The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-04
he rupg, proolaimiug "Libert.- to the
land, and to the Inhabitants thereof!'
Tho docnmont ikaa1f ia a auh uhlime won.

Oer. IL IL not CLASS Oh &utt6tlDS
genealogies." buis contains great and
eternal principles, drawn from the ,gos.
pei of freedom. The Bible is declara
ton of independence; it is q divine de-
c!aration of Independence; it is divine
Our fathers said: "We hold these truths
to be self.evident; that all men are
oreated equal; that they are endowed by
the Creator with certain unalenable
rights; that among them are life, liberty
aud the pursuit OF happiness ali this
is found in Paul's memorable sermon on
Mars Hill, where ne declared that "God
had made OF one blood all the nations Of
men," The conclusion is very fine. and
is the admiration Of the world: Sand in
support of this declaration. with the
firm reliance on Divine Providence, we
mutually pledge to each other our liyes,
our fortunes and our sacred honor.
Every man who signed it counted the
cost and weighed the issues. Each knew
that if they failed of securing their in.
dependence, they would be executed for
high treason. Was. there ever suoh n
pledge-irst, their lives; second, their
fortunes; third. their sacred honor? Not
common honor, not ordinary honor, but
tho most exalted. the purest honor. This
was the browning pledge-as if it were
far in advance Of either "lifs" Or "ior-
tune" This is the grand, sublime oil
max. It was indeed the worlds wonder
and the worlds model. There we're
fifty -six signers.
The 6rstthat we ore introduced to is
John Hancock, the President of the
Congress. the merchant prince OF Bos-
ton-as pure patriot as ever lived; one
who said, "Burn Boston, and make John
Hancock beggar, if it is necessary to
save the nation" He did not write his
name in fine, lady's hand, but in full,
round, bold letters, and throwing down
his pen, he said, Il think King Geosge
can read that without his spectaoles. "
John Adams put his name to it-he
whom Mr. Jefferson termed the "Co-
lossus Of the revolution" And Samuel
Adams, the stern old Puritan, "On his
brow engraven thought and public care, "
when the latter wished to bribe him,
.'that Samuel Adams had made his peace
with the King OF kings" There was
noble Scotchman, and descendant OF
John Knox. When some one wished to
stave of the signing by saying, ave arc
not ripe for the declaration" he replied,
"Mr. President. we are not only ripe,
but rotting." There was Robert Morris,
the great finanoier of the American Re-
volution, and Benjamin Franklin. who
not only tanned the lightning, bat tanned
the British lion. When he was Minister
to France, three ambassadors agreed to
toast their country. The Euglishman
began ''England," and compared her to
the sun. The Frenchman followed with
"France," and compared her to tue
moon. franklin came next. What
could the plain old Minister do-for the
sun and moon were exhausted, and it
wonld not do to como down to stars, OF
he and his country would be thrown into
the shade. He arose, and, not the least
embarrassed, gave the following as his
toast: "George Washington, the Joshua
Of America. who commanded the sun
aud moon to stand still, aud they
obeyed."
Virginia was we'll represented. There
was Richard Henry Lee, who was so sill.
yer tongued he was called "rhe Ameri-
can Cicero;" and Thomas Jefferson, the
author OF the declaration, and that is i'm.
mortality enough for any man. Thomas
Jefferson 80 highly esteemed the honor,
be wished it engraved on his to omb-stone:
"The author Of the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence." His request was granted.
Let US notice The birth-places of the
fifty six signers. One was born in New
Hampshire, eight in Massachusetts, two
in Rhode Island, four in Connecticut,
three in New York, four in New jersey,
four in Pennsylvania, eight in Delaware,
FIVE in Maryland, nine in Virginia. and
four in South Carolina. The remaining
eight were foreigners; three of them were
born in Ireland, two in England, two in
Scotland, and ono in Wales. They diff.
fered widely in regard to their ages.
Edward Rutledgc, of South Carolina,
Was the youngest, being only twenty.six
the Oldest was Benjamin Franklin, agel
seventy.
The signcrs not only made themselves
immortal. but the ouy. Their name,
are not only written upon the declara-
ton, but high upon the pillars of fame;
they will be transmitted onward till the
last page OF the worlds history is writ
ten, and the volume closes forever. T.
lustrious, immortal men, your country
loves and ycnrrates you, while the world
honOrs you.