DECLARATION , I EPE % A %*:WWFv#¢;*% If - " ‘.u ,1 q;¢..,,‘,\Wm:‘wW#wm»y ,0 THE STORY or‘ THE Ag ' V/yr, A. .3» ‘ ‘ * , A A V‘ BY VA HENRY THE HISTORY OF OUR FLAG JOHNQUIZEYADAMS. m 3‘ ' I ‘r Wm . V.) ‘ THE FAMOUS WEBSTER-ADAMS SPEEH IN his celebrated discourse at Faneuil Hall, Boston, in cornmemoration of John Adams and Thomas Jeffer- son, August 2, 1826, Daniel Webster quoted the argu- ments, which might have been used against indepen- dence, and then declared that Mr. Adams would have made the following reply, which has become famous as one of Webster’s greatest utterances: , “Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there’s at Divinity which shapes our ends. The injustice of Eng- land has driven us to arms; and, blinded to her own inter» est for our good, she has obstinately persisted, till indepen- dence is now within our grasp. VVe have but to reach forth to it," and it is ours. Why, then, should we defer the Declaration? Is any man so weak as now to hope for a reconciliationywith England, which shall leave either safety to the country and its liberties, or safety to his own life and « his own honor? Are not you, sir, who sit in that chair, is not he, our venerable colleague near you, are you not both already the proscribed and predestined objects of "punishment and of vengeance? f Cut off from all hope of royal clemency, what are you, what can you be, while the power of England remains, but outlaws? . g I I I r T ' , = ,“If we postpone independence, do we mean to carry on, or to give up, the war? Do we mean to submit to the measures of Parliament, Boston Port Bill and all? Do we mean to submit, and consent that we ourselves shall be ground to powder, and our country and its rights trodden‘ down in the dust? I knowwe do not mean to submit. “We never shall submit. ,Do we intend to violate -that most solemn obligation ever enteretl into by men, that plighting, before God, of our sacred honor to Washington, when, putting him forth to incur the dan"gers- of war, aswell as the political hazards of the times, we promised, to adhere to him, in every extremity, with our fortunes and ourlives? I know there is not a man here, iwhowould not rather see a general conflagra— tion sweep over the land, or an earthquake sinkit, than one jot I controversy to her rebellious subjects. or tittle of that plighted faith fall to the ground, rnyself, having, twelve months ago, in this place, moved you, that - George Washington be appointed comrnander of the”forces raised, or to be raised, for defence of American liberty, may my right hand forget her cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my month, if I hesitate or waver in the support I give him. “The war, then, must go on) We must fight it through. And if the war must go on, why put off longer the Declaration of Independence? That measure will strengthen us. It will give us character abroad. The nations will then treat with us, which they never can do while we acknowledge ourselves sub- jects, in arms against our sovereign. Nay, I maintain that England herself will sooner treat for peace with us on the, footing of independence, than consent, by repealing her acts, to acknowledge that her whole conduct towards us has been a course of injustice and oppression. Her pride will be less wounded by submitting to that course of things which now predestinates our independence, than by yielding the points in I The former she would regard as the result of fortune; the latter she would feel as her own deep disgrace. Why, then, why, then, sir, do we not as soon as possible change this from a civil to a national war? And since we must fightit through, why not put ourselves in a state, to enjoy all the benefits of victory, if we gain the victory? ’ t , y r “If we fail, it can be no worse for us. ‘ But we shall not fail. The causewill, raise up armies; the cause will create navies. The people, the people, if we are true to them, will carry us, and will carry themselves, gloriously, through this struggle. I care not how fickle other people have been found. I know the people of these colonies, and I know that resistance to British aggression is deep and settled in their hearts and can« not be efadicatecl. Every colony, indeed, has expressed its willingness tofollow, if we but take the lead. Sir, the Decla- ration will inspire the people with increased courage. Instead of a long and bloody war for the restoration of privileges, for redress of grievances, for chartered immunities, held under a British king, set before thorn the glorious object of entire inde- ie I , i~ \ pendence, and it will breathe into them anew the breath of life Read this l)ec:laratto_n at the head of thearrny; every sword ‘will be drawn from its scabbard, and the solemn vow uttered a 9 to maintain it, or to perish on the bed of honor. Publish it from the pulpit; religion will approve it, and the love of relig. ions liberty will cling round it, resolved to stand with it or fall with it. Send it to the public halls; proclaim it theirs let them hear it who heard the first roar of the enemy’s cannon- let them see it who saw their brothers and their sons fall or; the field of Bunker Hill, and in the streets of Lexington and Concord, and the very walls will cry out in its support. “Sir, I know the uncertainty of hurnan affairs, but I see I see clearly, through this day’s business. You and I, indeed may rue it. We may not live to the time when this Declare: tion shall be made good. We may die; die colonists; the slaves; die, it may be, ignominionsly and on the scaffold. Be it so. Be it so. If it be the pleasure of heaven that my cours- try shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready at the appc:>intt=:d hour of sacrifice, come when that hour may. But while I do live, let me have a country,or at least the hope of a country, and thata free country. “But whatever may be our fate, be assured, be assuredthati this Declaration will ystarid. It may cost treasure, and it may cost blood; but it will stand, and it will richly compensate for both. Through the tliiclt gloom of the present, .I, see they lmglitness of the future, as the sun in heaven. We shall, ur th i make this a glorious, an immortal day. When wears‘ in graves, our chilclren will honor it. They will celebrate it veil thanltsgiving, with festivity, with bonfires, and illuminations. On its annual return they will shed tears, copious, gushing, tears, not of subjection and slavery, not of agony and distress, but of exultation, of gratitude, and of joy. Sir, before God, I believe the hour is come. My judgment approves this rneasa tire, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, andall that I am, and all that I hope, in this life, I am now ready here tostake t upon it; and I leave off I begun, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the l‘T)ecl‘aration. It is sentiment,,, and by the blessing of Clocl it shall be my dying: sentiment, = Inclepenclencae, now, and rnnsrsnnnnon ro,nrnvmt."' THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT I-IE Declaration of Independence, the Magna Charta of the l£11glisl1- speaking race, that document of which Professor Tucker has rightly said, that “ it is consecrated in the affections of Americans, and praise may seem as superficial as censure may be unavailing,” has been re- moved forever from the peoples reverential gaze. This action has been taken by the l)epartment of State, in consequence of a report made by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences. The report states that the docu- ment has suffered very seriously from the i'oiigli treatment to which it was exposed in the earlier years of the Republic, folding and 1"ollir1ig having‘ creased and li)1‘(;‘T)l<€111 the parch- ment. The wet press c<;)1,r)yi.1ig,r peration to which it was subjected about 1820, for the purpose of p1'oducin,sr a fac- simile copy, 1'e1novecl a l.arg§e portion of the ink, and subse- quent exposure to the action of l.ig;__>,*l:1.t, for m<‘)re than thirty years, while the instrument was on €Xl1.llf)ilZl()1‘l., has resulted in the fading of the ink, particularly of the Sl§Z{'ll€;l1Zlll‘€3S. It is g1"atifying’, however, to learn that no evidence of mould, or other CllSl11t€g1”3tl11§.