March 4: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 4, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1861, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Today the Republican party takes possession of the executive branch of the federal government. Upon the men whom that party has succeeded in placing at the head of the nation now depends the responsibility of whatever may befall the country during the ominous period of the immediate future. The party has designedly assumed this responsibility, and postponed all attempts to settle the difficulties until they should gain possession of the reins of government, which they assume today.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1869, an Eagle editorial said, “President [Andrew] Johnson has adopted the unusual course of presenting an address to the people on his retirement from office. He has a precedent for this in the example of but two of his predecessors — Generals [George] Washington and [Andrew] Jackson. General Washington modestly assumed to regard the farewell advice he proffered as intrusive, despite his great public services, the unanimous confidence the people reposed in him, and the almost paternal relation he bore to the young republic. General Jackson retired from his office full of years and honors. He too had rendered eminent public services in various capacities … President Johnson takes leave of the people on surrendering the powers of his office. If there are few precedents to justify him, it must be admitted that the events of his administration have been extraordinary. Under pretexts of guarding the country against his assaults, his office has been shorn of its most essential powers. His assailants in Congress have boasted that they would degrade him to the position of a clerk, and they have very nearly made good their words.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1892, an Eagle editorial said, “There is a very wide and very emphatic dissent from the statement in which the esteemed Evening Post sums up the Democratic situation — ‘Cleveland or Collapse.’ No intelligent Democrat has yet reached the point of declaring that his allegiance to the principles of his party depends upon the gratification of his personal desire to see the ex-President renominated. Some have gone so far as to say that they would not vote for Mr. [David B.] Hill under any circumstances, but no instance has come under our observation of a Democrat who announces his intention to bolt the ticket in case it should be deemed expedient to select the candidate from some other state than New York. The deliberate, remorseless and defiant way in which the machine has ‘fixed’ the delegation to Chicago has excited so deep a resentment that thousands of good party men seem to have determined that the proposed beneficiary of this unscrupulous programme shall not realize his ambition. Whether their resentment will keep hot until next November, should Mr. Hill be nominated, remains to be seen. The feeling of partisan devotion aroused by the passions let loose in a stirring national campaign is apt at the last moment to neutralize the effect of the irritation created by the conflict of factions. Anger and disappointment are swallowed up in the overmastering desire to beat the common enemy. For that reason it is not safe to judge of the issue of a political contest by the heart burnings and animosities begotten during the preliminary skirmishes.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1931, an Eagle editorial said, “Unless the President interposes a veto, which is about as unlikely as any contingency that one can contemplate, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ will be the officially designated ‘National Anthem’ of the United States. The measure so earnestly advocated by millions of petition signers, so strenuously insisted on by many patriotic bodies and so efficiently pushed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose secretary, Captain Walter I. Joyce, has really been in charge of the campaign, has been passed by the Senate and House without substantial opposition. The music of ‘Anacreon in Heaven,’ an old convivial song, was adapted, or rather adopted, for the Francis Scott Key words. Some resetting has been conceded to make it easier to sing. The air has become familiar to every American. It lends itself finely to brass band playing. As to the words, they may be difficult to remember, but the words do not matter so much. In essence and spirit, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is American. No national anthem of any nation has more of the element of thrill in its music. When our naval bands play it in foreign ports, self-exiled or traveling Americans will be prouder than ever of their native land.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “They say that the operators of the Brooklyn Paramount are so satisfied with their successful season that they want to buy the theater outright. In which case Manager Joe Lee rates plenty of bows. He has played doctor to many an ailing box office.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “ALBANY — A resolution sponsored by Assemblyman James J. Amelia, Greenpoint Democrat, was sent to Governor [Thomas] Dewey asking him to issue a proclamation commemorating the 206th anniversary today of the birth of Gen. Casimir Pulaski, Polish hero of the American Revolution. The Amelia resolution, unanimously approved by the Assembly yesterday, pointed out that Pulaski gave his life during the Revolution for the American cause. ‘It is fitting that the State of New York make merited observation in honor of the birth of General Pulaski, who was a devoted friend of our country in the days of its struggle for independence,’ Amelia declared.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1960, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter said, “Four young men checked into Bay Ridge Monday, February 29, and brought their own badges of distinction with them — the honor of being the first babies born in each of the four local hospitals on Leap Year Day. The stork’s schedule went like this: 1:19 a.m. — Kevin McGivney, 5 lb. 9 oz., Shore Road Hospital, Shore Rd. and 91st St.; 2:45 a.m. — Thomas Germinario, 7 lb. 12 oz., Bay Ridge Hospital, 437 Ovington Ave.; 4:34 a.m. — Andrew Joseph Barbieri, 6 lb. 3 oz., Sister Elizabeth Hospital, 362 51st St.; 9:20 a.m. — Anthony Edward Gonzalez, 6 lb. 4 oz., Victory Memorial Hospital, Seventh Ave. and 92nd St.”

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Patricia Heaton
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include former Dallas Cowboys fullback Don Perkins, who was born in 1938; “The Stepford Wives” star Paula Prentiss, who was born in 1938; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was born in 1950; Miami Sound Machine founder Emilio Estefan, who was born in 1953; “Home Alone” star Catherine O’Hara, who was born in 1954; “Forrest Gump” star Mykelti Williamson, who was born in 1957; “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Patricia Heaton, who was born in 1958; International Boxing Hall of Famer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, who was born in 1961; “Wings” star Steven Weber, who was born in 1961; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jason Newsted (Metallica), who was born in 1963; and media personality Whitney Port, who was born in 1985.