The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-12-28
kfsA.lAss D..is r,a,ss and Bay Snss Democ'ui
INDEPENDENCE FOREVER"

/ stvAs,Asa D..ss r.ass and Bay Soass De,a0crut
INDEPENDENCE FOREVER
IN l776--iNDEPEnDENcr m 1874.
4 On the louyth Of July, i7T6, the :" United Colo
nies OF rorth America declared themselves ,l0saiy-
one, and VI up Tor themselves. They had soiemnly
deliberate upon the matter, and came 10 the cooclu-
sion that heir apprenticeship under Great Britain,
had beenluite long enough, and that the time had
arrived lc them to emerge from their minority throw
OF a depndence both unjust and sersile, and DIS
olive lhepolitcsl bands which had connected them
with anaher, aud To assume among the powers oil
the earlt the separate and equal station 10 which the
laws OF Nature aud of Natures God enfiiid them
i This vas bold undertaking for thirteen States,
numbering less than three millions OF people to de-
clare themselves independent OF the Mother Coun-
try" thomost powerful nation earth and we can
! hardly Wonder that there were some good people
who thoght that the enterprise would fail, even
though were lust--and therefore opposed TO
the mea1re--and that others opposed II upon primer
pie as will policy But, thanks TO the young spi-
t OF Democracy, that at that time began to show IL
selitb;aks to the patriotic men OF those times, who
knew thu they were right aud were determined to 60
ahead, they declared their majority in that immortal
document, the DECLARATIONS OF INDEPEN-
DENCE-and maintained II by the risk oil their lives,
,h, r fortunes, and their sacred honor.
We ice TO go back TO the days OF the American
Revolution, 1" aud to consult tho men Of those shines
1
rt and power connected with every thing that they
did and nid, in keeping with the early manhood OF
the country, which is delightful. They did not stop
sordldyto count the chances Of success or defeat
iheya w the right, and with the spirit and elasticity
OF youth, they rushed to defend it. They took no
half way position. " Give me liberty, or give me
dealt" was the language of Patrick Henry, and the
spirit Of Young America.
| And let us refer particularly to the :" Decla-
ration of Independence" which has been often
quoted, 50 much admired and little lived up to by
the sons OF those who adopted and defended IT, We
have said that the United Colonies up for them
selves they did to all intents and purposes. The
closing paragraph Of that Declaraton'is dPpropos
at the present time, that we copy entire. Ii is as
follows:
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United
States of America in General Congress assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the
rectitude OF our Intentions do, IN the name, and by
the authority of the good people Of these Colonies,
solemnly publish and declare these United Colonies
are, and of right onght TO be free and independent
States: that they absolved from all allegiance to
the British Crown, and that all political connection
between them and the State of Great Britain is, and
ought to be totally dissolved and that as free aud in
dependent States, they hare full po,cer to LEVY WAR,
CONCLUDE PEACE, CON TRACT ALLIANCES, Es-
rABLsn COMMERCE, and 10 do all other acts and things
tchich Independent States may Of right do.'
Such was the character Of the independence, al
that time declared and the spirit of the people and
the country. The language attributed to John Adams
Tin Mr.. Webster's famous eulogy on Adams and JEFF
ferson) on the adoption of The Declaration of indie
pendence, conveys true and graphic picture # the
spirit of that Sink s,cn iire or die, supirt
or perish gpe my hand and my heart TO this vote" 81
am for the Declaration" at is my living sentiment
and by the blessing of God, it snail he my dying
tlment; Independence nolO /; and lNDEPEN DENCt
FOREVER
And such was the independence for which thu
fathers OF '76 fought, and which, thank God the,
| established. Will their sons maintain il Or viii
( they recreantIy and cowardly abandon the hrgl
American ground, and crouch and crawl like misera
BILE 'laves at the feet Of European Monarchsi
These thoughts have rushed upon our mind while
contemplating the present situation of the Union IL
relation to the remuneration Of T. ras We hav,
come to be great peop Plea mighty nation, mum
beriDg nearly t,centy millions OF souls The bounda
ries Of the Union have been misunderstanding
from the Atlantic TO the Pacfc-and the number o
the States composing it doubled since its formation
As nation we have increased, wonderfully, il
| wealth population, civilization and all that consti
tutes true greatness We have commanded the TO
| spect OF the world-do we respect ourselvesi Are
we less independent no,c than when we were but
few, and comparatively poweress' Have we NJ
right to levy war, conclude peace " and econ
TRACT ALLlANCES' without first getting dow
upon our knees, and humby asking Great Britain o
pendence If Queen Heori and Snfia .9nada iS nd
no OBJECTION TO our contracting Alliances" why
men, We may do 80; if not-nof, Where are th
Jeiiersons, the Adams's and the Henry's to rise nj
and with burning eloquence Indignantly spurn tn
thought and the men who would utter il!
II The United States are independent Texas is sls
independent we have acknowledged her indepen
dence. In acknowledging her independent we hay
lodged her right TO treat, to "ooniyaet aiii
anees and II she chooses to form an alliance witt
Us, aud we like the arrangement, whose business
IL, but our own What power on earth has a rirb
10 interfere IN the natter II is none of their bust
ness, and Congress should tell them 80 at once w,
are DOT sure but Texas ought TO be annexed if TO
no other reason than TO settle the question of on
Trgh 10 make The alliance, indie pendent Of all otbe
powers Humble indeed must be the position of IN
United States, when 1t shall yield point, so palma
bly, just and impregnsble.
Away, then, with Illuminating diplomatic nego,ia
lions, with treating and re-reating, with elaborat
DISCUSSIONS OF nice points that are foreign 10 III,
usuon, and come up 10 the business of anne xator
az once Let The Congress OF the United States Civ.
Grrat Britain TO understand that she is understood
,ns' there shall be no rest for her cov.n-foot OF
Texas that in Norih America at least her inirigue
'ha prove unsuccessful, and her spirit of conques
lcsh,ed IL hree millions of people IN l776 coulc
resist her expressions, break away from their allie
glance 10 her. aud establish their iudYpend.nce
heenty millions who inherit the same blood and N,
same sou, can and Will maintain and perpetuut,
what Their fathers established, AT ALL HAZARDS
! From The " y Journal Of Commerce,
I DIVIDENDS The following dividends bsve hoe,