Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-07-03
FOURTH OF JULY.

Again the ever memorable 4th of Ju-
ly calls upon every American to cele-
brate the Declaration of Independence !;
to commemorate the moral courage and
daring hcroism of the few brave men
who, openly and fearlessly bidding def
ance to the insolent and oppressive power
of the British government, and to the
angry and obstinate tyranny of the Brit
ish King, with strong hands and lion
hearts, and with trumpet voices, pro-
claimed and maintained the grand "act"
declaring our thirteen United Colonies,
with all their magnificent territories,
free and independent States, and wholly
absolved from the thraldom of British
dominion; to admire and to venerate
that simple, but strong and majestic good
sense, unadorned, but deep and Impress
i've wisdom, that indomitable spirit of
liberty which everywhere pervades the
great charter of our freedom; to cher
ish With profound emotions of gratitude
recollections of the generous self-devo-
ton of that band of intrepid champions
who, taking their lives in their hands,
perilled fortune and home, and all they
held most dear, in defence of the sacred
rights of man; to rejoice with patriotic.
and just pride in the brilliant successes
of our stern ancestors in resisting the
tyrannical aggressions of the most haugh-
ty and powerful government in the world;
and to exult with enthusiasm in the
splendid triumph of our American revo-
luton, and its enrolling principles of
liberty, over the malignant and invete-
rate assault of British King and his
minions, and their degrading principles
Of despotism.
Within twenty-four hours from this
our bright native land will resound with
the acclamations and rejoicings of thirty
millions of freemen, glorying in the
name of Americans, and securely enjoy
ing the unspeakable blessings and priv
ileges purchased by the heroic deeds of
the good men and true" who dared and
achieved that glorious revolution.
What a sublime spectacle of moral
power is exhibited under the workings
of republican institutions resulting from
the work of our revolutionary sires, by
our great and happy people; extended
over immense territories, and yet main
tanning order, and law. and internal
peace, without the existence of standing
armies-that essential element of every
government of force-that inseparablc
ingredient of kingly power and royal pre-
rogative! Excitings and sometimes an
cry, political controversies periodically
agitate our nation from centre to circum-
ference-controversi which, under the
institutions of monarchy, would inevita-
bly, induce deadly strife and devastating
civil war, but for the constraint imposed
by the over-awing presence of the can
non ready to roar, of cavalry ready to
tramp, and of flashing bayonets prepared
to charge; but which, under the opera
ton of our glorious institutions, after
having called into exercise the strongest
emotions and passions of our people and
occasioning slight sectional collisions,
quickly and spontaneously subside, not
only without exhausting or weakening
the resources of the contending parties,
but actually benefiting them by the
knowledge elected in the discussion, and
making them better informed in the the
DRY and practice of our government
How is it that without the presence of
"rending steel and rolling fire" the strong
arms and unawed minds Of our fearless
people are withheld from acts Of violence,
and restrained within the bounds of order
and law, even during their most heated
controversies? There can be but one
answer. They are self-restrained thro'
that moral power which is the grand
fundamental principle of the Declaration
to be commemorated tomorrow. Nor
need we doubt the efficiency of our peo-
pie without the exhausting expense and
pernicious effects of keeping on foot
standing armies, promptly to repel and
punish foreign aggression, and even to
undertake and prosecute with yigor a
Just war in assertion Of our national
rights.
Let us, therefore, rejoice in the brill
liant and triumphant success Of the Revo-
luton, AMI while the absolute and totter- !