{‘ ageiits, can be discovered upon the parchment by microscopic examination, or any evidence that disintegration is now in prog.,>'ress. The Declaration has never been on exhibition at any of HENRY MANN the Great Fairs since the Centennial Exposition. It was returned to the Department of State in 1877, and since then has never been out of the Department Building‘. For more than a year past it has not been on exhibition even in the Department. For the last nine years the Declaration has been kept fiat in a frame between two sheets of glass in a drawer of a steel case, and seldom exposed to light and air, and hereafter it will be kept in the dark, and as dry as possible, and never placed on exhibition. It is a fitting" time, therefore, to present to the public a brief and popular narrative of the events which provolssessi<;>1c1s of that i1".lr(iil1SlIl'l(ii‘)l'lS }i.ie1ir1pelilsecl the fleets of the United Provinces to aclrwlecsil§_;‘e B r i t is h su- ]_TI")l.‘t3I‘1'1Zl.Cy on the lliglll seas, were in the line of c<.:i>rn1ne1'- cial. z.1.g;;‘;;g'1':‘1.11ectllizement, and the 1\ii£’LVi,§:_’_"E‘l‘L"l(i)l’"l_ Act lZl'Z:l.1silE~.s‘..liGl.'l,'(;3‘,(Il to flflnggrlanicl a lztinre sliare Clii the Dutcli c:a1‘ifyi1ig3; 1:rans ‘i“l(if)l.1].""i.E5lT).i17l.g', and their seaport towns RIC IIA1-Z713 I~ITl3‘.1‘l'1i’.'Y LEE CHARLES CARROLL OF wealthy with the profits of a commerce carried on in, contempt of imperial restrictions, as- serted that they were entitled to all the rights of freeborn Englishmen, and to the same com- mercial and industrial independence enjoyed by loyal subjects in England, they were surprised to learn that Parliament and the English people regarded them not as freemen, but as tributaries. Year after year the Americans protested against the wrongs imposed on them, but still they re- mained true to the power which sought to reduce them to a bondage unworthy of their British lin- eage. John Adams is authority for the statement that “there always existed in the colonies a desire of in<:lepenc;lence of Parliament in thearticles of internal taxation and internal policy, and a very general, if not universal opinio:n, that they were constitutionally entitled to it, and as general a determination to maintain and defend it. But there never existed a desire of independence of the Crown, or of general regulations of com- rnerce for the equal and impartial benefit of all parts of the ernpire.” A primary cause of the Declaration of Independence was the Act of Naviga- tion, passed in the Crornwell period, which prohibited foreign nations from trading with the plantations in America. This Act was intended to injure the Dutch, and was effective in depriving l~Iolland of a lucrative colonial traffic. 'W'ithi:n CAR. ROLL'l’()N TI-IO. M’i<1~:AN the decade that elapsed before the re-enactment of this measure under the Restoration, however, the colonial trade had g1‘<;)wn with a vigor that aroused jealousy and uneasiness at home, and the Act of Navigati,oi,'1, was soon foll.owed, in 1663, by the first of the Acts of Trade, which 1§)l'()VlCl€C.l that no supplies should be imported into any colony, except what had been actually shipped in an lringlish port, and carried directly thence to the i1i'ipoirti11g colony. This cut the colonies (]f)ff from direct trade with any fcljiifeigii. c(;>untry, and made Englancl the depot for all necessaries or lL1.xu1'1es which the colonies desired, and Wl',llCl.l they coulcrl not obtain in America. Nine years later i:'ol.lowecsl another Act, “for the better securing the plantation tracle,” which recited that the colonists had, contrary to the e.\'press letter of the af<;>resaid l.aws, l)1‘<;>i1gl,it into divers parts of Europe great quantities of their growth, procluctions and inanufactures—--suga1‘, tobacco, cotton, wool and clyewoods l:>eing particularly enu1'ne1"atecl——-an,cl that the trade and navigation in those cciin1noditi.es from one pl.antati.on to another had been greatly increased, and pr<:“>vicled that all colonial. commodities should either be sliippecl to Ii:‘1]§i;'l.Zl11Cl or Wales be-— fore being iniported into another col- ony, or that a custorns’ duty should be paid on such commodities eqL1iv— alent to the cost of conveying the same to England, and thence to the J'0SZEPI~I PIEWES coloiiy for which they were destined. The f17eg;<)i1i1g Act was ‘f(f)1.1.C)W€3C1 by :mc>th.er, 1i)1.’(..')V1C1111g ]j)en:Liti.e$ for at- tem1:>ted vi12Lti(ri)11s of the cL1st(;)ms’ laws. In this statute no mention was made of the plantations, and its generztl tenor 1.1'.lC11C£:‘Lt€i(1 that it wasir1- tended to zipply to E1iig1a1i1.c1 only, pro- viding, as it did, for the sez.1rc:hing of 1]OL1S(:‘S Z11"l(1 CiVV€1.111‘].g’S for s11it1gg1.ec1 cmoncm wYTI~I:e goc>c1s, by virtue of £1 writ of assi.<:;t- 2LnC.e from His 1V[zLjesty“’s Court of Excheqtier. Under VV1111‘a,1.‘1‘1 the Third, VV1."1(.) ‘was as z~u;'bi- trary 21 monarch t<.e>wzu*c1 the ec;>1_r<>vi:-sicm that “the like assist- ance shall be giiveri to the szticl Q'H'.1C€i‘1’Si$ in the execttiticim of their office, as by the 1:,1st-—~menti(med Act is provicleci for the cufficers in 1£11gIa11.c1.” It was on the qL1estic)r1w1iethe1" such 21 writ could be 1SSL1(‘3C1 tfreiii EL Colcimiztl Court, that jztmes Otis; made the farmms Speeeii in which he '£L1'17Z11§«__’;17l€C.i the Ccimmercizgil policy of 1‘1:11g'1.£111iC1i,St171]i)1')€‘(1 the veil of referm from the bust of the St‘é1(‘iti‘1.(;)1(.1(21.T-K.1I.]g”, a1n<;;1 z:Lw2Lkenec.1. the colonists to El ti11‘()1)1i)111g sense of Eiiglisli p1;)ressi<_:)1'1 zmcl of Ame1*iea.n Vv17o11grs-t11e or21ti<;>ni which, in the laiigtiage of john Aciains, who heard it, “brez1thed i1i.tc> this nziticm the breath of life.” The Acts; of 1.\1ElV1g£Lti()I"1 and of Trade were not the dead letters; that some SL1p€i1"i'1C1f;l1i writers. and 1’.'C"L‘€LC1€§I"S lmve seen fit to term them. It is true that obedience was reluetzmt and sloxv, that Massaclmsetts den<:>u11eed, zmd for £1 1ci>ng; (”)L.If§) 1..1‘1’$ER'l.‘X" 151321..1.. \ N C} T H E If) EC LA RA ION 01*‘ I N I L) E 1513". N I I) If. N CI 11. time disregarded them, and that colonial commerce flour- ‘ ished in spite of restrictions ; but it should be remembered that the prolonged wars in which EI1g‘l£L11Cl was engaged gave rich opportunities for privateering, and that even the customs’ duties, though meant to be virtually prohibitory, were not heavy enough to overcome the advantages which the colonists enjoyed. But even if the British Parliament had never attempted to raise a revenue by taxation in the , American colonies, it is probable that in time the restrictions on cormnerce would have led to revolution, unless rescinded. This was the (T)-1l)iI1]-i.