The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-04

The Seventy. Eashth Anniversary Of the
F0arsh az JAY.
This day com letes seventy -eig years since
the Declar tion Of Independence y the Cont
mental Congress, at Philadelphia, in l776. That
important document wa signed by fifty-six
delegates from the thirteen British colon es, In
Congress ass mbled; and by that act these
colonies became free and independent States,
as finally acknowledged by Great Britain, and
other European powers, in 1888. The Declare
ton of Independence began q new err In the
history of Amer ca. The measures Of the
British government accelerated an event which,
If anticipated and wished by few of the
colonists, had not hitherto been generally de-
sired. Indepeno ence was not the object of the
controversy, (which commenced in 1765, on the
| enaction Of the Stamp Act by the British
Parliament,) on the part of the colonies,
but constitutional liberty. Oppression, by
| demanding more than is due, loses the
benefit of legal claims. During the
session of Parliament in l775, the
ultimate plan for reducing the colonies was
fixed. The battle Of Lexington, in April, 1875,
had been followed by that Of Bunker Hill in
June, 1875, and subsequently, by the attempt Of
| tAe colonists on Canada, in the winter of the
| ssme year. The Americans, by act Of Parlia-
ment, were declared out of the royal protec-
| ton, and IL 900 foreign mercenares were to be
employed to aid in Their subjusation. The
| British King George Ill., had entered into
treaties with the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel
the Duke of Brunswick, and the Count Of Ha-
| nau, princes of Germany, for that number of
| men, to be employed in America. Exclusive
| of troops already in America, it was deter
mined to send over upwards Of forty-two thou
sand men of regular troops, viz:-25, 600 Eug-
lish, and more than 1900 Germans When to
| these were added all the recruits of Canada,
the corps of American loyalists, Called tories,)
and Indians, it was hoped by the British Cabi-
net that there would be total Of $4,000 men;
and it was believed that after every deduction,
and in any event, the army would exceed
! 10000 effective men; force thought in Eng
land to be more than sufficient to subdue all
| America
When information of the measures of Parlia-
ment, together with the Kings speech, the Par
liamentary debates, and the rejection of the
late petition of the Continental Congress,
reached America, it decided the question Of in
dependence. To declare themselves indepen-
dent was no more than to announce to the
world the real political state in which Great
Britain had placed them. While the legality
of this measure was thus argued, it's immediate
necessity was proved. If Great Britain calls
in the aid of strangers to crush US, we must
seek similar aid for our own preservation
But foreign assistance must be sought in the
character of independent States, else the colo
nists must still be considered as subjects carry.
ing on war against their king, and rely on their
own resources These and similar reasonings
were enforced by powerful addresses to the
passions A pamphlet, under the signature of
Common Sense" written by Thomas Paine,
produced great effect While it demonstrated
the necessity, the advantages, and the practi-
cability of independence, it treated monarchi-
cal governments with opprobrium and heredi-
tary succession with ridicule. The change of
the public mind on this occasion is without
parallel. "In the short space of two years,
nearly three millions Of people passed over
from the love and duty Of loyal subjects, to
the hatred and resentment of enemies
On the 7th of June, 1916, motion was made
in the Continental Congress by Richard Henry
Lee, Of Virginia, for declaring the colonies
free and Independent States. The resolution
was at first adopted by bare majority orseven
States to six, and was referred TO committee,
consisting of JefferS on, John Adams, frankie,
Sherman, and Robert Livingston, to prepare
formal declaration of independence, and post
poned till the first Of July, to give time for
greater unanimity. The committee reported
the declaration drawn up by Jefferson,
with some amendments, on the 18th
of June. On the Ist of July, the
question being taken, nine colonies voted for
the Declaration. The New York delegates de-
clined TO vote, as no instructions were yet re-
ceived; Delaware was divided; the delegation
Of Pennsylvania stood three for and four against
it; that Of South Carolina, one for and three
against it. On the fourth of July, when the
question came up for final action, two of the
Pennsylvania members who had voted in the
negative absented themselves. Mr.. Rodney, of
Delaware, decided the vote of that colony in
the affirmative. The vote Of South Carolina
was also given the same way. New York still
declined to vote; but on the 9th of July the
Provincial Congress of this colony, which met
at White Plains, gave their sanction to the
Declaration, which thus became the unanimous
act of the THIRTEEN UNITED STATES. 1t was
then ordered to be engrossed on parchment,
and was subsequently, signed by all the dele
gates then present, including several who were
not members at the time of its adoption.
The leading idea of the Declaration Of In
dependence, as drawn up by Jeferson--that
mankind are created equal, and endowed with