Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-03
The Fourth of July.

July, day that should be kept sacred
ly in the memory of every American
patriot. We present to the readers of
the HERALD the following appropriate
extract from an articles written by j.
B. Wakely, D. D., and published in
the July number of Woods House
hold Magazine:
''The 4th of July, I776, is forever
immortal. 1t was the birthday of free,
dom. Our fathers that day asserted
our political supremacy. The declar-
ton not only dissolved our connec-
ton with England, but it was the
birthday of our nation. 1t was the
day of our nations manhood. 1t is
the greatest day in American history,
an epoch in the history of the world
1t is day that will forever be illus
trious in our annals. Daniel Webster
represents John Adams as thus con
cluding his address in Congress on
that eventful day: Sir, the declara
ton will inspire the people with in
ton at the head of the army; every
| ShOlu VIII D0 ul0 Ii 1IO III It's OCdObdlus
and the solemn vow uttered, to main
tain it or perish on the bed of honor.
Publish it from the pulpit; religion
will approve it, and the love of reIig
iOus liberty will cling around it, re
solved to stand with it or fall by it. Send
it to the public halls; proclaim it
thereS let them hear it, who heard the
first roar of. the enemy's cannon; let
them see it, who saw their brothers
and their sons fall on the field Of Bun
ker Hill, in the streets of Lexington
and Concord, and the very walls will
cry in its support.
We shall make this a glorious, an i'm
mortal day. When we are in our
graves, our children will honor it
They will celebrate it with thanks
givings, with feastings, with bonfires
and illuminatiOns. On its annual
return, they will shed tears, copious,
gushing tears-not of subiection and
slavery, not of agony and distress,
but Of exultation, of gratitude, and of
joy Sir, before God, 1 believe the
hour is come. My judgment approves
the measure, and my whole heart is in
it. All that have, and all that l am,
and all that hope in this life, am here
ready to stake upon it, and leave off
as l begun, that l live or die, survive
or perish, am for the declaration
1t is my living sentiment, and by the
blessing of God it shall be my dying
sentiment = independence noW, and
Independence Forever"
How singular that Adams and JEFF
ferson should both have had their
wish, and died on the anniversary OF
day they helped make immortal
They both died the same day, July 4th.
1926. Mr.. Adams last words were
, 'Independence FOTeUeT."
; In looking at the signatures, not one
l, is written with a trembling hand ex-
,, cept Stephen Hopkins. 1t was not
fear that made him trem bic, for he was
! as true patriot as any Of them, but
he was afflicted with the palsy.
But one of the residences of the
signers is attached to his name, anC
- that is Charles Carol. 1t is said tha
e one was looking over his shoulder
). when he wrote his name, and said t.
q him, ''There are several of your name
and if we are successful, they will no
h know whom to arrest" He immedi
+ ately wrote "of CorroIton." AS mucl
# as to say, if there is reproach connect
, ed with this, wish to bear my share
4 if any danger, l am ready to face it
there was genuine patriotism.
Il 1t was rather amusing, after the.
n had signed their names, to hear Ben
" jamin Franklin say to Samuel Adams
p 'Now I think we will all hang tOgeth
er." "Yes," said Mr.. Adams, ''Or 40
shall hang separately" Many hav
Ie supposed that all the names wer
signed on the 4th of July, 1875. No
so. 1t was signed on that day onl
IA by the President, Jehn Hancock, an,
10 with the signature it was sent forth t,
is the world On the second day Q
Il August it was signed by all but one c
!. the fffty-six signers whose names ar
:. appended to it. The other attaches
# his name in November. The pen use
by the signers is preserved in th
ot Massachusetts Historical Society, {
ii Boston. What tales that pen coul
y tell if it could speak what histor
n there is connected with it
,r The signers of the declaration ar
ot dead. The hands that held the per
NJ and the fingers that moved it whe
7 they wrote their names on that orig
-, inal document now lie cold acros
III their bosoms. s. They all lived to goo
4 old age. The average of fifty three 8
" the time of their decease was owe
sixty eight years. The last survive
was Charles Carroll, of Carrolto
being over ninety when he died. Fou
,o teen signsrs lived to be eighty yea
- old, and four past ninety. They a
- sleep in honored graves. May laure
n r. of unfading beauty ever bloom ovC
II, their sepulchres, and monument
as more durable than brass or marble, I
"a erected in memory of their virtues.
!: Immortal heirs of universal praisel
III Whose honors will increase as honOrS grow
NJ, As streams roll down, enlarging they flow;
is And words appIaud that mist not vet he fSUpt
of There are practical lessons we NJ.
Or learn. The first is to cherish the mel
lat ory of our fathers, while we in
~ mate their noble example. How v
en- Americans need to be baptized wi
Ter their spirit, and to catch their fall
Ia mantles.
re Again we should with proper spir
1t all over this ocean bound repuhl
celebrate the day,
Again our fathers left US rich le
acy, which is the price of toll, al
o't blood. We should preserve, and tran
NIT unimpaired to other generatio
a this glorious Inheritance. If we
49,; not, we are unworthy of our fathC
"a and degenerate sons of noble sires.
oa We conclude in the language