Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-07-03

Our N atnl Day.
The evolution Of years hiss brought tt
us the one hundred and ninth anniver'
sAry OF the independence Of our coun'
try, An occasion which fills every pa.
triotic heart full Of patriotic pride and
emotion. We are yet young nation.
and our Rspu blican form OF govern
mept is still on trial. Thus far it has
been q great success In the uniued
States. No other nation on the face OF
the globe has prospered as the United
States has since IL became q nation. A
Republican form of government, there
10 something in the very name that
brings ont the patriotic ardor Of q man 3
soul and makes him feel rs II he was
freeman. 1t breAthes Of liberty 10 the
fullest extent. After one hundred and
nine years experience of populargovt m
mont, where each and every man has .
bay i: tho constitution that governs,
and In the making Of the laws that pro-
tect him, the United States stands .
marvel of wise government, tower Of
strength that cannot be shaken by the
rude, rough winds Of anarchy and revo-
luton.
This u . good time 10 let the mind
run back to stirring scenes that led to
the revolution, the more stirring and
trying scenes Of that revolution that
resulted in the actuA birth OF this great
and freq nation On the Fourth Of July,
1776. In doing 50 We are reminded Of
the deeds Of our heroic forefathers who
threw the imported tea overheard In
Boston harbor, who trampled the stamp
act under foot, who met and repulsed
the British ON the plains OF Lexington,
who dubbed their muskets and retired
sullenly from Bunker Hill, leaving the
enemy in possession Of victory worse
than defeat, who suffered in defeat and
gloried in victory in . hundred hard
fought battles. The mind Is more es-
pecially carried back to the old State
House still standing in Philadelphia,
where the patriotic Congress met, and
on the fourth Of July, l776, passed the
declaration Of Independence, that de-
clared these several disunited colonies
to be collectively one nation and one
government We think Of the bold
signature Of John Hancock, the Presi-
dent Of that body Of patriots, as he
seizes the pen and Is the first to sign
the great Republican charter Of indie
pendence. Look at the symmetry o.
the letters, the boldness Of the dowr
stroke Of the pen, the hghtness of thu
hair stroke upward and the gener q
handsome contour Of the name. "Ther,
it is" said Hancock, looking pleaset
with his effort, big enough for KIM
George to read without spectacles. ;
See the name Of Stephen Hopkins. HI
has had stroke Of the palsy, and 1t il
With difficulty he can write. He seize
the pen and with . trembling, not from
fear but from disesse, he places hi
name to the immortal document.
So with Witherspoon, disease racke(
his frame but failed TO quench the fir
Of liberty. But there Is gentleman
coming up to sign. He belongs to
noble family and under the crown b
would wear q title Of distinction an
roll in opulenos and wealth.
He Is Charles Carroll of Maryland
He is Catholic, but the same desir
for liberty burns in his bosom 9
animates. the souls of the Quakers, Il
Presbyterians, the Episcopalians an
the Baptists OF that day. The Meth
dist church was not then organized
America Charles Carroll places h
name boldly to the document and II
the cause Of liberty signs away all h
claim to title, wealth and nobility.
little episode occurred that resulted
An addition to his name.
There were more than one of h
name in Maryland, and it was rt
marked that when King George woul
send his minions to arrest him the
would not know which one to arres
4" III remedy that difficulty" said q
patriot as he again seized the pen al
affixed to his name the place of b
re,idence &c, making it read, " CHAR
Carroll, of Carrollton." They we
patriots every one the flfty-two signe
to that declaration OF independent
As memory carries us back to-day,
think of the sufferings Of our fathers
Valley Forge, their defeat at Germa
town and Brandywine their victori
At Saratoga, Trenton, Princeton, Kin
Mountain, Fort Moultrie and t
grand capitalization at Yorktown, IL
left the United States o nation. /
every American bosom swell wi
gratitude tomorrow as they are
minded of the glorious deeds of thu
fathers, of the liberties they enjoy, a
the protection Of the strongest natl
On the face Of the globe.
The one hundred and ninth an
versary of the declaration Of indeper
ence finds a united and happy matte
the emblem OF liberty aud the hope
nations escaping from tyranny in
future.
WE ARE gradually being brouI
fare IN facA with DAmocratic reform