The Portland daily press., 1863-07-11

united purpose, were, at last, sounded abroad
by salyos of artillery-heralded by the crash
and clang of war 1t would indeed seem--as
to make their way-that the very foundations
OF pre-existing governmental institutions had
to be torn up, aud that only from the ashes of
mistaken past, the phoenix of better desti-
ny could arise.
After the weary throes of more than sixty
centuries, after Jewish and Grecian, Persian
and Roman; after theocratc and aristocratic,
monarchcal and despotic, governmental sys-
tens had been tested, it seemed reserved for
this people, amalgamated from all nations un-
der the heavens, to attempt new experiment
upon broader stage-and with better acces-
cries.
The American Colonies by their magnificent
declaration of rights -our magma chdrtd-
turned from the past, wrested authority from
the hand OF violence, instituted new political
courses, and sought to conserve individual and
social liberty, by promoting private and public
welfare.
The temper OF the American people, who
had sought by every argument and remon-
strances to preserve their colonial rights, was
at length so exasperated by the short-sighted
policy of the English government, that at the
commencement of the year 1776, the leading
men of the times, no longer demanded consti-
tutional liberty under British rule, but entire
independence. Independence" says Thomas
Paine, writing in January l7T6,* "is the only
bond that can tie and keep us together 1t
had become the universal sentiment that rec
onciliation cond not be made. The aggres-
sons of the so called mother country had be-
come tyrannical. Its demands preposterous,
subversiye of personal selfrespect, as well as
OF common social justice and decency. In the
language of Henry, "an appeal to arms and to
the God of Hosts is all that is left u.s." And at
last the colonies, ,scourged to righteous indgna-
ton by added wrongs, made that appeal-re-
solved as one man to accept the stern arbitra-
tion of war.
Qua fathers well understood the part which
Providence had assigned to them. They per-
ceived that they were called to discharge a
high and perilous office to the cuase of civil
liberty; that their hands were selected to
strike the blow, for which near two centuries
OF preparation-never remtted though often
unconscious-had been making on one side
of the Atlantic."t
By general consent the delegates OF the va
rious States, with the exception of New York,
met on July lst, 1TI6, to consider the motion
made on the 7th of June, by Richard Henry
Lee, for declaring the colonies free and inde-
pendent.
The resolution was defended by John Ad-
ANS. He was followed by Dickenson OF Penn
sylyanla, who professed himself pot ready to
proceed to such an extreme measure, not from
any lack OF patriotism but from prudential
considerations.
A vote being taken the resolution was sus-
tanned by two thirds OF the whole number.
Nevertheless, farther action upon it was de-
layed until the next day, when by unanimous
vote of the twelve colonies represented. New
York being still unable to vote, it was re-
solved That these united colonies are, and of
right ought to be, free and independent States"
OF the action OF that day John Adams af-
forwards wrote: The greatest question was
decided which was ever debated in America,
and greater, perhaps, never was nor will be
decided among men,
One thing remained to make the resolution
of the I'd OF July eiiectual; that was, TO an-
nounce the principles on which ii rested and
by which it should be tried. Such declaration
of principles had been already drawn up by
Thomas Jefferson. had been submitted to and
received the approval Of John Adams and
Benjamin Franklin, had been reported TO Con-
gress the 2sth Of june previous, and this dec
laraiion, afler discussion and elnendation, was
adopted July iih, lTT6. "rhe naiion., says
the historian Bancroft. "when il made the
choice Of day for It's great anniversary. Sc
lected not the day OF tie resolution OF indie
pendence, when IL closed the past, but the
declaration Of the prini on which II op-
ened its new career"
II Is that day We esteem as the birthday Of
our glorious commonwealth. We date from
Il our national existence. Honorable day IN
deed, Ia our annals. Noticeable, As we look
back 10, il for the determined front devoted
men then made a-zinst injustice, treachery
and wrong. and BY each recurring anniversa-
~. proclamins the worthy success which has
marked their efforts: a success which has
made us a nation. power of inspiration and
help 10 all the peoples OF the earth.
Such i bret summary of the historical
events connected with our national anniversa-
~. But while We poini.back 10 eighty-fo eel
brations OF that day with delight, while we
honor those who, ffon sturdy sense OF right,
declared before the world that they were free
men and made their boast good, while We pur-
sue the course OF the long seven years before
peace smiled on liberty victorious, and dwell
with iond enthusiasm on batlle-fields from
Lexington 10 Yorktown, while we thus har-
vest a wealth OF encouragement 70 brace our
souls to more and greater resolution, with
what temper shall We look upon the present?
Can any eleinent OF help and hope be discoy-
cred within the near or rumored dangers OF
war? We fnd ourselves under heavy cloud.
Is the day OF doom approaching, and are these
the twilight shadows ever deepening into the
midnight? Or is this the hour harbinger OF
the blessed daylight which shall break In glo-
ry on us? For the third time-Heaven grant
II may prove the lastl--the children OF our
country upon that country's natal anniyersa-
ry, stood against each other in battle array.
Certain States banded together in an incen-
diary, plratical, rebellious confederacy, led
by South Carolina--thc only State, be 1t re-
membered, which voted unanimously against
the resolution of independence in July lst
f7I6, and only for the sake of unanimty voted
in the affirmative the day following - revolt
against the United States without shadow
OF an apology, to their own injury, and to the
base denial OF the oaths binding them to the
existing national government.
The terrors of civil war are realized The
battle-flelds of the Revolution have been bap-
tized afresh, and other fields bear the crimson
consecration of heroic blood. Nevertheless
we despond not The eighty-seventh annyer-
sary of our national birthday is an occasion
of solemn Joy. We are able to recount in the
present such indications of character and
promise as TO give the most eloquent eneour-
agement One of the most notable facts en-
phasiZed--a fact to the sober conclusion of
which we have worked hard and long-is the
possession throughout the nation of vast, un-
limited reserved power, accumulated despite
the lavish expenditure of material forces and
of life, demanded and made. This is declared
unmistakably ia the presence of an unshaken
conviction of the uprightness and an unfal-
tering trust in the final success of our cause.
The time has been when the souls of our
people have been swayed as by an enchanter's
wand, hither and thither by adverse or favor
ing reports.
The slightest frost of defeat has made the
zeal in the thermometer of patriotism sink be-
low zero, and the electric flash of apparent or