We can often learn a great deal from online newspapers. One early Texas publication was the Galveston Daily News. It had begun in 1842 and could for many years be relied on to cover state wide news despite its Gulf Coast publishing location. In its issue of July 4, 1865, it discussed several items of interest to Texas residents. Placing it in context, the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Virginia had occurred April 8, 1865, not quite three months earlier. Major-General Gordon Granger of the United States Army had issued General Order #3, commonly referred to as the “Juneteenth” order, two weeks earlier.
The prominent article was an an editorial that began as follows: “Several steamers and transports have come into port this morning, with United States troops, paroled prisoners and army supplies; and among the rest the steamship Belvidere, from New Orleans, with New Orleans papers to the 27th; among the passengers is our fellow citizen Col. J. S. Thrasher, who is direct from Richmond via Cincinnati, and who has just traversed nearly all the Southern States – The people everywhere have accepted the situation; all are taking the oath of allegiance, or the amnesty oath, with a determination to stand by the country, to abide the issue of the war, and to do all to their power to help restore the country to its former peace and prosperity. No lines are being drawn between parties. No Northern or Southern, seccession or anti-seccession, but the general feeling is that of a desire to harmonize all parties, to eschew politics and to bury the dead issues of the past in oblivion. This is the desire of President Johnson who disapproved of the stringent franchise law passed by Tennessee, which is the only State where the attempt is made to restrict the privileges of voting. Everywhere else, every man is permitted to vote who was a voter heretofore, provide he takes the oath. President Johnson’s ruling policy is said to be that of reconciliation. Gov. Hamilton has not yet returned from Washington where he went for instructions. The press of business on the Cabinet is said to be very great.”
The two page paper was published out of Houston with the explanation that transportation between Houston and Galveston had been interrupted. Page one was mostly national news having to do with the aftermath of the war. Page two recounted some local and regional news, with the short article below somewhat lamenting the lack of traditional celebrations that had been previously associated with the date. “This is the ‘glorious Fourth,’ somewhat neglected of late years, ’tis true, yet the hot and sweltering Fourth, devoted in our younger days to fire crackers and buncombe speeches, with occasionally a strain of genuine patriotism. We don’t hear of any preparations being made to celebrate the day in this city. We fear the Fourth will shortly be reckoned among the things that were, but are not.”
An additional article was the reprinting in full of a general order issued by Major-General Gordon Granger of the United States Army. As noted, he issued General Order #3 which is commonly referred to as his “Juneteenth” order on June 19, 1865. The particular Order printed in the Galveston Daily News had two paragraphs and was dated June 28, 1865. Among other things, it directed former enslaved people to remain in place until the Freedman’s Bureau came into service. It also stated that “no persons formerly slaves will be permitted to travel on the public thoroughfares without passes or permits from their employers” and were likewise directed not to congregate in buildings and camps. Provost marshals were to use every means in their power to carry out the instructions of the order.
Two columns on page two comprised an editorial that presented a pessimistic view of the African American race, their abilities and their general situation following the end of the war and lamented the agricultural climate and the pending cotton crop.
Going forward another eleven years, the Galveston Daily News had expanded to a more customary length of twelve pages. A long front page historical article recounting the events of a century earlier when the United States was “born.” The article concluded with a reprinting of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.
The issue described events taking place across the state. As opposed to celebrations centered around July 4th, the main topic statewide appeared to be the after effects of a monsoon-like rain that had recently occurred. In San Antonio, heavy rains of the last few days hampered travel and preparations for July 4. In Waco, the Brazos River was out of its banks due to the rains in the area, but the Fourth was to be celebrated “on a grand scale” per a telegram received in Galveston. The Waco suspension bridge was still intact and onlookers crowded the structure to view the swollen Brazos. In Marlin, the topic was flooding of the river and its impact on farming. In Denison, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas (MKT) railroad bridge across the Red River had just washed out but the article stated that goods and mail would be rerouted and would continue with little interruption until the bridge could be rebuilt.
Elsewhere around the state, the Dallas Daily Herald carried the following proclamation intended to be dated July 3, 1876.
Proclamation
Mayor’s Office
City of Dallas
June [July] 3, 1876
WHEREAS, Tuesday, the Fourth day of July, is a national holiday; and whereas, in this, the Centennial year of American Independence, it is not only the duty, but should be the pleasure of our citizens to celebrate the day in a manner commensurate with the occasion, and in order that this end may be obtained.
Now, I, H. S. Ervay, acting Mayor of the city of Dallas, do issue this, ___ proclamation, requesting the citizens of Dallas to close all offices and places of business on that day, in order that our whole people may join in a grand demonstration, proclaiming to the world our appreciation of the manifold blessings vouchsafed to us as American citizens.
Given under my hand and the official seal of the city of Dallas, this 3rd day of July, 1876.
[Signed] H. S. Ervay, Mayor pro tem.
Reporting from elsewhere around the country and the world, the same issue reported the reading of the “Woman’s Declaration of Rights, and Articles of Impeachment of the Government of the United States” prepared by the National Woman’s Suffrage Association was to be read in Philadelphia in a meeting on July 4th. Susan B. Anthony was slated to be among the speakers.
Page three included the reprinting of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence and an excerpt from the farewell address of President George Washington. It referred to them as documents that should be read by every American.
Links to those documents are shown below:
Declaration of Independence – National Archives
Farewell Address of George Washington – Link to a PDF that may be downloaded from Senate.gov.
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