Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-07-22
VAN BUREN, SATURDAY, JULY. p, 1848. !.

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the war had commenced. The Boston massacre
and the battle at Lexington had taken place
we've hundred British soldiers had laid down
their lives 10 taking It, till then the obscure mound
! ol .bunker's Hill. Congress IN carrying out the
Will OF the people, went seriously TO work about
the revolution. They raised army, at the
| head or winch, they placed the iilustrious Wash.
/ ington, and devised means to prosecute the war.
They couuted the blood and treasure the war
would cost and the proba Bile issue. A fter the
most mature delIberatlOn, they determined 10 tear
/ asunder the ties which bound them to the mother
country Accordingly on the Bird of July I776,
a committee of five were appointed to draft a
declaration, to be read the dav. (4ih of JuIy)
stating the causes which led them to that deter
mInauon. THIS committee was composed of John
| Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benz ,min FrankIin,
Roger Sherman and r. II. Livingston. The con-
ventloD adjourned 10 meet a. o'clock next morn
ing. l he committeeFeiired with sad but thought
/ fu countenances. Franklin went to consql: his
philosophy. Jefferson and Livingston their hsto-
ry, Adams and sherman their God. The eve
ming calm, bright and CLEAR, aud the spn
| seemed to bid The world farewell, win more
compIaIsancy than he had done through the long
annals Of time. Thar night, perhaps for the first,
Philadelphia remained SILENT save the low breath
ing OF solemn prayer was occasionally heard in
acOttage or church, and the lone cry Of the
watcuman as he sung out, "a is we'll" The
next morning, the greeted The world with the
/ same smile that he had babe it farewell the eve
ming before. The sound OF martini music soon
broke upon the ear-.he marching of soldiers
were scen-crowds thrOuged the streets. The
clock strikes eIgHi-tue couyeniIOn me-ts--every
seat, gallery, and pass way Fl led with aux OIS
spectators m breatuiess silence. 4 venerable
.uan with si.vered locks, arises aud announces
the hour Of prayer has come. Most Of the assem-
bly, arise and stnnd with bowed heajs-here and
IN. III
The priest offers an approprrle nul earnest pray
er TO the God of nations, which us responded to
by loud and hearty Amon. by al present. The
sergeant-al-armS requests the people 10 retire
and the door Is closed. All without is extreme
anxiety thousand asks ''what will be the re-
suit OF their deliberations? Shall America be
free. shall she be the passive slave OF BrItaiul
At length the door II thrown open. and the clerk
-ot the house reads the famous decaratiOn.-
liIerc Mr.. Suiun read the dec aration when the
speaker resumed his Discourse This decIara-
ton was adopted and signed by all the members
of the convention. Ii was proclaimed from the
top Of ."o caPo. that America was free. Tnr-
teen saiutes were fired by the cannon as token
of lHc appreciation OF the thirteen States A
running fire passed through the whole line Of in
tautry, long aud loud acc!amrlions Of liberty.
Independence, and America forever. rent the air.
QIick thought, the news spread throughout
tie colonies. whilst every cottage from Nasstchu-
sets TO Georgia, echoed back .'ibertv. indeppnd-
ence, and America forever Many oyerpower-
ed with Joy, sank into The arms of death, never
TO revive.
The solemn pledge which they had made to sup
port the declaration, with their Hves. fortunes and
sacred honors. they were soon called on to fulfil.
The soldiers Suffered hardships and priyaions in
uumerable-they had uota blanket to lie between
them and the frozen ground, nor protect them
from The pc,uug OF the laII aud ram. The army
could be traced BY the blood that tricked from
the bare feet Of the soldiers they trod the ruz
snow. Gen. Marion lived on roots-Vush-
ngton said in report to Congress, famine in
It's most frighlful form existed IN the army, that
the soldiers were only destitute Of clothing.
bat obliged 10 eat every kind of horse food ex-
ccpt hay" The pay of a soldier for four months.
IN continental currency Ihe only pay they could
get) would not purchase Il single bushel Of grain
10 feed his suffering vile and children at home.
England not only sent all the troops she could
spare, bat hired large armies Of H,ssjans and
Iacited the savages on our western frontier to
take up the tomahawll and scalping-kuife Her
army IN lis march killed aud carried off the stock,
set fire 10 the towns AID viiIages-sprcading ruin
and deso,utiou 10 It's path. Add to this. troops of
tories every where Infested the country, ptuEder-
ing the houses and taking what The army had
left.
viii give but ono of ten thousand instances Of
private suffering: John Jones married highly
respectable lady of Virginia, he removed to that
part OF Kentucky where Frankfort now stands.
They had two children, William and Mary
Shortly after the war broke out, Mr. Jones was
compelled 10 leave his family aud join the army.
thousand prayers and blessings were mutually
bestowed on parting. Oue night after Mrs Jones
had SAID her prnyer, her little boy kueeiing on
her right and little girl her left, she retired TO
bed. NOught heard but the lone chirp of the
cricket, and the occasional sob of the children,
darkness impenetrable surrounded all Suddenly
the house is attacked by band of Indians who
break down the door, rush in-drag the mother
and sleeping infants from the bed. In vain the
children cry 80 Pa, o Mother" In vain the
distracted mother ejtcuh,tcs ''my distant husband,
my ilue Mary, my little William, God have mer-
cy." The scapBg.knfe Is run round the head,
with both hands clinched in the hair, and one
io)t on The breast, they tear off The scalp. They
burst the scuIl with blow of the hdtchet, the
house is set on fire. Thus we!ering in blood and
struggling in the agonies OF death. they are left
to be consumed by the names Time fed. At
the close of TIE war, Mr.. Jones returned to the
place of his once happy but now. desoiate place
of abode. As he draws near, he stens to hear
the voice OF little William at play; but all is sllll.