(;-)1’1 of the shrewd observer, Du Chatelet, who, after l:*‘rance had surrendered her American possessions to Great Britain, said that“they (the chambers of commerce), 1‘ega1'cl eve1‘ytl1ing‘ in colonial commerce, which does not turn exclu- sively to the benefit of the lszingdom as contrary to the end for which colonies were established, and as a theft from the State. To practice on these inaxims imp<:“>ssible. The wants of trade are st1*ong;e1% than the laws of trade. The North of America can alone furnish. supplies to its S(LT)L1tl],. This is the only ,point of view under which the cession of Canada can be regarded as a loss for France ; but that cession will, one day be amply compensated, if it shall cause in the Eiiglisli colonies the re- bellion and the independence which S'l‘I31’. HOPKINS LEWIS MORRIS become every day more pr<.>bab1e and more near.” "flue Acts of 'li‘1'acle, as shown by the articles specially enu- merated, bore with greatest severityi on the Southern. colonies, and fos- tered in the planters of Vll‘gll.‘1lfl and the Carolinas a spirit of resentment against British. rule. Men of the type of \/Vashington, and the were thus pre- pared to join, heart and hand, when the time came, with their .l’ellow-An.ie1ri— cans of the No1'th, in the st1,'L1gg;le which ended in Arnerican inrclependence. V America, however, was patient under ye- strictive laws not stringently’ enforced, and but for the measures initiatecl, by Gl'€1',1Vll,lC:‘ and ‘ 'Ili‘<;>\;v1"1sli<;:1,t1cl, and ap_pr<.;>vecil by the lri1:y. (”f}e<,,>1‘irc.: tl1e'il"lii1fcl is called a tyrant on every 17ClCTlll7l,'ll."1,<.;!,' :l:*‘(I,.)1.,‘l1'tl."1, <;;>il’ July, but the nzttion he ruled was tyrannical, as he, and impartial history cannot condemn the mon21,rch withoiit €L\»VZ'L1'(’,ll‘l']§;,",' a greater share oi’ odium to his people, who, sustained by their 1T)]_‘()1l(f_)l.mC‘(i*C.l opinion and llf'1l,‘(1)L,'l,£!,'l’1 their chosen representatives, every measure for the clestruction of the liberties of these C.‘.(.‘)l.(i,‘>1l]l€‘;‘S_, and who began to listen to the c;li(:tates of 1f<;:z;1s<::>1_i and of humanity only when _](.)l~IN M-~:N N THOS. HEYWARD, JR. JAMES WILSON cnan. ROSS America. had become the prison of thousands of E11gla11scl’s soldiers, and thousands of others, hired Hessian and kid- napped Briton alike, had been welcomed by American freemen to graves in American soil. *5‘ iii‘ ‘H6 The next step in p1‘ovolps, and the payment of salaries to certain public ofificers in tlie colonies, who had depended on the COl()1’1lE:1l treasuries for their compensation. In this therewas a threefold invasion of American rights. Taxation without representation was contrary to a principle 1*ecog11izecl for centuries in Ifinglaiicl, vinclicatecl in the Revolution, which cost Charles the .l:4*“i1fst his head, and upheld in,America from the very l)eg,;>,‘i11,1iin,s;;‘ of the settlements. Agaiii, while British troops had been most welcoine allies in l3attling; against the ]:*“1*em.:li1 and the Indians, they were not desirecl as garrisons to overawe the free people of the colonies, and finally the colonial I LJYM AN H A I. L VV M . I’ A (.3 A MA '1‘ '1‘ H 13 VV '1‘ H (I) R. N '1.‘ (.7) N officers, whom it was proposecl to pay from the royal treasur , would beeorne the masters, instead of the servants of the 1,:>eople~—-~<.)r they would be servants only (if the fln, in the C 3eneral CoL11't, to use all efforts agzgaiinst the plan of pa.rl.ia1nentary l"Zl.\’,2"l12ll;.,)l'l"1. It was cleclared “that the iinposition of ciltities and times by the .l’arlia1nent (flfli G]."‘*2?l.’E l*31¢itai,n l.'1]j)()1l :1. peolalie n<1:>1;‘ repre- sented in the l}€IIouse of Cioinmcins, is ,lTl,'1.‘t;‘l(;.‘.(,L)‘l;1(;.‘.ll,E1.l.Z)lCt with their rig.g;l1ts.” Chrxnnitttee of (,:(ii),Ij"1,‘(;l‘t~‘.]‘)(i‘i)l‘lCltslflflCC: was la,1:>poi,1i,tecl in Massaeltnisetts to c<‘>,1nrnunicate with <.>tl1er e
  • lonial assemblies, amid the idea (iii union for the (3(fJ]i1'l1ll,(f.)lT1 clefence l)eg'a1‘1 to take tirni hold on the pul':>lic> miincl. No incli,vi<'lua,l infi l1(‘.§1"1(.“.¢:;é was ‘Indore p<>werl’ul in let1.r of ’Virg,'iiii:1, whose resolutions against t we Stamp Act, in the 1~~i.ouse of COMMITTEE OF CONTIN NTAL CONGRESS DRAFTING 'I‘HE” T) EC L A R A TI (.7) N GIIC). CI..Yl\I1.'£R BUTTON Ca‘-WINNETT VVM. FI..C)YIZi I%i11fgesscs, in 1765, d<,c1m"ec1 that “the: G€311€:,1'IILi Assembly of this c<::>i1sr;>1iiy has the sok-, ifiglit and p<:‘>we1r to lay ta._\es and Zi1111‘)(1>Sii2i(i')1].S 1.1p<;i>11 the iI"1hI£1.bit£1I‘112$ (iii? this <:<;:>1(?my; ..nc1 that ew21*y atztmfnpt to vest sucth. pow’ in any 1)e:1fsc>11 or pe:1'soi1s wh2itsc;>c::v<21r, c:>tii<;:ir thzsm the G‘€311"ii*1“E11 A;"‘ssn1i;31y af<;:>1'c2sz1ic1, has 21 Immifczst tmcictiiczy to cslcrstmy British as Well as Amczificzui “f1'c:c:c’lt<;2, zmd aft :1, bittcrr and ‘Herc d bats, in which P£'LiI1’iC‘.i{ I}~iic:m:*y utt 1‘(‘3Ci, with 2:1 v<::>ice of tiiiiiiclm, his fzimous W£’1.1"1"1i11§.,‘{‘ to th I31'itish lciiiigmwiiils 0171* of “t1*easc>11” (.t(t1"1(‘3(i fmm by puift: of th If-i-§[<:)L1s=*--“ C321, 2117 i'1€lCi his B1‘1.11Z1.1S; CZ1ia11*].c:s the I*‘ii"st his Cmniwsll; zmcl G (;)1.‘g€2 the T1'1i1T'Ci'i---~(i’1(;‘.I.“<;i3 the, V(")i(‘.(:L‘ <.:>.f the: ‘ipcziker 1*ose, 2;L1'1(;i his eyes 1{.i11Ciii(.,([i with 1_>:itric;:>tic: fi.1,'(’;':)--~—--1‘I.”)‘ly p1*<:>fit by thezir €‘:X211T11;’)1@! If this be tn, scm, 1112114 the most of it 1” W 9|!‘ W‘ As ./~\1"11L:1*iic211is g;’1*<,.w 1*nr<: i1'1cs1i;_;'mt. I*izL1*s1ic,1‘ 1‘I1€:2l$‘Li11’CS W€:1'€3 21c;1()1i>ted in ""2‘LI“iiZl‘IT1€"31”11I, pmiiitiiig to 12116: mi1itz~1ry subjection of the i A COMMITTEE OF CONTIN NTAL CONGRESS DRAFTING 'I‘HE” T) EC L A R A TI (.7) N GIIC). CI..Yl\I1.'£R BUTTON Ca‘-WINNETT VVM. FI..C)YIZi I%i11fgesscs, in 1765, d<,c1m"ec1 that “the: G€311€:,1'IILi Assembly of this c<::>i1sr;>1iiy has the sok-, ifiglit and p<:‘>we1r to lay ta._\es and Zi1111‘)(1>Sii2i(i')1].S 1.1p<;i>11 the iI"1hI£1.bit£1I‘112$ (iii? this <:<;:>1(?my; ..nc1 that ew21*y atztmfnpt to vest sucth. pow’ in any 1)e:1fsc>11 or pe:1'soi1s wh2itsc;>c::v<21r, c:>tii<;:ir thzsm the G‘€311"ii*1“E11 A;"‘ssn1i;31y af<;:>1'c2sz1ic1, has 21 Immifczst tmcictiiczy to cslcrstmy British as Well as Amczificzui “f1'c:c:c’lt<;2, zmd aft :1, bittcrr and ‘Herc d bats, in which P£'LiI1’iC‘.i{ I}~iic:m:*y utt 1‘(‘3Ci, with 2:1 v<::>ice of tiiiiiiclm, his fzimous W£’1.1"1"1i11§.,‘{‘ to th I31'itish lciiiigmwiiils 0171* of “t1*easc>11” (.t(t1"1(‘3(i fmm by puift: of th If-i-§[<:)L1s=*--“ C321, 2117 i'1€lCi his B1‘1.11Z1.1S; CZ1ia11*].c:s the I*‘ii"st his Cmniwsll; zmcl G (;)1.‘g€2 the T1'1i1T'Ci'i---~(i’1(;‘.I.“<;i3 the, V(")i(‘.(:L‘ <.:>.f the: ‘ipcziker 1*ose, 2;L1'1(;i his eyes 1{.i11Ciii(.,([i with 1_>:itric;:>tic: fi.1,'(’;':)--~—--1‘I.”)‘ly p1*<:>fit by thezir €‘:X211T11;’)1@! If this be tn, scm, 1112114 the most of it 1” W 9|!