Daily Republican., 1881-07-02
Our EndepeMdence.

Our Independence.
Before another issue of the KEpUhLl'
CAN will reach our readers, the 1O5tl
anniversary of our natal day viii. have
passed. This being the case it may moi
be amiss 10 revert to few of the causes
which led 10 our Independence as a ma
ton and consequently to be the leading
nation on the face of the earth.
Historically the second and not the
fourth OF July is Independence day, for
on this day one hundred and five years
ago, up on Chestnut street, in Philade'-
mia. only twenty eight miles from
here, in that little room in lndepen-
dence Hail, sacred to the cause OF liber'
ty. the decisive resolution moved by
Richard Henry Ice on the seventh day
of june, was passed by the Centennial
Congress without a dissenting vote.
John Adams, one of the foremost lead
ers in that measure, expected that day
would be memorialized, for in letter
to his wife, written on the third of July
he saws, "The second day of July
1776, vii, be memorable epoch III the
history OF america. ] am apt to believe
it will be celebrated by succeeding gem
Grafton as The great Anniversary Festi-
val. 1t ought to be commemorated as
theday OF deiyerance by solemn acts of
devotion to Almighty God. 1t ought
to be solemnizel with pomp, shows,
games bells, bonfres and illuminations
from one end Of the continent to the
other, forward, forever" Adams pure,
noble, unAinching patriot, afterwards
President OF the nation for which he did
80 much to make free and independent
was right. As he said it ought to be,
it has been, and we hope ever will be.
Though Lees resolution passed on the
Second, it was the following formal dc |
claration that passed the Fourth, and
which has been celebrated ever since:
"Resolved, That these United Col
onies ought to be, free and Independent
States, that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British Crown, and
that plan of confederation be prepar-
ed and transmitted to the Legislatures
of the Colonies for their consideration
and appreciation, This contains the
spirit of all that is within the
Declaration of Independence.
The period of American History
which lies between the years Of l7Gl
and 1876 is full of instruction. Never
were great public duties attended to
with more commendablr prudence and
moderation. The dccency, trmnesS
and wisdom of the American Congress
was conplimented by Chatham in the
English Parliament, 1t was not at first
intended by any one to set up for indie
pendeneo, but there was an unyielding
purpose manifested never TO submit to
the losx.'f venerable rights and rrivi-
",eges whlth were essential to every free
State. The violent measures used at
Lexington and other places in l775 to
coeice the ColoniStS convinced most
minds that conciiation was impossible |
Still not desiring TO sever every link
whichsoound them by the ties of nature
and consanguinity to the mother cOuh-
try, as late as August I'D OF that yeaf
hope prevailed that the King would
listen to his subjects speaking loyalty.
Their last appeal was answered by a
proclamation of the King TO suppress
the rebellion, in which he a serted the
absolute authority Of Parliament over
th.> Colonies Then there came a re-
spsn>, from thousands of homes
in Amsrica in favcr Of separa-
tion. Engla,>d was unworthy of
the regard OF the Co. onisia fer she would
enslave them. In place 81 peace she
declared war. The colonis's found they ,
had to fight and I've spirit Of Patrick
Henry who said i'll IA speech in the
House of Virginia delegates: "Give
me Liberty or ,lvr mt de. til, " "p"rvaded |
every true Ar criH&n heart in that try
:ng time of on. cOuntry's history. The
light Of liberty kindled at every hearth
stone was not lcry coucnalcd. The
winter of 1776 brought out many argu-
ments to prove the need Of close
Union of the colonies to meet the threat
ened blow.
In April 1875, North Carolina took
the first leading step, instrncting her
delegates to concur with those in other
colonies in declaring independence. In
May, Massachusetts, Virginia and
Rhode Island followed in the same line
New York, Go 'nccticut, New ''amp-
shire, New .Jorney and Penn rylvania
removed restrictions from their dele
gates. Georgia and Delaware left their
delegates free to act in the question Of
Independence.
In the meantime the Continen ,ai Con-
gress had taken up the subject. the ma
jority having reached the conclusion.
that the only consummatlon of the war
must be independence, but it wa prop
erly apprehcndnd that whoever Fl 8,
moved to declare independence woull
be in special danger. In that hour of
hesitation, the intrepid Richard Henry
lee of Virginia, aro to the maj sly OF
the occasion, and on ,he seventh e Inne