Nebraska advertiser., 1863-08-15
The assertion Of the British ParIia-

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ment Of an unqualified RICH. of binding
he colonies in all cases whatsoever, and
and the rignt Of taxing them with.
ont their consent, and the denial
of the colonies Of the right of taxa
ton without representation, and the at
tempt of the King TO enforce it by the
power of the sword were the immediate
causes of the American Revolution. But
the principles of free government and
~unbending integrity, conscientious recti-
tude which supported our Revolutionary
Fathers in every hour of danger and
trial were implanted IN the hearts of the
people at Plymouth Rock, and in every
COLONEL settlement long prior to the
commencement of actual hostilities. And
soon after the first unfriendly legislation
on the part of the mother country by lay
ing stamp duty, a congress Of delegates
from nine colonies was. assembled at New
York in October. 1865, upon the recon-
mendation of Massachusetts, and they
digested a bill of rights in which the sole
power of taxation was declared to reside
in their own colonial legislatures.
This was but preparatory to the more
extended and general association of the
colonies which took place in September
1774. and laid the foundation of our in
dependence ant permanent Union and
future glory. THIS Continental Congress,
whose names and proceedings will live
in the gratitude Of distant posterity, as
serted by a number of declaratory reso-
~lutions what they deemed to be the rights
of English Freemena and pointed out to
the people the system of violence which
was preparing against those rights, and
bound the colonies by the ties Of honor
and country, to renounce commerce with
Great Britain. Their resolutions re-
ceived prompt and ready obedience.
The Union of the colonies being thus
auspiciously formed, continued by a sue
cession of delegates in Congress, and
through every period of the war and
through every revolution Of our govern
ment. This union has been revered and
cherished as the guardian of our peace
the source of all our national blessings
and the only solid foundation Of national
independence.
In May l775, Congress again assem-
bled at Philadelphia, and was clothed
with ample discretionary power and in
general terms they were to take care of
the Liberties of the People-soon after
this meeting Georgia acceded to and
completed the C~onfederacy of thirteen
colonies Hostilities had already COM
menced in Massachusetts. The first gun
had been fired, the first blood had been
shed, the first roa of musketry had been
heard in the streets of Concord, which
was destined to establish the rights of
man and free government.
The Continental Congress, charged
with the protection of the rights of the
people and intrusted with the power and
sustained with the zeal and confidence of
the colonies prepared for resistance, and
the 4th day of July 1776, Published to
the world the declaration of Indepen-
dence.
The men Of that celebrated Congress
must ever live in the heart of every true
American, v~enerated, admired and es-
teemed for talent, intregity, patriotism
and self sacrificing, devotion to country.
These men understood the importance
and value of the Union then. Let as net
it now. Hancock On the 9th of
March 1774, speaking to a crowded
Audience in Boston said. ''permit me to
suggest a general (assembly) Congress
of Deputies from the several Houses of
Assembly on the continent as the Enost
effectual method of establishing a union
for the security Of our rights and liber-
ties. -. re3E
Our fathers by their blood and by
their treasure, by perils and hardships
established and made good the declara-
ton of independence and the Union they
had so carefully formed and sacredly
guarded, after a seven years bloody and
war. To transmit to Us the
blessings of free government, they went
to battle against the veteran troops
of tyrant power, and in many a hard
fought field, where the grim messenger
walked abroad with eyes deep set, i'm
movable and fixed, sending forth the
horrid howl of slaughter, the bubbling
groan of death, and the low toned ftful
of pain. The tree of liberty whose
to-day we enjoy was watered with
their blood.
And in 1879, in order TO make the
Union of the States perpetual and to Sc
the blessings of hat union to their