‘ W‘ As ./~\1"11L:1*iic211is g;’1*<,.w 1*nr<: i1'1cs1i;_;'mt. I*izL1*s1ic,1‘ 1‘I1€:2l$‘Li11’CS W€:1'€3 21c;1()1i>ted in ""2‘LI“iiZl‘IT1€"31”11I, pmiiitiiig to 12116: mi1itz~1ry subjection of the i A JOHN HART colonies, and British regulars were sent to enforce the obnoxious laws. The “Boston Massacre” by British soldiery, so aroused the citizens as to compel the withdrawal of the troops to an island in the harbor. King George’s ministry, frightened by the prospect of an American war, rescinded all the Townshend duties except that on tea, which the king insisted on retaining as a vindication of England’s right to impose the pended the future of America, the Congress joined in solemn. prayer to God for his blessing; on their cle- liberations. Patrick Henry was the first to speak, and he delivered an address worthy of his fame. He struck the’ key-note of Union in his declaration, “I am not a Virginian ---I am an American 1” Colonel, afterward General Wash- ington, then made the impression which gained for him later the com- R C3B'1‘. M C) R R IS dut . The burning of the British armed revenue schooner y 3! ' ta “Gaspee, 1n Narraganset Bay, and the memorable event known as the “Boston Tea Party,” gave proof, however, that the colonists could neither be bribed nor intimidated into surrender of their liberties, and England again resorted to force. With the enactment of the Boston Port Bill, closing the port of Boston, King George and his Parliament crossed the Rubicon. America was aflame. The other colonies joined in ex- pressing their sympathy with Massachusetts, and their resolve to stand by her people and share their fate. The First Continental Con- gress convened in Carpenter’s Hall, Philadel- phia, on the 4th day of September, I 774. The most eminent men in the colonies were now brought together to decide upon action which would affect the liberties of three“ millions of people. Before proceed- ing to consider the problems, on the solving of which de- G ‘If (T). R ‘Ii A 17) mand of the American arinies. The Congress drew up a Declaration of Rights, and sent it to the king. The peo- ple of Massachusetts formed a 1°rvincia1 Cr:>n- gress, with John lj-4la11cc.>ck l:'or .l?resi<:lent, and began organizing provincial. t1'(i')(I)p5$ and g'atliier- ing military stores. Virginia contimied to lezeep pace with lvlassachusetts, At a convention of delegates from the several <;:otuities and corpor- ations of Virginia, l'.1ClCil in l'€..iclnnond, l\/larch, I77 5, .Patricl<. Henry stoocl resoliitely fox" armed resistance. “ Three millions of 1‘i)C3C'3pl.(3,” he said, “arined in the holy cause of ].il.)e1'ty, and in such a country as that which we possess, in- vincible by any force whicth our enemy can send against us. Besides,'sir, we shall not fight our l:)attles alone. There is a just (?}oc.l who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will. raise up friends to fight our battles l%'c)r us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, ‘ urn? nlgfi ‘ 'w 3’ the brave. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retreat from the contest. There 15 no retreat but in submission and slaver . Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come! It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen cry peace, peace————but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the North will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so clear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death I” The War of the Revolution began at Lexingtcm, and the Second Continental Congress met at ,]OI—IN HANCOCK '1‘ II (L) M A j 152 1*‘ 1*'l£I{ SC) N in I 750, the “ Liberty Bell,” engraved with the prop1iet.ic: words: “ Proclaiin liberty thr<;>ugh.out all. the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.” The Cjongress chose for its l"resident john I”l£LI].COCl{, whom. the Britisli government wanted to try for treason, assumed direction of the troops encainped at Ca1nbric;lge, near Boston, and called upon Virginia and the midc:lle colonies for recruits. George VVash.ing- ton "was appointed to cornmand the Ainerican forces, and the war conti;m.1ec.l with varying for- tune through 177 5 and the early part of 1776. Americzans were still far froin lieiiig unaiiiiiiotis for separati.on fr<.)m (.Tirea.t B1.'i.taii1, but the iiews that King George was buying 1;ne1r.‘ce1ia1'ies on the c<.i>nti.nent~ to use in orusliiiig the c<:>lonies, appears to have decided rnanyr \vzt\reil’i1ig iiiinds against a sovereign capable of 811631]. l'1eartl.css treatment of his subjects. l1.l(l(;*.p(£31.l(Ill(i:l7l(7€: was more and more ac;lvocated as the only remecly :li'or Arne1‘ic:an wrongs. While the opening ol" /\.1.ner.1~ VVM. Vi/ILI..I.Al\I.‘5 Philadelphia on the same day that Fort Ticonderoga was taken. The meeting place of this Congress, which was to declare the American colonies free and independent States, was in the building now known as “Incle- pendence Hall,” or the Old State House, between Fifth and Sixtli. Streets, on the south side of Chestnut Street. This building was erected in I 732-3 5, and in its belfry was hung, can ports to connnerce was laciiig (l1S- cussed in the Continental. C]Iong1.'ess in Feliiruary, I 776, R(i)g'Ql' Sherman, of C(.:)nnectic:ut, p1fci)]gi)osec..l to seCu1‘e a pro- tective treaty with some fo1*ei.g1i power. Benjamin I-*Ia1"1fis<.;>n, of Virginia, sai.c:l, “We have hobbled on, under a latal. attachment to G.rezr1.t Britain. I feel that attach1nen.t as 1'1'1'LlC".h as any man, but I feel a stronger one .'f(.'L)1' my ooun- try.” George Wythe, l*la.1'1‘isoii’s col-- from Great Britain was be- a coming more acute. It should not be assumed that the opponents of separation were in all instances, or even gener- i ally, lacking in patriotism. Many of them i had been 'r1~Ios.sroN12 he earnest sup— i i porters of American rights against B rit i sh oppression. The most eminent of these i was John Diclcinson, of Penn- p sylvania, whose able writings x i i and speeches had done much to animate the people to a de- terminecl “ l gtgmd f () 1* 1:LIm1:oGI.«: carsznnv their ]iber- ” t I-Ie hadcoflegu s in the Con»- gress less lofty of motive,who r **.p— ; resented the 1imi.ted I prop rietar class, which held tie reins w) of authority in Perin- league, urged the granting of letters of marque and reprisal, adding : “But before this measure is adopted, it isto be considered in what character we shall treat ——--as subjects of G r e a t ABRA. CLARK Britain ____“_ as rebels? No, we must declare ourselves a free people I ” He then moved, “ That the colonies have a right to contract alliances with foreign powers.” “ Why, this is independence ! ” er claimed one of the hesitating members. Seven colo- SA1\IUEL C?I~IASE nies We if Q in favor of considering the rn o t i on, but no decisive action resulted. The strife in the colonies between those who opposed and those who ur,'th— “led by IfOpular appeals. When the royal governor, Sir John W1€‘11tVV01’El"i, fled from New Hampshire, the people of that E§1_?1i1}éfS0§Iit to the Congress requesting advice as to what reCeiVedtufC1).\7€1‘1’1g1€I1t to adopt, and similar applications were of John Acprii with Carolina and Virginia. Upon motion flies to est gill? t e Ooiigress recomrnencled to these colo—~ men On aih is g‘1f1)V€1I1In€ntS based on ele_ctio_n by the free» JOhn- Add e lot of May, ‘I 776,, a resolution introduced by to fO1_mii;1ms, was passed, virtually inviting all the colonies » p A Clepenclent governments. On the I 5th of May, a 131‘?-‘«'i1111l31‘;‘ to the foregoing resolution was adopted which de- ARTHUR N“ Y) clared that the American people could no l<;)iigg,“cir take oath to support any goveriiinent deriving its authority from the crown and that all such govei'n—- ments must now be sup- pressed, since the l{,l11g' had withdrawn his protec- tion from the iriliabitants JOHN ADAMS Of ’Cl"1,(3 L11."1lt€.‘Cl CC)l(i)1'llC“S. i«‘1z.ANc:1s ’I.I(”}II'I"1«‘(')(7i)'I‘ i.i«:i;«: Tl"1lS preamble (32\’C‘.ltt‘3Cl a strenuous debate between the advocates and the (”j)1f)1f)(I)1],C31llZS of complete separatioii, and its 21.(ll(;)1.T)lIi()1‘1 ainountecl to a preliminary declaration of l.1]Cl€‘i‘1Z)(£3IlClC31.1C(3i3. “Now,” cried Mr. Adanis, when the result was annciunced, “the (}}o:rcliaii knot is cut !” “Great l}3ritaii:i,,” he wr<;.:>te, “has at last (lriven Ainerica to the last step, a complttte scpaii'ati()i.‘i fr<;>i‘1i her, a total, absolute l1'l.ClC”31LI)rnissioiti or total sepai'ation,” and iitteriiigr for the first time :l’i.1nda~ mental princiiplies afftervvard eiiiliictidicctl in the .li)(2(§l.Et]7'£ll?’l(">1“l (jlf Inclepenclence. “All men are by natiirc (?:C]11El.l.ly fi*ee,” pm- claimed the sons of the Old .