have to be planned and worked out by communities-but that's as it should be.

Hence, the day becomes a red letter day as well as a holiday. It is fraught with something big that many nationalities here are only beginning to understand. A younger generation is arriving, and this generation more thoroughly appreciates the American viewpoint. We, in Honolulu, are not like our citizens on the mainland, in that they have resided all their lives in a strictly American atmosphere, whereas out here the American atmosphere necessarily had to be brought forward.

But the day is arriving when Hawaii will know no other rue, no other ideals, no other outlook, than the American version. That fact will be forcefully emphasized-in the great pageant that will wend its way along the streets. The mileposts in American and Hawaiian history will be depicted through the medium of floats. Such a celebration will be educational, as well as full of color and beauty.

Therefore, we doubt if any mainland city will overshadow Honolulu this year in enthusiasm, in detail and genuine patriotic fervor in its Fourth of July observance. 

1875: The Centennial in 1876

The Centennial in 1876
Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser: Honolulu. Saturday. August 7, 1875

THE CENTENNIAL IN 1876

The American Centennial celebration and exhibition in Philadelphia next year, will afford us a great opportunity which we must not neglect. Our islands have become better known, and more and more popularized in America, owing to the auspicious visit of His Majesty. The American people are in a kindly expectant mood towards us, hoping good things of little Hawaii; and so when the nationals are gathered together to make a display of their skill and taste, and natural wealth in the great industrial palace in Fairmount Park, we must fill a place with our best, and in a way worthy of the expectations of our great continental friends.

We hear of some preparations of geologic specimens, woods and ferns, and of packages of staple productions. But this is not enough. We should send a full illustration of the capabilities of our fertile soil. Besides the products, the quality of the soil itself should be systematically displayed. And then an illustration of the surface of our Archipelago would be of the greatest interest and value. We do not mean mere map, but a raised models of the islands. We have the skill and the material for such a work, and we only need an application of funds designed to assist in the proper presentation of our Archipelago, and its products at the great centennial celebration, to get up the model.

Fathermore we should fully illustrate the character and abundance of our heritage and pasture, so unusual in a tropical climate. A full display of our fibrous plants, and of the lint and fibre they produce would awaken a great interest. Our ancient coral masses that lie inland of our shores are deserving of attention; as also our chalk and other mineral deposits. Our forest trees will of course not be overlooked, which abound in valuable barks, leaves, and roots, as well as furniture woods; and also there are the shells, mosses, lichens, lcyhopods and hepasticoe to add beauty and interest to the whole display. 

Our native appreciation of art ought to be displayed by our skillful native band, which could in 1776 make musical echoes around the old State House in Chesnut street, and then would remind the thinkers there present that at the time that a great branch of the English family was springing into independent national life, there was a great and enterprising Englishman about to make known unto the world in Pacific waters the savage sires of these tuneful band boys.

We trust this national work of collection and arrangement is in the hands of those qualified by inclination, taste and opportunity to mask it a labor of love; and that interesting little Hawaii, who will be hailed with favor from America, will be gloriously illustrated at the great American centennial exhibition in 1876.

1865: The Fourth Honolulu (The Friend)

The Fourth

Source: The Friend. Honolulu: August 1, 1865 front page

Our neighbors, the Advertiser and Gazette, reported most fully the proceedings of the Fourth of July. The American portion of the foreign community made most generous provision for the due observance of the day. Never was the day observed upon so extensive and expensive a style on the Sandwich Islands. A general invitation was issued for all foreigners to occupy a seat at the amply supplied tables.

The Rev. Dr. Gulick was orator of the day, and a most eloquent oration was delivered by him. It has been published, together with several other appropriate addresses, in reply to the usual sentiments on such occasions. In the oration of Dr. Gulick there was one thought that merits repetition, until Brother Jonathan and all other members of Uncle Sam's large family, at home and abroad, shall act in accordance with the suggestion:

" Brother Jonathan may and must now give over the swaggering of his younger years. He is no longer an untried youth. He is a man and a Power on this earth. Let him put his hat squarely on his head, and walk like a man among men. He need not bully anybody, but he may calmly insist on fair play."

1865: The Coming “4th” in Honolulu (The Friend)

The Coming “4^th” in Honolulu

Source: The Friend. Honolulu: July 1, 1865 front page

American citizens are making unusual preparations for celebrating the coming "4th" Nearly $2,000 has been subscribed to defray expenses. The Rev. Dr. Gulick has been invited to deliver the oration. Tables will be provided for 400 guests. The committee of arrangements, we understand, will extend a general invitation to all foreign residents to participate in the festivities of the occasion.

1865: Monsieur de Tocqueville’s Fourth of July Speech in Paris

Monsieur de Tocqueville’s Fourth of July Speech in Paris

Source: The Friend. Honolulu: July, 1865, page 56.

