The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-02-10
MISCELLANY.
JANUARY, f775-Is75.

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The time draws near when the completion
of the first century of the Republic will be
COMMUNICATED. That the celebration win BIO
worthy of its object and significant of its pur-
port, we cannot doubt, the more especially as
the thoughts of those who recognized the pro-
priety of the celebration are now of necessity
continually turned by the occurrence of GEN.
tennal anniversaries of events to the review
of those events and the circumstances which
preceded the adoption and issue of the great
Declaration of 1776. Other national mani
festoes have preceded this but they were pro-
claimed by men who had already the prestige
of power. The Declaration was the claim of
nation to be heard, through representatives
who derived their power from the people, and
1t was at the same time an assertion Of right
and authority on the basis of the popular will
and intelligence. At the opening Of the year
1775 the differences between imperial au-
thority and popular rights reached crisis,
which, in the light Of subsequent events, we
can now preceive could lead to no other con-
sequences than those that followed But the
colonial actors in those events had at first no
thought or purpose to establish new govern
ment. They pleaded for their rights as
British subjects, and claimed for their portion
of the Empire the same franchises and rights
which other enjoyed
The Continental Congress of 1774 adopted
petition to the King, which was transmitted
to Benjamin Franklin, then in London, and
duly presented at the proper once. In
January, IT'S, with other papers, this petit
ton was laid before Parliament but without
any reference to it in the royal speech. On
the Goth, of the month, Lord Chatham, in the
House of Lords moved an address to the
throne, praying for the immediate recall of
the British troops from Boston. Franklin
had met Lord Chatham in the lobby by APP
pointment, and entered the House with him,
arm in arm. Being a commoner, the dis
| tinguished American, to whom Chatham had
said. . Your presence az this days debate,
will be of more service to America than
mne,'' took his seat below the bar of the
House. AS, in the eyes of all, friendly and
unfrendly, Franklin represented America,
and his presence duri 1g the warm debate
which followed divided attention with the
speakers Lord Chatham's motion was re-
jected by vote of seventy to eighteen a
majority so decisive, that the future course of
the Government of Great Britain admitted
OF no doubt.
On the Goth of January in the House of
Commons, the papers relating to America
were referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Franklin, William Boand Of Massachusetts,
and Arthur Lee, Of Virginia, as Colonial
Agents, asked to be heard upon the petition
at the bar of the Commons. Their request
was refused, on the ground that the Continen-
tai Congress was an illegal assembly, and
that the allegations of grievances were un-
founded.
SO opened the year of 1775, in Great
Britain Franklin had been resident in that
coGntry as the agent of Pennsylvania for many
years. and had during the last years been en-
trusted by Massachusetts also. He had been
interchangeable in reaching the public ear
through various modes Of publication, and
had improved his opportunities for personal
intercourse to excellent purposes. What
feeling there was in favor of the Colonies was
largely due to his efforts. By his skill as a
diplomatist he had secured not only the conf
dence of friends, but, what is an equal testi-
mony to his ability, the unmeasured denun-
citation of the enemies of his country.
Practically, he was a negotator in Europe in
behalf of al:the aggrieyed Colonies, and an
adviser of his countrymen by his dispatches
and correspondence.
! In those days month or SIX weeks was a
short time in which to transmit intelligence
between America and Europe, and from two
to four weeks was the time required to for
ward news between distant points in the
American Colonies Two weeks was the very
shortest tiIne in which Boston could hear from
South Carolina. But, SO far as interchange
of sentiments could promote resistance and
spontaneous patriotism could originate move
ments of precaution against obnoxious
measures of the British Government, the
colonies moved in concert. In many cascs,
however, The natural feeling of conservatism
made those hesitate who, after the decisive
step was taken, were among the firmest Of
patriots 1t is difficult, in 1875, to estimate
the lowering gloom in which the year IT'S
opened upon the people of the then British
Provinces. The Congress which met in 1774
was an advisory body only, without any other
authority than the willing endorsement Of the
people. Whether another session should be
convened was yet among things undeter-
mined, and with not few Americans it was