-D(f)ITl.l.T1l()ll, “anc’l have inherent i"ig;‘lits, of 'Wll1lCl‘l., when they enter into a state cif soctiety they cannot by any conipaet clepriqve 011" divest their ]l_)(fi)Sli(:1’llIy ; naniely, the enjo ment of life aiicl liberty, with the l‘11(:$l.1‘l.“5 of acquiriiig anti possessing property, arid piirsiiing ancl '2 ‘ . zg\'&?fi'794 sg, WWW; ‘ J!w1 rgW M. A 14L, 1 H 1 LA. I.) 11. L1’ H l A obtaining happiness and safety.” “All power is vested in and consequently derived from the people. Magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them.” Wasl1— ington, from New York, added the powerful influence of his deliberate judgment to the voice of his native State. “A reconciliation with Great Britain,” he declared, “is impracticable, and would be in the highest degree detri- mental to the true interest of America. Noth- ing but independence will save us.” On June 7 Richard Henry Lee, acting on in- structions from the Virginia Convention, moved, “That these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the Brit- 1sh crown, and that all political connection be- tween them and the State of Great Britain is. and ought to be totally dissolved.” Of the debate on this memorable resolution-~——the soul and essence of the Declaration of InCl6p€§1’1CleI1C€3~——W€)lm.V€3 not even the outlines. John Adams seconded Lee’s motion, and the resolution was postponed until the next morn- ing, the members being enjoined to attend punctually at ten o’clock. When the Congress met at the appointed hour, the resolution“ was referred to the Committee of the Whole, and Benjamin Harrison, of Virginia, took the chair. JAS. SMITH The discussion lasted until seven o’cloc1«; in the evening, a SAM L. I’I(JN'1‘.IN(}’.I'(T)N when John Hancock, Presiclent of the Congress, resumed the chair, and announcecl that as the committee had come to no decision, they had directecl him to ask le::1.ve to sit again on %Vl'onday,june1Io, and the resolution to adjourn over Sunca was c:arrie(;. On Moiiday, the Titans of that struggle czlared ag'ai11 the greatest issue the world has known since Calrvary. John Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, was u1ic.l<)ul.>tectlly the chief op- ponent of the resoliition, and with him, pleac.lingl'<.,>1" delay, were lxiobert R. l...1v1ngst<..).1‘i, or New York; '1_“L(.l- ward Rtlflttcllgc, of S<;.)uth (jIzn*c.>l.ina., and James Wilson_, of l.l’er1nsylva1‘1ia. l.{utleclgc zimd W’ilson were afte1.wvz11*cls sig1ie1's of the l[)c<:r.larati(>1:i. john Acilams led the spezzikers in i7::rv<.;).1‘ of the 1'es<.>1u— tion, and was ably s<;:ctc.:>ncl<;.x’l by fl.<3.icflm.:1'r;l Ire-~7len.ry Lee, (:4.;CttL)1.‘§.’,”¢ Wytlie, and other ac'l‘vf<:.><;#.ates of in- depenclcnce, Tlioinas Jefferson s1.‘11ii1i‘iir1g up the argilineiits of both sicles. (lfl).f the i1tte1‘2:1nces of Aclams in the g.ri*at c<.).ntr*ov<;:rsy we have no record, l’f)1.’112 his thoughts and wtvrcls are inclicatccl in a letter writteii at the time, in whi<:‘h he sa s : “C)l)r'ec.ts of the most SlZ111‘.T>C1‘l(‘l(‘)l1.3, Inagnitluclc, and measures in 'wl71ieh, the lives and fortunes <;;>tf the millions yet unl;">orn are intiniately ctonnectecl, are now before us. are in the midst of a rev<:>l.1.1tion the most oo1n1*:>lete, nnexi— pectecl, a.ncrl reniarlralale of army in the history of nations.” I’lHl.. I.IV'lN(i.‘-l'I”(>N The outcome was a compro- mise. The opponents of action obtained the delay they asked for, while the advocates of im- mediate separation secured the appointment of a committee to draft a Declaration of Inde- pendence, with instructions to report the Declaration and the Lee resolution on the first of GEO. TAYLOR July. Jefferson result: “It appearing in the course of the debate that the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and South Car- olina were not yet matured for falling from the parent stem, but that they were fast advancing to that state, it was thought prudent to wait awhile for them.” The committee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, of Vir-— ginia .; John Adams, of Massachusetts ; Benjamin 1*1"€L11l{l1I'.l, of Pennsylvania; Roger Sher- man, of Connecticut ; and Rob- ert R. Livingston, of New York. The absence of Richard Irle1i1'y Lee from this committee is ac-» counted for on the ground that his wife was ill. There is no doubt, however, that Mr. Lee, while justly esteemed a pa- triot and a statesman, did not stand in as favorable a light with the majority of the Con- JOSIAH BARTLETT says of the BEN]. HARRISON which still exists. CARTER BRAXTON Mr. Jefferson, who com- bined with a fearless temper and positive convictions the ability to command the friendship even of opponents. This was shown stril<.iiigly in his subsequent re- lations with Washington. Both as chairman of the committee, and b e c a us e his associates deemed him best qualified for the task, Jefferson was asked THOS. Ni:LsoN, JR. to write the Declaratic.>ii. Jef- RICI-ID. STOCKTON ferson was then living near what is now the corner of Market and Seventh streets, 1’liilacle].phia. The paper was written in a room of the second flo(;)r, upon a little writing desk three inches high, contrived by Jefferson himself, and The original. draft, in Jefferson’s hand- writing, shows only two or three slight alterations in the handwriting of his associates, Benjamin Fi'a1i_l<.li1i and John Adams, and with these imma- terial cliaiiges the draft went before the Congress as prepared ply Je:ffei'sptii, and approved by e coniinr ee. Meantime events moved rap- idly. Connecticut, on the 14th of June, instructed her dele- gates to vote for independence. Delaware gave her represen~ tatives permission to vote as they might think proper, and oratory to exhibit,” wrote Adams, about thirty years later, “and could produce nothing but simple reason and plain common sense. I felt myself oppressecl by the weight of the subject; and I believe if Demosthenes or Cicero had ever been called to deliberate on so great a question, neither would have relied on his own talents, xvitlmtit a supplication to l\/Iinerva, and a sacri- fice to Mercur , or the goal of Elo- quence.” Mr. Adams adds tl:iat when. the A.bl:)e lieynal a‘literwa1;‘cl,s 1‘equestecl him to ffurnish him with any speeches he had ptihlishecl. or (;l,eliovercc'l, he Zl.H‘h‘l,ll'L*3('l the abbe that he had iicver 1‘.‘)1.IllI)ll.&‘»l‘.1.¢;‘.(l <;;>7r VVl.‘itt€1‘].£;l4VS[>.)(1:(fi(:f’l’] in his life made in any pul:>l:ic assemlialiyt; that he am not wish that any oiie he had clieloivterecli should l])(;I§ prese1"vec;l in form, e;xce1i>ti1ig the one made upon tlie qut:sticlonies, or two— Adams, in the language of Jefferson, was “the colossus of that debate,” and John Diclcinson was his chief antagonist. The speech of Dick—- inson, revised and published by himself, has been preserved; that of Adams has not, the thirds of the number vti,1ig, £§L.1‘.l(fl R,1.1tl.eclge, of S<:.:>L1tl1 (iiarolina, tl:lic1'eu]::>on requested that the final decision be C_lC§7f(2]"I'C:(Tl until the next day, July ad, when the vote, he suggestecl, would probably be unanimous. Thiss was agreed to, and on July acl the clelmte was I?‘¢I*:S1,‘lI‘1‘1t‘3Cl,2,-"l.1‘1Cl language attributed by Daniel Webster to Adams all the colonies voted for iiiclepeiicleuce, except being, of course, imaginary. “I had no art or GEO. WA LTON INTERIOR I"’IIILAI'")E . 