A number of years ago, says a writer in the Democratic Age, happening to be in Paris on the 4^th of July, with many other Americans, we agreed to celebrate “the day” by a dinner at the Hotel Meurice. There were seventy-two of us in all. We had but one guest. This was M. de Tocqueville, who had then rendered himself famous by his great work upon Democracy in America. During the festivities in the evening, after the cloth had been removed, and speechifying had commenced, some gentleman alluded en passant to the fact that he was born in Connecticut. 

“Connect-de-coot,” exclaimed Monsieur de Tocqueville, as he suddenly rose with the enthusiasm of a Frenchman. "Vy messieurs, I vill tell you, vid the permission of de Presidante of this festival, yon very leetal story, and then I vill give you yon grand sentiment, to dat little State you call Con-nect-de-coot. Yon day yen I was in de gallery of the House of Representatif, I held one map of the Confederation in my hand. Dere was yon leetle yellow spot dat dey call Connect-de-coot. 1 found by the Constitution, he was entitled to six of his boys to represent him on dat floor. But ven I make de acquaintance persone/fe with dc member, I find dat more than tirty of the Representation dat floor was born in Connect-de-coot. And then yen I was in the gallery of the House of the Senat, I find de Constitution permit Connect-de-coot to send two of his boys to represent him in dat Legislature. But once more ven I make de acquaintance personelle of the Senator, I find nine of de Senator was born in Connect-de-coot. So den, gentlemen, I have made my leetle speech; now I vill give you my grand sentiment:

"Connect-de-coot, the leetle yellow spot dat make dc clock-peddler, de school-master, and de senator. De first give you time ; the second tell you what you do with him ; and dc sird make your law and your civilization, — and then as he was resuming his seat amidst roars of laughter, he rose again, and with that peculiar gesticulation which characterizes all Frenchmen in moments of excitement, he shook his finger tremulously over the assembled confreres, and exclaimed to the top of his voice,' Ah! gentlemen, dat leetle yellow State you call Connect-de-coot is one very great miracle to me."

1865: The Fourth in North Kohala (Big Island, Hawaii)

The Fourth in North Kohala

Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu: July 15, 1865

KOHALA PLANTATION, July 5, 1865

MR. EDITOR: -As it may be of interest for your valuable paper, I send you the following description of how we kept the Fourth in North Kohala:

Preparations being made for the celebration of the Eighty-ninth Anniversary of America’s Independence in a manner becoming the number of United States citizens here, the dangling form of an effigy of that arch-traitor, Jeff Davis, was discovered at dawn, and the rising sun was welcomed by a salute of thirteen guns and the hoisting of a beautiful American flag-the first that this district has seen- made by the patriotic ladies of the place, to whom Kohala owes much for the first Fourth of July celebration.

The natives employed on the place were granted a holiday, and, after completing the decorations of a lanai, which was built for the expected feast, donned their best apparel- many of them having a tasty uniform-and engaged in sports or watched the arrival of their many visitors. Jeff, as he hung from his gibbet, was a source of curiosity to them till four o’clock, when, after being used to good purpose as a target for rifle-shooting, he was taken down for a while and carried around by the natives, first in hand, then on a pole, and finally on horseback, to the great amusement of all.

At two o’clock the luau of the day was announced as ready, to which the foreigners of the Plantation and invited guests sat down, numbering about thirty-five, and of natives over five hundred, after which the national Hawaiian propensity for horse-riding was carried out.

At sunset there was another salute given, and at half-past seven commenced the display of fireworks, which lasted an hour, consisting of rockets, wheels, mines, Union candles, and Bengolas, with the usual deafening amount of crackers. During the exhibition, Jeff met with the fate he deserved, by being set on fire. As he dropped into the flames beneath him, cheer on cheer was given that was echoed back by the hills. Thus passed as grand a celebration of the Fourth as ever was held on the Islands, outside of the metropolis; and, during the whole, the best feeling pervaded, and the day closed without an accident to mar its pleasures.

T.G.T. 

1865: The Fourth of July Meeting on June 24, Honolulu

The Fourth of July Meeting

Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu: June 24, 1865 3^rd page

FOURTH OF JULY MEETING. –In accordance with the notice in last week’s paper, the American citizens assembled in the new Hall, on Saturday evening last. Before the meeting was called to order, the company sang, “John Brown’s soul is marching on;” after which the Hon. J. McBride, Minister Resident, was called to the chair, and his Secretary of Legation, A.D. Cartwright, Esq., was appointed secretary. After some discussion, a committee of eight was appointed to take the whole matter of celebration into their hands, with power to add to their number if they so chose, the only direction given them was to have the celebration somewhat after the style of the one last year. A subscription list was then started, and some $900 was promised by those present, which has since increased to nearly $2,000. After the meeting closed, the “Star Spangled Banner,” and “Rally around the Flag,” were sung, with three cheers for the Union and three more for Gen. Grant. The Committee’s programme appears in today’s paper.*