New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-04
rEDBPEEDEgOE DAY.

independence DAY, as the great ana good
John Adams was pleased to call the
fourth Of July-the birthday Of American
independence.
The sacred memories that cluster
around the glorious fourth of July, ITS
are sufficient to cause the American peo-
pie to ever cherish and revere the holy
custom Of celebrating its annual return.
The men who passed through the great
struggle for independence, although they
could not see the grand results self-gov-
eminent has conferred upon their coun-
try, never failed to exhibit during
their lifetime, that enthusiastic joy at the
return Of the anniversary of Independ-
ence Day, which manifested the highest
appreciation Of the great benefits that
well-reguIated liberty is capable Of con-
ferring upon man.
We will not attempt a recital Of all the
causes which impelled our revolutionary
sires to strike for freedom. They are well
set forth in the American Declaration of
Independence, and have passed into the
history Of our country. But we will state
just here, by way of showing what great
results have been accomplished in one
hundred years, that in 1772 the English
government, after restricting the trade
with the plantations, as well as with other
parts of the world to English built ships,
belonging to the subjects of England, or
to her plantations, and limiting the i'm
port trade in the same manner, decreed
that certain colonial products, transported
from one colony to another, were sub
iected to duties. White sugars were to
pay five shillings, and brown sugars one
shilling and six pence per one hundred
pounds; tobacco and indigo one penny,
and cotton and wool a half penny per
pound. The colonies very justly con-
sidered such acts highly injurious
to their interests. and just one
hundred years ago were found remon-
strating against that system of taxation
without representation which led, on the
fourth of July, 1776, to the signing Of the
American Declaration of Independence by
the members of the Continental Congress.
1t is true the agitations in the colonies had
in 1765, the year the English
Parliament passed the infamous stamp
act, but matters had not grown serious
until English soldiers had been ordered to
Boston to enforce the odious and unjust
laws of England upon a people that had
no voice in making them. But the land
ing of the ''red coats" as the British
soldiers were. called, did not make a brave
people waver. They had already well con-
sidered the consequences of resistance to
foreign oppression, and determined not to
be made slaves.
The first blow for American freedom
was struck at Lexington, in IT'S, where a
few patriots had hastily collected in de-
Tense Of freedom They were fred upon
by the British soldiery, and the act at
once fired the feelings Of all true Amer
leans, and led to the long and bloody war
which terminated at Yorktown and re-
suited in the establishment Of the Amer
lean people as nation, with a republican
form Of government-the best that has
yet been devised by man. Under this sys-
tenn of government our country has become
great and prosperous
It is true our country has not attained
It's present greatness without undergoing
The severest trials, and the most terrible,
perhaps, was the trial Of civil war, in
which one section of the country, under
he banner of slavery, arrayed itself
against the governments and the defenders
If freedom in other sections. But the
.epublio has survived even this test, and
reedom, under republican form Of gov
eminent, is no longer menaced by recog-
lized slavery. All are now free who
moose to be governed by the laws and
Institutions of the United States.
Let us hope that the bitter feelings en-
,endered by cruel civil war are disap-
bearing from the land, and that the spirit
# '76 is being revived among our people.
In old fashioned fourth Of July celebra-
ion all over this broad country will be
proof that the spirit of '76 is
gain moving American freemen in the
light direction, rendering them ready to
esist at all points the enemies of a free
md progressive government, maintained
Nbrave, intelligent and virtuous people.