4 V '5‘/3 gsiggllt E ’b .» , , M ' Wf Fi via» New York, which was silent, on account of the absence of instructions. The sentiments of John Adams regarding that memor- able vote are vividly expressed under date of July 3d, in one of his letters to his equally patriotic wife, Abigail, which throw such valuable light on the Revolution. “The greatest question,” he said, “was decided which ever was debated in America, when I look back to 1761, and run through the series of political events, the chain of causes and effects, I am surprised at the suddenness, as well as the greatness of this revolu- tion. Britain has been filled with folly, and America with wisclom. It is the will of heaven that the two countries should be sunclerecl forever; it may be the will of heaven that America shall sufier calamities still more wasting and distresses still more dreadful. If this is to be the case, the furnace off affliction produces refinement in States as well as individuals ; but I submit all my hope and fears to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as tlie faith may be, I firmly believe. “Had a Declaration of Independence been made seven months ago, we might before this hour have formed alli- ances with foreign States; we should have mastered Quebec, and been in possession of Canada; but on the other hand the delay has many great advantages attemling it. The hopes of reconciliation, which were “fondly eiiterl CJESAR RODNEY tained by multitudes of the , honest and well-meaiiiiiig, though. weak and inistakeii, have been gracllual.l.y and at last totally extiiiguisliecl. Time has been given i:'<;:>r the twliole people maturely to consider the great question of independ- ence, so that in every colony of the thirteen they have now adopted it as their own act. “But the day past. The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by sticceecliiig generati<..>ns as the great anniversary festival. It oiiglit to be commemoratecl as the clay of cle- liverance by s<:>lenin acts of cleve- tion to God .Al.l‘I.1lgl‘1l2y. It ought to be solemnizecl with pomp and pa- rade, with shows, games, sports, §.:.’,'L.ljI"1S,, bells, l)(’f)1..".1.l7ll1.‘t"‘:.’.HT, and il1.umina- tions, from one end of this conti- neiit to the other, iT'roni this time i’<:>rwa1'cl f(;)1‘GV@1”l“1‘1()l”(3. “Yii will think me ti'anspoi'tecl with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware c.>t" the toil and l.:)l.o(t><:l and t1'easu1-e that it will cost us to mainmin this '.l)ecla- ration, and to sii_ppi"t and <:leil:'encl these $tates ; yet tlii‘ougl,ii all the gl<.:)<;;>ni I can the rays of l'Z'LV’lSl"lll“lg‘ ll,£,¥,'li'lt ancl glory ; that the end is wortli all the means; that ]j)(_.)Sl?C:1‘llZy will triumph in that day’s transa.ctin, even 1."l’"l.(l.)l.l.g.L__’,”l"1 we shoultl rue it, wltiich I trust in C3c:i>cl we shall riot.” The l.:)pr<:>vecl h the committee was then takeii tip. In the <;liseussit.>1i wliicli '1" R AN ('..L'I.‘~.‘- II (I) ‘I’l\'.l NS(L)N is that, “Agreeabl to the order of the day, the Congress resolvec itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their further consideration the Declaration, and after some time the Presi- dent resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported that the committee had agreed to a followed, the Congress struck out a passage condemning George the Third for encouraging the slave trade. Slavery was not then a sec- tional issue, as it existed in Northern as well as Southern colonies, and Northern shipowners profited largely by the traffic. Nevertheless, there was a strong sentiment in the colonies against the further mtroduction of slaves, 111 which Jefferson evidently shared. It was deemed best however, to omit the subject from the Dec- Jefferson gave expression to the wounded feelings of the American people in wbeing so unworthily treated by brethren and fellow-citi- zens—---that is, he arraigned the British people for their share in and responsibility for the tyrannical conduct of the king and ministry. The Congress showed prudent re- gard for ~the future course of public opinion in Great Britain by excluding this just but exasperating arraigrnnent. No interpolations of importance were made. Jefferson him.- laration . self took little part in the discussion, although he listened with the gravest anxiety, while 1**"ranl<.lin sought to cheer him with humorous and pithy remarks. Thursday, the Fourth of July, was a warm day, and the members were impatient of the pro- longed strain caused by the discussion of so vital an issue. It is stated, on the authority of Jef- ferson, that the final vote on the Declaration was hastened by swarms of flies which came from a neighboring stable, and caused much discomfort to the members. The ofificial report 6 EDWARD R U'I.‘Llv'.I)Gli THEZNJ. I*“RANIs'.I.lN Declaration, which they desired him to report.” Crowds were waiting for the expected vote. Suddenly the Liberty Bell rang the announce- ment to the waiting multitude, and shouts of gladness greeted the glorious news. The Con” gress immediately passed an additional reso- lution, that “Copies of the Declaration be sent to the several assemblies, conventions, and committees or councils of safety, and to the several commanding officers of the Continental troops; that it be proclaimed in each of the United States, and at the head of the army.” On July 5th copies, probably in the form of a printed broadside, and bearing the signature of John Iwlancock, President, and the attesting signature of Charles Thomson, Secre- tary of the Congress, were transmitted as ordered. The new Convention of New York met on the 9th of July, and the Declaration of Incle- pendence was referred to a committee of which John. Jay was chairman. This commit- tee promptly repoirted resolutions to the effect that the reasoning of the Declaration was cogent and conclusive, and that the Conven- tion should “support it with their fortunes and their lives.” These resolutions were adopted, and declared to be the act of the representatives of the State of New York, and the thirteen former colonies were thus arrayed in un- broken front, in asse1“ti1ig and de- fending American independence. On July 18th a resolution was secretly adopted by the Congress, directing that the Declaration should be en.grossed on parchment, and signed by all the members, and on the 2d of .ALlgL1SlZ1Zl1@ signatures were formally appended, in accord with this resolution. Eventful as was the scene, and grave with peril for all present and for the millions of people whose delegates they were, it was relieved by more than one grim pleasantr _, even in the humor of which, however, was evident the stern resolve of those men of British bl<:">oc’l who had cut loose forever from the British crown. jolyin Hancock, President of the Co11g1'ess, one of the foremost statesmen and richest men in America, was ‘First, as he signed, to speak in jestiiig irony, his defiance of the l{,i1“1,,<,3,‘, who, if victorious, could confiscate alike his life and his estate. The Co11g1'ess had been wise in selecting; Hancock for President in naming \/VELSl‘1ll].§,{'TI(f)l1 for Geii- eral-in—chief. Sanderson says of .l"”"IZLI1COCl{, that “by his long‘ experience as moderator of the town I’I,1(‘3CtlI1g,'S, and presiding" officer and speaker of the provincial assemblies during times of great turbulence and commotion, he was eminently qualified, as well by his natural digiiity of man-- nets, to preside in the great council of the nation.” As ROBT. TREAT PAINE Hancock, with that spl.endid and clear pcnniansh.ip which makes his name so co1*ispicL1<;‘>i1s, avljiipeiiclczrcl his sig;nz1,tii1'e, he remarked: “john Bull can read that without specta~ cles.” 