4. IV.
PROPOSES TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY.
Washinton, Joon the 12th, 1862.
I am in Washinton, and wont be home for some time, on
akount uv biznis pertainin to the re-organizashun uv the Dimekratik
party. I will give suffishent notis uv my comin, so that
my frends may surprise me by gittin up a perceshun to escort
me from the cars to my hotel.
The objik uv this letter is to sejest a plan for the appropriate
celebrashun uv the fourth uv July — the birthday of our Liberties
— the day on wich Freedum wus perclaimed to all men,
exceptin niggers, and them hevin a vizible admixter uv Aferken
blud, et settery. I want to see a pure Dimekratik celebrashun
fer wunst. Let me sejest the follerin order fer a perceshun:
—
1st. Marshel in uniform uv Home Guard, dekorated with a
winder sash over the left shoulder.
2d. Banner with inskripshun, “The Yunyun ez it wuz —
under Bookanon! the constitooshn ez it is, with some variashens.”
3d. Barril containin native corn joose, inskribd, “Our platform.”
4th. Carriage containin speeker, reeder, and chaplin — ef
wun of our perswashin kin be prokoored.
5th. Wagon with a nigger a lyin down, and my esteemd frend
Punt a standin onto him — a paregorical illustrashun uv the
sooperiority uv the Anglo-Sacksun over the Afrikin races.
6th. Soljers uv the present war. (A few may be procoord
frum the military prizen at Chicago, where they are at present
unconstitooshnaly confind, fer this ocashun).
7th. The cort-house offishls, with banner and inscripshun,
“Our saleries — we will defend em to the last.”
8th. Citizens on hossback with bottles.
9th. Citizens in carriajes with bottles.
10th. Citizens on foot with bottles.
(Space on each side reserved for citizens a lyin down with
empty bottles.)
11th. Candidates for offis, all walkin on ther knees.
Perceshun to form so that the hed will rest on the distillery,
and the tale on the court-house, representin the beginnin and
end uv our glorious party.
On arrivin at the grove, the follerin exercises may be had:
Singin — Nashnel oad, “We've Cuffee by de wool.”
Readin Vallandigum's address.
Orashun — “Nigger: his Past, Present, and Futur” — by
myself.
Singin — Patryotik song —
“Sambo, ketch dat hoe,
And resine dat vane idee:
We've got de power, you kno,
And you never kin be free.”
Benedickshun, by myself.
In the evenin it would be appropriate to hev fireworks, and
perhaps I might be indoost to deliver an orashun on “Nigger:
his Past, Present, and Futur.”
Sich a celebrashun would elevate the sperits uv the faithful,
and help mateerialy towards makin a triumph this autum.
