Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-07-05

The Designation Of Independence was called
up for hual consideration aud adoption. lis
authoritative declaration read thus
we. therefore, The representatives Of he
United States Of America, IN general Congress
assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge
Of the world, for the rectitude or our inton-
tons, do, in the name and by the authority Of
the good people OF these colonies, solcmnly
publish aud declare, that these United Colonies
are and Of right ought TO be, free and iude.
pendent States, that they are absolved from
nl allegiance 20 the British crown, and that
nl political connections between them and
the State Of Great Britain Is, and ought TO be,
totally dissolved and that ns free and indie
pendent States they have full power 10 levy
war, conclude peace, contract alliances, ostab
lish commerce., and do all other acts and
things which Independent States may Of right
do"
The time Of It's passage was Que Of intense
interest, aud the suspense during the taking
Of The vote was awful Tho day Of its 0dop-
ton constituted one Of tho mighty opochs Of
history. An old %bell-ringer took his station ut
the great bell which hung in the cupola A
blue eyed boy was stationed near the door
below TO announce the result Long the old
man stood there, balancing in his own mind
the probabilities whether il would pass or not,
when after a proirnoted period Of almost in
suilernble anxiety, the blue eyed boy clapped
his.hRnds and shouted at the top Of his voice
-Ringi ring I ring The old man. siozed
the huge clapper aud swung it from side to
side with all his might sending forth peal
upon peal from the bell Of liberty, thus au-
nouncing that the iden Of self government
had been authoritatiyely declared, and that
Independence, u heaven bestowedrighL should
hence forward be the portion Of The inhabi.
tants of this land, Aud M the mighty bell
sounded forth lis peal Of independence, the at.
mosphere received IL, the winds bore Il, the
waters murmcrcd II, the seas roared 1.-THE trees
waved il, the thunders muttcred il, the
lightnings flashed IL, the flowers scent.
cd il, the birds chanted il, the babes
lispcd it, the boys whistled Il, the moth
ers wept over IL, the maidens greeted IL,
the young men enrolled for il, the old men
were ready TO die for it, the old women prayed
for II, America had but one voice, uttered
but one word, and that was, independence.
Thus did the true idea ofself government re-
cciye It's authoritative declaration, aud became
the NIL absorbing subject Of interest among the
American people. But the signers of the great
declaration did not speak for themselves only
but for all the people Of the United States.
j 4 NY NtIt hlil Nv NuNlIt W.T. hllINtu inc hDilN
of libortyI (which the people had all learned. and
which they were ready to join them in sing
ing. They were only the principal perform.
ors in the drama of Freedom, for the perform.
nncc of which the people had been trained,
and in which they were ready TO play their
part, They were only the heralds Of the mp
preaching struggle Of independence, in which
the people were ready to engage, with the
motto of the Revolution inscribed upon their
banners ire as Liberty or gire as dedihr'
4, We remark, that during this era, the true
idea fself government was triumphnntly vim
dictated. No sooner was the idea Of selfgov.
eminent born in the Bethlehem of humanity,
than the lIorods Of despotism, drew their
swords against IT, But they were foiled in
their attempts, aud it received from the hands
of God, the baptism Of Immortality. As was
its reception by the tyrnnts of earth, ut its
birth, such has its reception been during its
growth, in all ages and in all lands II had n
few true friends in It's birth place, and il has
found them every where else. These have be-
come its champions. Its enemies have become
their enemies. Their swords have been drawn,
and they have met in deadly combat Earth
has no country whose soil is not stained by
the blood of this contest History tells of no
nge which has not handed down the monu-
ments of this struggle. The world has had
but ono battle, and that was the battle, of
freedom. The nations have had but one mat
ter of dispute, and that was the right of self.
government
II had been maintained in other eras, Il had
been contended for in other countries, and had
received n partial vindication among other
nations, but in most of these instances, il Ia
bored under almost insuperable difficulties,
l.-l -. u. i'll - - - -
! crippled in its growth. II was lel for the pa-
tri0(s Of the revolution TO give IL its triumph
ant yindication in America.
And in the accomplishment Of this, they
found themselves in circumstance both favor
able and unfavorable. Among the former, we
may mention, that they had before them
the history of all nations, the experience of
oil republics and the literature Of freedom.
They had felt the impress Of learning, and the
moulding power of religion. They had re-
ceiyed the hardy training Of the wilderness,
and the military discipline OF the Canadian
md French wars, Before them lay a vast
ocean, ns II barrier between them and their
foe, and behind them, an ~uneXplored CONT
ncnt to which they could retreat, aud among
them, Providence had raised up lenders, ade-
qu0te for the crisis, Among the latter or I'M
favorable circumstances, we may mention the
fact, that the contest was u most unequal one.
Against them was arrayed the most powerful
empire on earth, whose navies were masters
of the ocean, whose armies were inyincible on
land, whose resources were unboundcd, md
upon the cxtont Of whose possessions the sun
never set
They, ON the other hand, were. few in nun
Der and weak in power, almost destitute oi
either an army or u navy, without national re-