Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-31

supporters Of freedom and the supporters of
tyranny.
The dispute between England and the col
OnieS arose ON a question of taxation England
claimed the right to tax the colonies to any
extent, and without any other limit than the
discretion of Parliament they also asserted
the supremacy of Parliament over the colonies
III all eases whatsoever. pursuance of these
assumptions, various laws were passed, among
which were the stamp act and the tax on tea
The patriots denied the right of taxation with
out representation. " IT," said they, " our
property can be taken from us without our con-
sent, we are merely scrfS and entirely at the
mercy of our masters" They boldly declared
that they would not submit to these unjust
laws and when England attempted to en-
force them they openly resisted with force and
arms. While they were thus Drawing the
power of Great Britain, they were also oblig
ed to carry on an arduOuS contest with neigh
| borS and teloW-cltlZenS around them who took
q different view of the same subject The men
of '16 were not all patriots. The most dan
gerous enemies of freedom were born in the
/ colonies, and should have been among its de-
! Tenders. These men were called tories, and
belong to the great conservative family of
mankind who believe in preserving things as
/ they are, and think the best way to do that is
! for them to do nothing They imagine that
institutions are like the rocks and hills and
will always remain the same if YOU let them
alone. They do not perceive that the march
of time is onward-that the inevitable law is
change-that steps must be taken forward or
the tendency is backward-that vigorous act
ing and vigorous thinking are as necessary to
preserve good institutions as they are to Sc
cure them. These men could not perceive that
the action OF England was changing their en-
tire political system /; and when the patriots
called upon them to assist in preserving the
rights OF the colonies, they promptly argued
that the colonies were in no danger 1t is diff
hcnit now for us to appreciate the force of the
arguments they used They were so plausible
| that many were carried away with them.
They argued in favor of law and order, and
denounced mob violence. They desired, they
said, to preserve the prosperity of the colonies
to secure their property, and protect their
! families from the anarchy which must enSue, if
the traitors persisted in following their mad
course. Eng land they said, was not disposed
to be tyrannical ; the King was no despot. 1t
was the most free and liberal nation upon the
| face of the earth The taxes levied were not
burdcnsome, and it was just that they should
be paid England had incurred great expen-
seS in defending them in the late war, and
common honesty, they said, demanded them to
assist in paying those expenses. They rdiculed
the idea Of fighting about few shIingS tax
ridiculcd the idea of fighting England at all.
! They counted the number of British ships, and
enlarged upon the magnitude of the British ar
MY They impl0red the patriots to dcsist from
opposition, and enjoy the blessings of peace and
prosperity.
The patriots answered, eve have counted
the cost, and find nothing SO dreadful as volun-
tary slavery. We cannot endure the infamy
and guilt of rcsigning succeeding generations
to that wretchednesS which inevitably awaits
them, if We baSely entail hereditary bondage
upon them The contest, of which these
points gives but faint idea, was carried on in
various forms during period of twelve years.
Arguments were held in shops, on street cor
ners, and ia public halls, and kinded animoSi-
ty between neighbors and friends. The party
OF freedom, however, gained steadily in strength,
and pursued a firm and fearless couISe. \
continental congress was called, and union
between the several colonies agreed upon
Eighty years ago this Congress was in session.
| Dangers were threatening around them. En-
| gland manifested an unmiStakabe determine
| ton to subdue them her strength was great,
her resources vast the colonies weak and
embarrassed in many ways but their spirits
| rose with the occasion. Their leading men re-
solved to advance-nOt to retire. They bold
| ly advocated a declaration of Independence.
This proposition occasioned much discussion
even among the patriots themselves. No full
report of these debates exist but Jefferson
has left us an abstract of the arguments used
by the cOntcndng orators One party was in
favor of compromises and delay the other i'll
favor Of immediate, bold and energetic action.
The latter party triumphcd. On the first test
| vote, only two colonies voted against the Decla
and South Carolina. On
| the final vote all Of the colonies voted aye. In
| dependence being declared, the contest aSSum-
| cd new shape and acquired greater vitality.
The conservatives Of course took sides with
Great Britain, and became the most bitter enc
mics Of freedom in the field.
| Seven years of fierce, bloody destructive
( war followed but it ended in the glorious
triumph of the principles of freedom declared
on the Fourth of July, l776
| Let us examine what these principles were.
| A nation declared its independence, and made
known the reasons upon which that declaration
was founded You have heard them read
1--WE hold these truths to be sClfevidcnt,"
said they, "that all men are created equal
that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights that among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
that to secure these rights, governments were
instituted among men deriving their just pow
ers from the consent of the governed" This
was the ideal Of freedom in 70 For the sup
port of this principle they pledged their lives
and their fortunes, and went forth to battle
and to victory.
Before I pass on to speak of the contest in
SO | desire to call your attention to the fact