The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1853-07-02
F0U1TH OF July

~ 49, ~ VIC IN etSu ANUIvctf1Iy
Of our national independence. The boar ffosts
and desolating teinpests Of seventy. seven win
tiers have swept over our happy country, and
AZ many springs have clothed our lony noun
tains and sheltered valleys in sunny vcrdure,
and brought the merry forest warblcrs back
from their tropical homes, TO breathe their sim
pie music in every woodland bower, since
the memorable day, when . few stern and
high.souled mcu, conscious Of the i~nxlienablc
rights which q bcniiiccnt Creator had given
them, and unawcd by the naughty threats of
. throncd tyrant, assembling round the
shrine Of patriotism, stood up in the face Of
mn astothsssea world, and beneath the All-Scc-
ing Eye Of heaven, and declared that-"thcy
were and Of right ought TO be free and indie
pendent free from tho Calling yoke Of
slavery, from the oppressive cruelty of AFRO.
giant powcr--nationally and individually free
acknowledging no right to u control over their
actions, save In u divine Creator, and plcdging
to the support of those declarations "thcir
lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor"
What a scene Of moral sublimity that must
have been. Far away from the storied monu.
mcnts Of ancient greatness, from tho scenes Of
the memorable struggles between frccmen and
tyrants, which glow in the pages of ancient
history, separated by the dashing waves Of n
stormy ocean from the land they all still loved,
surrounded by broad seas and intcrminablc
forests, destitute, many Of them, of the com
forts and elcgancics Of life, inexperienced in
tho arts, and poorly supplied with the mum.
tons OF war, knowing tho utter ruin that
would ovcrwhclm all they loved if their bold
words were not followed by daring deeds,
with nothing to support them in that trying
hour but n sincere filth in the integrity of
their purposes and n firm reliance on the ius.
tcc and mercy of an overriding Providence,
they prepared calmly for the dreadful struggle
they knew must inevitably follow.
What high and holy, but solemn thoughts,
must have filed the hearts of those men when
the stirring events Of that day were over, and
In tho solitude of their own chambers, or mid
the innocent mirth of their social circles, they
reflected on tho consequences of n war with
the mother country, and saw themselves COM
PEELED, 10y the everlasting principles of truth
and honor, to rcnd assunder those ties of loyal
ty that bound them rs children to parents.
Their submission at first to harsh and CALLING
laws had been regarded with contempt. Re.
monstranccs to the King on tho subject of
their grievances had been treated with naughty
scorn, and their determination to receive no
measure that was forced on them by ignorant
and unprincipled minister's, regardless of their
best interests, provoked only the sending of n
few regiments Of armed soldiers to compel
them to submit to those measures. Their
brave spirits were reused into resistance, and
sad as was the necessity, they resolved to
meet it and secure to their postcrity the price
less inheritance Of liberty or perish in tho ut
tempt; and through the years of dark and
bloody war which followed, when the colonial
troops, in untried masses Of private citizens,
left their farms and workshops, their wives
and children, TO flock round the stars md
stripes of Tho banner of freedom, and led on
through innumcrablc pcrils and difficulties by
the immortal Washington, often almost utterly
destitute of food and clothing, but strong in
the knowledge that they were battling for their
dearest rights and privileges, met and defeat
cd, on many n hard-fought battlefield, the vet
Grams Of the English army, whose whole lives
had been devoted to the science of war. The
Same God that, from his throne in heaven.
Independence" and looked, with an approving
eye, deep into the motives and hopes that
prompted IL, was with them 10 support their
ot'timcs saiBting spirits, and when the life.
blood Of many a brave father and noble son
had couseera,ed the land they loved, no gave
them the victory,
Then when the desperate struggle was over
and America bleeding at every pore, her hin
sides and valleys covered with her noble slain.
her resources shattered, her fruitful fells ,ies.
clstcd, her thriving villages ra,acod by ti,e
and sword. exhausted Nv her very victories
hsd wen for herself the proud title II the
u,snonQucrsh.o," ard was ~reogalssd H., il.c
World as Al independent RepabliC what a
mighty shout cf thanksgiving rcSc fro,n the
heart II every freeman ana ple,c,a the tlae
hcAysn even 60 the everlasting thfo,,e uf tho
Invisible What = GLORIOUS DAY that uAA
~Aen ihs ssed. sown in sesra~ ssd darkness.
ytehtct IA itght AMI ~t~Na,y, a siosto,n ffui.
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secs tbe~ sausstAl stNttsense snd tcas -.
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ny 4 tsss "a rotsrvassai t~ssu4ci "a he teosa
and sste bsss II elsa srai rsxss.s wSsu.
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