National Republican., 1876-07-04

His, Now we are free people, and have
"tname among the States of the world"
From the State Assemblies and from every
Legislature and convention in every State, as
fast as they could come, responses were re-
ceiyed, all animated by the same ferVid and
patriotic spirit-all containing assurances of
their determination at every hazard with their
liyes, their fortunes and their sacred honor, to
sustain the Declaration. The South Carolina
Assembly said: "We receive the news with
''the most unspeakable satisfaction, and we
"are determined at every hazard to endeavor
''to maintain it, so that after we have de-
"parted, our children and their latest posterity
smay have cause to bless our memory, The
Maryland Assembly "would maintain the free
''dom and independence of the United States
with their lives and fortunes" North Caro-
| lima would stand by "under the sanction of
| s'yirtue, honor and the sacred love of liberty
''and their country" The Pennsylvania Con-
vention would maintain it sin behalf Of them
ssselyes, their constituents, and before God and
| ssthe world" And thus the United Colonies,
| one and all, took their statioE-a leagued,
confederate, blended, single Nation--The Uni
| ted States.
Fifty-six years later, In President Jsckson's
| proclamation against notification H. South
Carolina, he recalled the feeling and the fact
| in those unmistakable words: "That decisive
'and important step, Independently was taken
| "jointly. We declared ourselves nation by
"a joint, not by several acts"
By The People. e.-Acclanations OF joy and
Thanksgiving went up from every part of the
| country where the news of the Declaration
trar ra1a6 ~ nphnnl
| from every deliberative assembly, every con-
yention and every public gathering; from every
workshop of labor, and every field of toll;
across every valley, and from every mountain
side; from every college and district school,
house, and from every altar ofprayer. Statues
of bronze, and lead, and marble, and granite,
which had been inaugurated to kings, were
torn from their pedestals and shiyered to
atoms, or melted down into bullets or cannon;
and the name OF George III. was suppressed in
prayers. Ensigns of royalty, crowns, lions
and sceptres, were swept away like chaff
and in their places perched the bald-headed
American Eagle, winged in constellation of
thirteen stars, with the stripes OF white and
red. which, being adopted now as the national
standard, waved over the IhirteeI, Independent
Colonies.
Wrote Samuel Adams: "Was there ever
" revolution brought about, especially one so
important as this, without great internal
H discords and violent convulsions The peo-
"ple, am told, recognize the Revolution as
I" though it were a decree from heaven"
/" This" wrote John Adams on the day before
the adoption of the Declaration, "will be
memorable epoch in the history of America.
" am apt to believe that it will be celebrated
"by succeeding generations as the great ami
| yersary festival. 1t ought to be commemo-
rated as the day of deliverance, by solemn
" acts of devotion to Almighty God" On the
| 9th of July Colonel Haslett, commanding the
| Continental troops in Delaware, wrote to
| Caesar Rodney: II congratulate you on the
important day which restores to every Ameri-
" can his birthright; day which every free
"man will record with gratitude, and the mil
'slions of posterity will read with rapture"
| As o sample of the united voice of free
press, the Continental JourHal,of Boston, July
| IS, said: 'sThe Atm instant was rendered re-
| "markable by the most important event that
seyer happened to the American Colonies-an
''event which will doubtless be celebrated
"through long succession of future ages by
Anniversary commemorations." James
Madison termed the Declaration ''the funda-
.tmental act of union-the embodiment of the
| 'public will as a source of authority, when
sever it is the will of the people composing
sone nation" Thus had the already -matured
sentiment of nationality given its expression
in a concentrated and enduring form. The
founders of the Republic named I. the Birth
of the Nation.
Hoe the Declaration rus Receired By MGd-
Rind.-Sismondi, in his "History of the
French, :" said: "The Declaration had an i'm
smense effect. The cause was so
'tnoble and the effort was so grand that there
"was not a doubt, not a hesitation, in the
''sentiment Of the entire world, and the gov
''ernments and rulers of States would seek
'giory by thinking like the people" Buckle,
the most advanced of all the historians of
civilization, records his sympathies with "the
''great people who gloriously obtained their
Independence. Their Declaration ought to
''be hung up in the nursery of every king
''and blazoned on the porch of every royal
"palace."
On the eye of every outwatcher for the dawn
ing of better day for the human race, stand
ing on the grave of the buried liberties of
Europe, the light of the rising Republic of the
West shone like new star that had just taken
its place in an old constellation. Statesmen
contemplated the spectacle with amazcment,
and wondered-the wisest of them-uot what
they should do with the earthquake, but what
the earthquake would do with them; while in
the ears of the multitude, wearied with their
burdens, and worn in their hopes, the news
sounded like a fresh Eyaugel. "This is the
work of the great franklin" exclaimed Volta,
his correspondent. Snow may the multitude
hope, if crowns begin to fall from the heads
of tyrants," exclaimed that hearty hater Of
despotism, Yittorio Alfieri; while the young
Lafayette, with a sword by his side ready to
be drawn in the cause of liberty before he had
vet reached mans estate, in transport of
enthusiasm exclaimed: 81 will yet live to
fight by the side of George Washington"
America was to become the teacher OF man.
kind in new system of political rights, and
in the Declaration of Independence she has
given her first lession. "America," says
Rotteck, the German historian, Sin the Decla-
ration of Independence planted herself be-
"tween magnifcence and ruin" Walter
Savage Landor, with a heart throbbing with
love to all mankind, paid this last willing
tribute: "America was never so great as on
the DAY she declared her independence" Our
schoolboys all remember the words Of Philips,
the fiery Irich orator. lie gave none too
warm all expression to the gratitude and love
of the green island for the land which was to
prove ''the home of her emigrant, the asylum
of her oppressed"
Without carefully tracing the records of
European thought at that period, as scattered
through her political literature, little idea can
be gained of the effect which the news OF the
declaration produced upon foreign nations.
1t is even yet premature to form any adequate
conception of its ultimate influence on the for
tunes of the race. 1t began at once to reyo-
lutionize the world. But few years passed
before France was on fire, and all Europe in
conyulsions. Nor from that day to this has
the wearied arm Of injured man been lifted to
level on the breast of his spoiler one more
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