The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-06
Celebration or Independence.

i Though there was no general arrangement Tor cee-
rating the day, yet spirit of hilarty and good feeling
Inspired the citizens of the metropolis yesterday Feur
Y oie were ired-hags displayed at various points
4 til, city and in Georgetown Many private parties
Net together to enjoy the day. About IL o'clock
ectable party assembled Jackson Hall hear the Dec
raion Of Independence read. and the following ANNA
ned speech from B. B. French esq., the clerk Of the House
ii Representatives:
Eeuersd BY B, D. French, esq, before the Democratic
Association of the city of Washington on the anniueT-
sary Of american Independence, Jmy5, 1877
As the sun upon the morning Of this day, the
thanks Of 100000 of people assembled to Heaven ia
oken Of their gratitude to God that they were citizens Of
he greatest the freest the hapPest country on earth
From Name to IexasNiIom the bay OF funay 10 the
Fave this morning been awakened by the voices OF ten
thousand cannon BY the ringing Of the bells OF every
y and village OF this vast republic and BY the Shouts
tay of hbertyit is the annual jubilee Of mighty ana
powerful people-it is the anniversary OF that day when
Freedom, from her mountain height,
Unfurlcd her banner to the air 7!
That day when band OF patriots solemny declared
that these united colonies are. and OF right ought TO De-
free and independent States" And for The support OF
bvine Providence they mutually pledged to each
bher their lives their fortunes, and their sacred honor"
Well was that pledge redeemed my as
Me standing here, in the metropolis of those "uned col
bnes" this LIST anniversary OF that solemn declara-
hon. can testify in the proud voices Of freemen
Having met here to offer up our alterations to the Most
High for his kindness towards nation and to listen
10 the language in which political fathers proclaimed
our freedom TO the world it may not be considered amlss
Ito preface the reading of the Declaration of Independence
by few such general remarks the day and the occa
sion render appropriate
The causes which produced that Declaration have been
ehearsed to YOU and to Us all SO many times; ana 'hey
srument ITSELF that it would be like thrice told tale
were TO attempt to spread the facts again before YOU
You all know that after bearing and forbearng for years
the insults injuries and expressions of the mother coun
try the ith day OF july 177G, he representatives oil
1.-The United States Of America in Congress assembled set
forth their grievances to all mankind, and declared their
Independence
1t was an act OF moral courage that the world could not
understand That So men, the representatives OF some two
three millions of people, all claimed aegant colo
nists to the most powerful nation on EARTH should sci
themselves up independent nation, was viewed by
some ridiculous to be considered serious mat
ter otherwise than that it would, later bring
the rebels who had thus condemned the authority OF Great
Britain into the hands OF the executioner,
The King of Great Britain, in his speech to Parliament
lat the opening OF the session OF 176 the 3ls day OF
October, speaking OF the American Congress- says hey
have presumed to set up their ebeious for
Independent States" II their treason be suffered to take
root much mischief must grow from 1t to the safety OF
my loyal colonies, to the commerce OF my kingdoms, and
indeed TO the present system OF all Europe"
Mr. Neville moved address in reply. which, after
long debate adopted containing among other things
the following:
'To his majesty that, while we lament the
tinuance of the troubles which have 50 long distracted his
pressons which unhappy elowsubiects still suffer-
IN under the s OF sI Of hs
audacous AMI desperate spirit OF ambition, which has az
asgance to the crown, and ali political connexon with
this country and, in direct terms, TO presume TO set up
their rcbelions coiederac!cs for independent States
In the course Of the debate the address, Mr. Womb
well characterized the Americans as " Dragging, cow
ardly banditt,'' -
1t is true there were, then, some noble minded
men in the British Parliament, who defended America,
and who stood up, even there, the champions In her
cause But large majority followed the sentiments OF
the sovereign and his coadutors, and under the false
and foolish idea that the people OF America would not
sustain their re6eous leaders, they acted as the soye-
reign dictated. -
They knew not the determination of those noble, UNI
compromising men, who preferred honorable grave to
the oppression OF the unnatural mother country and they
knew not the people of America The spirit which ex-
cited them onward IN me cause OF irceaom' was !ne
Thomson to DR. franklin eleven years prior to the dec
lara.ion Of Independence When the stamp-act was
passed, Dr. Franklin, then in England, wrote to Mr.
Thomson The sun Of liberty is set YOU light
Mr. Thomson replied: Be assured we shall light up
truth Of Mr. f Thomsons assertionhe altar Of
freedom lighted, and they have burned unlnterupt
eddy to this day. -,
dependence was, in moral point OF view, as sublime as
any moral spectacle of modern times. Go to the roundo
of your Capitol, and there study the fe-Ike pant!
ing OF the patriotic 1rumbu then 60 stand in the Hall
Of Independence in the city OF Philadelphia and imagine
the curtain of the past 10 be drawn aside, and the living
breathing patriots before you-see them approach, one
by one and afx their signatures to the immortal instru-
ment Here they area lac smile from the orignal-do
YOU see ANYTHING about them that bears the impress OF
fear No. from that free, bold hand OF John Hancock,
to the name of Matthew Thornton, except The signature
of one whose bodily infrmity forbade that he should
write freely, tremor is seen. Imagine that you have
all this, and your hearts shall vbate more freely
your pulses beat quicker, and you shall be more deter
mined than ever to shed your blood (shOud It become
necessary in the cause of freedom and your country
Ii mere Imagination will produce this effect, what
must the reality have been? There they were--those
brave and glorious men-their lives in one hand,
their pens in the other; it might have been their
death. warrant. Thank the God of Battles, who ever
has and will sustain the cause OF justice, 1t was
MOTT charter of freedom and, by the blessing
of that God the children of chdren's chdren-on,
on countless generatons-sha hold it sacred as we
now hold it. and be happy as we now are, that they are
the descendants of such worthy sires.
WE'LL fellow citizens the declaration was promulgated
by those ftysx men, the representatives OF less than
100000 OF people, and history has faithfully chroncled
the result up to this day.
With empty treasury-with troops half clad and
worse fed--with no navy-the peoples the ndomitable
and unconqueabe people, received the Declaration OF In
dependence with every demonstration of Joy; and they
also pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
about defending themselves against the mighest power
earth whose navles controlled the seas, and whose
troops bore and CONSERVATION wherever they a
peaTed against their enemies on land!
Dark and dismal hours and days and months there
were, when the most sanguine were almost ready to
despair Of success but the sustaining hand of Provi-
dence manifest. He had decreed that an ndepen-
Vapf, - l-rz not fhn anx.