'l”hen he addecl more gravely: “We must all liang; together in this matter.” “Yes, indeed,” inte1‘rupteTlfi1'l1.1.,1(‘?l1 ligliter frame, “I shall have the acflvantage of you. It will be all over with me before you have cl,one l(.iC7l{l1.l§;' in the air." ([]fflim1']es Carroll, of l\/llaryland, had not ljmen present v,.r11cn the Declaratiotn of .l1i,c:le1,)en,<,le1ico was v<;>ted i,,'or. Idle was then absent on a vziin ;i1V]]vi‘%‘H‘4ii(..',)I‘]‘V to (,.‘2i1.l1’.l:.”l(il2i'l., with his l1r<>tl'ior, the Rev. ]cs>lm. (;Iarrolfl, in the liope that the tlhctt of their lf)(‘l‘ll"l,§Z,' Roman (,:E.’Ltl‘"].(;)l.l<;f£~'., would ll'1fl*l1.'l,(;‘.1lf1C‘.t‘;'f the ]r"roiic‘l”1 CIana(:lians to cast their lot witli the f\m<::1'i<;r.ans. Tlie mis- sion was mi1s1.1ocessiTul, amfl (,,,Tai;*rol,l Zl‘T'L;‘l;L11'l.T1If.“:Cl in time to adc:l his name to the lQ)c(,:laration. “\/V ill you sigrti, the l..i)ccla.o1'ationF” aslteciil the fI}7resic:il.e1it. “‘l\/lost \,vill,i1,si,<,:,*ly,” rcpliecl C.Ia.rroll, and with a firm '.hand he wrote, ‘"‘(i,.ThzLrlos (fku',1"<:,>l1, oi.’ (.]Iai1'1.'<:or>l,lton.” Tlie last .nzn;ne was zip1)c1‘ici1c<',l to the I f,)ec'1,zs1,1‘ze1,t,ion in No- vember, when Matthew Tl1(;’})1“Illli(‘>T1'l, a native oi? lrcliancl, electecl to the (,:.:(,)11tl17lC!1‘T1l;"Z4‘Ll C,ff<;).n;:;1"t:c;r1‘1fil:>e.if, I 776, was permitted to 2"1Jf"li,>< his si,«;g,‘1:iat:ore. The siginers iulilys l.<1‘1(.lW tlio grezit VVM. .Iv2,I.I.I"ZRY‘ risk they incurred, and it may truthfully be said that one of them, Rich- ard Stockton, of New Jersey, died a martyr, as a direct result of his act. His splendid home was destroyed, he was robbed of all his possessions, and being made prisoner by the British, he was treated with such cru- elty that he died in 1781. The estates of other signers, wherever they could be reached by the British, were ruthlessly cl e V s t atecl, and several wrote th ir names in the "full l<::noww ledge of this loss of for» tune that would surely follow. Yet never were the signatures to any im- portant document writ- ten more clearly, or with more evidence of calm- ness an cl» self—control. There is one exception --—-—the trernulous signs» ture of Stephen I-Iopkins, of Rhode Island. The explanation is that the aged Hopkins suffered with palsy, and had to support his right hand with the left, while writing. Robert R. Livingston, one of the committee on the Declaration, was unfortunately prevented from signing by absence on other duties. That committee, it should be stated, included two fu- ture Presiclents, John Adams and Thomas Jef- ferson, each afterward, if not even then, repre- senting the two great and contending prin- ciples which have been carried down in our na- tion’s history frorn age to age, under various political names, and for which the Republican and Democratic parties now stand. Though differing in man things, Adams and efferson FRANS. LEVVIS JNO. \VI'1‘HERSI’C)ON were shoulder to shoulder agaiiist the enemies of America. And may it ever be thus in the future: “ Divide as we may in our own native land, To the rest of the world we are one.” The signers of the Declaration kept well their pleclge in the anxious years which followed, before England withdrew from the conflict. Benjamin Franklin in diplomacy, and Robert Morris in finance, gave service as vital to the suc- cess of the American cause, as Wasliiiigtoii in the field. john Adams labored incessantly in the duties assignecl to him at home and abroad, and his prudence in the iiegotiation of preliminaries of peace saved the United States from aCC€1Dtl11g relations to France which might have imperiled the freedom won by so many sacrifices. Richard Henry Lee showed patriotic foresight equally admirable, in urging that the conditions of peace should SAM. A DAMS '1‘I~IOMA$ LYNCH, _)”R. C) LI V’ 132 Is’. \V()L(..'()T'l‘ include for America free iiavigratioii of the Mlississippi River. In statesmanship, in the ranks (j)f war, and in civil life, siggmeirs of the I)eelaration provec:l tliernselves worthy of the veneration which has ever been attaeliecl to their names. The have l.(.f)1’1,§1‘l.)L’;’:C31"1, .nurnl:><;:%1"<;;~.cl with the l'1,c:>11orecl dead of the i:’.epublic:. 'I‘h<::ir pee1'less momiment: is the Nation Wl,'1iCl’1. the lielpecil to e1."oatc:: their eptitapli is the history of our N):/1tion’s p1",<_j:ress il7r'n,<,.;{‘ the powers of the W<'i)1‘lCl. It is l‘1£"L1‘(l, from the sec:L1re stand- point of to-da , to fitly appreciate the S2TlC‘.].'l.'fiC.‘.(.1‘S ancl the courage of twat little band of Ainerictans, who, ilrmn Inclependencre 1*-,Iall_, sent ;forth their derfiancte, in the name of ete1*nal 1"igl1t, to the arinies and fleets of ,l,x1’.Ii1‘1,<.;z; George; but our best tribute to their 1“11C3I”I‘1<‘T)l‘y is to follow their (’:XELl1‘1]]_i)lC of pure patriotism and 1‘msel1‘isl1 . N devotion to duty, whatsoever our 1::>osition in life. THE STORY or THE FLAG HE first American Flag was adopted by Congress on June 14th, 1777. Our Flag to—day is,strictly speak- ing, an evolution of the combined flags of the colo~— nists. During that period of great unrest, dating from 1760 to I 775, each of the colonies had its own emblem; one being of red with a white field, with a red cross with a pine tree in the upper square; another, a flag of blue with a white field, with a cross of red thereon, and with a pine tree; another, a white flag with a pine tree as a centre—piece, with the legend: “An appeal to Heaven”; another, a white flag with a Goddess of Liberty thereon with a shield, a Continental soldier as a centre, and a horse unbridled on the right, with the legend, “Conquer or Die” ; another, a flag of blue with a crescent in the upper left-hand corner, with the legend, “Liberty,” horizontal on the flag; and yet another, a yellow flag, had a rattlesnake coiled in a stifikirig attitude, with the legend, “Don’t tread on me.” After hos- tilities comrnenced at Lexington, these various flags were in themselves in a large degree confusing. Then it was that the Flag Committee, appointed b the Continental Congress (consisting of Benjamin Fran din, Harrison and Lynch), presented the flag known as the Cambridge Flag, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS which was raised at Cambridge, VVashington’s l~Iead—- quarters, January 1st, 1776. It had thirteen stripes, in alternate red and white, with a field of blue, with the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew placed thereon. The confusion that the distinguished committee hoped to avoid was in a large degree augmented, for when the flag was raised amid loud acclaim by the faithful patriots, some demonstrations were made by the English, just across the Charles River in Boston, who believed that the flag they saw displayed in Cambridge was an emblem of submission. It became apparent to the leading patriots that a truly dis- tinctive emblem had not yet been evolved. While Wash- ington was in New York, May 26th, 1776, he received a peremptory order from the Continental Congress in Phila- delphia to "visit that city, where he arrived May 28th. Mat-i ters of Great military moment were discussed at length. It was on the occasion of this visit of General VVE1Sl‘1l1”1g‘tO1'1 that a committee of three (VVashington, Robert Morris, Chairman of the Secret Committee and the Financier, to- gether with Colonel George Ross), took under consideration the suggestions that had been previously made regarding a distinctive flag. The committee waited upon President John lrlancock at his residence, and received from him sufficient English bunting to mal~;:e a flag. They then. proceeded to the home of Betsy Ross (Colonel Ross’ niece) at 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, where General Washiifigton submitted to her the rough sketch of the flag they desirecl to be made. Its design was thirteen stripes, in alternate red and white, togetliei“ with thirteen stars in a field of blue, the same be- ing set in circular form. General VVashingt;on asked Betsy Ross if she could follow out the design. She replied, “I will try.” A little discussion followed regarding the style of the star to be used, whether it should be six—pointed or five-pointed. It is the belief that General Vi/ashington, who was as modest as he was brave, felt disinclined to use the five-pointed star, since it appeared upon his own family coat-of—arms. He further argued that a five-pointed star was more difficult to make ; whereupon Betsy Ross replied, “If the stars have any points they are five—pointed, and nothing is easier than to make one of that style.” Suiting the action to the word, she took a piece of bunting, and folcliiig it two or three times, with one clip of her scissors she cut a perfect five-pointed star. It was then and there agreed that the five-pointed star, which bore no semblance to the six-pointed English star, should be employed. The size of the flag was eight by twelve feet, which proportions have ever since been adhered to. Three days after their first visit, the committee returned to the house of Betsy Ross. In the sitting room she displayed to them, for the first time, the first American Flag, which was officially adopted by the subsequent COI1g1'€‘SS, June 14th, 1777. Before General \/Vashington, returned to New York, on June 5th, the creation -of the new emblem had been decided upon, the Flag was made, and word was sent to the various posts of the Continental Army requesting; tliem to prepare similar flags as speedily as possible, rising; the new emblem. This command was given before the official adoption and promulgation of the order, which, in fact, did not take place until August 8th, 1776. Much speculation has been iiicliilgecl in relative to the selection of Betsy Ross for this most distinguished and patriotic work. Her husband, john Ross, six months before the niakiiig of the l*‘lag;, had gl.lV(‘311 up his life for his country as a Continental soldier; besides, her sl.<.il.l. as a needlewoman had long; been 221Cl{.I].(7)VVl.C(.lg‘t:(l.. .Ii~ler uncle, Colonel (fl}ec>1“ge Ross, knew her to be loyal to the colonists’ cause, and it was fitting that to such a one the making; of the first American lfiflag; should be entrusted; By general —CO1‘1S(;‘I{1l2, and without opposition, tlie1'cforc, Betsy Ross continued to make flags for the new Republic. A draft was drawn in her favor May 17, I 776, for :foL11‘i;c<;:r1 i ounds twelve shil.lin‘s and two l)c1'l(.].‘.C ,.:f<_:>r the l**"l.a<»‘s for P 9 2:; 5 2 tn» the Fleet in the Delaware River. Slie continued tomakc flags for many years. if l\/luch pl.easant rivalry has been inc.lul.gecl in i"egz1.1'c.li1ip; the first e11,g.g;ag“e1.1ie1it under the Stars and Stripes. 1)L?lZl\i\lZTLl.'U clairned to be the first to use it c‘1L.1i"i1:i,5.g,»‘ a slig;;‘l.it e1igz.‘i,a;;'<;:itiic:1it within her statclines, while lfiiift Stamvix also 1]lE"l.(ilL‘.. a well»- substantiated claim. As a rnatter of antlientic l1’1l:$f.li(f)1‘y, how- ever, the first battle :l’<)ug;lit rincjler the /~\1*neric*an 1*"la1.;;;;‘,zc1.fi7tc.1.' the issuance of the order from the .;S;'ecretary* <;.>f C(;)I'1§.{”1"USH, was the decisive l:>attl,e of S2l1"£llI(‘),y1io., and when Benedict Arn<;:>l.c.l (who afterwzirds l“)ccz:1.1n<.: a t1'aitor), turiied the tide of conflicrt aiicl won ffor the stri1,<.;“— §’,'l.ll.]g‘ colonists the g1*eatest battle of the Aiiiwiczaii Revo- lution, which stands to-«day as one <;>f tl"1.QflflSt3C311 decisive battles of the world. The 15*‘. rig“, in its (,")I‘l§2,'l1‘1£ll form, was soon to wave triurn- phantly over thirteen sparseloy settlecl c<>lonies, wliile l?(§)*~Cll1'IL" eiglity million loyal Americans stancl reacly to defend it unto death, while tlie "World reco,g;;‘i.i.iz.c;>s its Stars and Stripes as emblematic of justice and protection to all. G ICNERA T.» WASI-TIN GTON (3H«‘.0I{GI*3 ROSS ROBERT MOH HTS B1 RTI. I (1)1? (.)U R NATION’ Wu \\Q.w\w\$%\w43 .Y..\.\ww..q.b\w %43 um» Yfidvuxxu , \ex.m&,§§\§ u.»5.§e«» 33.3.3 Fm aesszssxvdx E as \ an-n . 5. 3‘ é$..§§s%§ €$§t\.£& 32 $3 Ba mx. .§Ja oh s§.w «k.§\,.¥\m.3\?¢¥ 3 R ¢s$»A§%@§$¢3a£33%a$ gm ¢s§..wx€ c.§E§é \£§E§§§\$;§m\&@ % .9 l......q...4.m .,o.,z.al.3JsV.l1....« 3 V ... V 6a\.€§4e§§¢® .o,»'_4..H III \ VVVN L. \ . n V c § \ w\V»\«m.u.w...A\ . . .1! A1. ‘I...\. |.I-..o‘\ontI..... .. o . £Ww x... . ‘ _u3\B,H_.3de.&. ~£.\.V\\ #335..- .m.&. PY\..r\9o%x¢.Y\..:qM4Se.K “ -N I\I_DlVJ.‘.‘unI'.‘\ I.‘ uVuIJK\.l‘n‘~ N . » N \ V. V w §3Nm.B3§$%§§$<._§§ .®.§,s_\.§ _.aEwc3ese% cw .$Emz.\L3 mm..3.Hm mm.E§ QR w ?s._m§§> pm “Baa .6 Eoafimmmm 2: E dz 0% aom coaaaam E 3&3 \ . §.§..\% X» \\R\ \% \\~§&§ \$§m% \%\\ K» §\\.§ .:§§:§._m E 23.33% WM ...\A\wv..$m...&xw3% \ ..~u.a%....v...s. .. . :%3§ $3 xhk. . \ nwwomwb 3 L. . %3 Se .” N 3,a% 3 3“ ,3.3Qwx««5...evu...\§......: s§%§§€¥m.ii?§§§§£.%§3E§:§§3% V §«\%§%3A?»§3s§§¢§§§3vdm%3¥3ow§w§\§§w§3&3aw¢< «$2 MN. 3% ax 3.2 3 ,»..,§ ..§,&m3 93%.‘ % aéuif. H.§N§\ $5.“ 6; 3 wuwfiffim \§¥w»%s§s& em. R6 . a\$..3®&..Vu.«. fiwzes sswxg Q wag \vQd..d.:\X\V33 Qfigfig ¢3,»§§£ §.§_§.§§ §§t§; .§§. \ N \V.:%2.$w.M. .m.Baww§m§ss.ew3§§m\.n\3£ _ uQ.u.bQ\v.Jm.l 3§a\c\$3m§§§§§§§Swmsw8§w¢3amwfis§3%x¢?3«Q e E %% vwmNu\&\Nwm.»ov&¥€¢Qm~.3NawsoV$S€%E6\®Uaw%w;d£e%»N§§«wwV£8 A I < 1.2% uwe\.:w.$ ll.‘ . ..§§ J... - N %..., w. . 3%.. %£§q.§% 533. QB./.\U \uu.AL\_3 .53 . _ «\m/owahfiw. I V .. . .. ~s\VV\v4k\ .63 m on... QR wk.» §e«.:®._ §PS_. '1 kg ¢ m§§m«wss:ma§@§$3..£3§,3.¥« A in .. .v..Av..u VVV $3“: ._m§§. Swx \:3.ws.wn<.beo\fl~% N..5...§«\\.§V$ mx.€z\@e§P.¢s.§ we §N&2.§2§§x.~ 333% «ea “,5 A. is \.§&.w..m~3»\o¢3<£ xmsvuc - ..3§:_. A 3;... uE$uw...o nnE§i%a.ufi§&.mMMmwMwmr 3..smw,$.$38 ..wABm.Mu§Hu4...\.$«d¢»\fifluw..nv§. . W FuN3wWm:w%W . W v. A . mn.,w&n«.9...._.w«$u M ass §,:mw_ _ré.._,§, ma» w,$«x$.u ¢ §<:x$vx-s%Q..w%M»§oNm5ww.fi§b%wtm WNSB3 ..§R:¥.§ 3:5 §du@.ié.§..m .\®.§% $233? %£§,% ~m.:.ms.e._W ?w$»o3«\%fi§§3\»3E§3é&u§§\»m£< ¢§ fi§a§©§§§®§%%§%§ .. M :@§¢§.§§§$s.§?§§§@§¥§g . _$%§ KM \..»..§INEfi»\...nQU n. n.u..6»4»C\um,\\4m\x w u\~u\%n\...\ 3.0.0 V3 § Vé Q A § b.\u.\ ‘KN?! ‘I4 N‘ m.u&\.§, § %3§h £1 44 Hs£m§§®§“§-§3 m&§qn.v 32.. mu §$.%3a§%§3A A . . \ .\wum..\\vw1n\% au\\§g\§\»s§w€su\ ?§wm33§..«$%.$§ wx%$:&%§3a_ ..»§.E\ §.§3:.®§§&§s 3233 Q P3» §.¢§sw\$.qxs é¢>&§:..% »s?§£§ §s..§\§ ..E.ww:3§o\\,,.s éfiqwx o§aS§ x.3¥$~&§d&3»&3o\.Q\ M mv§§w%b§.w d:\.x\\$:.¢ QR mwoevae ,w§ew£§@ t¢.§.¥£§ RPQS. osfiélsw . 38?.» Li A3.w&23§$§a3 ma§§ex3§§i€mz 3:. ¥mi&§§«3 \§é5flal% §££§§ iéaéi 3§§3sP§x§§«\§§i.%¢§.§3i x§%.:x\3gée§f m.§§§ _§§- ex. uwn.b.:.:oo\. \NN.W£ i\«..;$...: u “cm A u H m L 33 \ €§§asm.&e$&.§%°§fie§@i§3$§?3@ )6 . $3 m&33u§x.£.x..m.qws%..<¢s§x .. ¢N\k§v.L ..\3.b V A n3d»au..e¢»u....q..»..Fg \xn.QE.§E hfiwzfifi w§§§§§§M€$<§m.§M§§%@s&:\§?%.¢$ ®§§§M§3a§§§ \$Ehwfwuxx»$_..§éuQ3xEw mw.~2§3Se.eK§$. M,®xu.m§»i\.£.i§§€ m3w»\w.x..vM33 §§§g§§,iM§§§ ,3v§+s §%§E§§§..\\Jw\u;..a.\:«\\u.V\Axw.......$L\mo.\vé \v3\\u.$.AE..30o\v\w \uVg\\u \ gyia M MM fink cVw\d»v.m.:\ fig Hrfiks M . ¢2.L\«\Uxr..m.\.\3A\uU~ J ,§'_',, ,.,..a,, ,£,',,A,2 4”” My ;_ kc-& J I 1 emm~.1e.4¢4'n.cu-wri, murinfxzv. € zgggwz /% 4__,,,,,¢/,!,¢,.,q,.,e/.»— V‘ :1? éfé E: 3 .0 /{,aus.:’»4wxa_ALu,8/a;¢;oe,a7C/rcefré. T!;3*‘«aee-2%»-§7~'€7v* asrmnuzswan Apwm Loms KLOPsCfl M ‘ PROF'Fclfi"I“0R. ‘ *5;