The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-07-04
THE SIGNALS GRAFTON.

One hundred and nineteen years
ago today the great Declaration set
ting forth the rights of man and
declaring the independence of the
American colonies was signed, and
ever since the patriotic element of
the American people have kept the
day sacred to the memory of revolu-
tionary times and of the inspired
patriots who, in the face of such
overwhelming difficulties finally at
tanned the victory and established the
principles they so eloquently adj
vanced, and in the following speech,
which was hitherto unknown, induced
the signing of the Declaration of In
dependence. Itappeared in Boston
journal Of 1776, that has recently
come to light:
1t is the old hall of Philadelphia on
July 4, 1910. There is silence In the
hall; every face is stamped with a deep
and awful responsibility
Why turns every glance to that door
Why is it so terribly still?
The committee of three who have been
out all night preparing II parchment, are
about to appear. That parchment. with
the signatures Of these men written with
a pen on yonder table. may either make
the world free or stretch these necks upon
the gbbet in yonder Potters field, or nail
these heads to the door-posts of these
halls That was the time of solemn faces
and deep silence.
At last, harkl The door opens; the
committee appears. Who are these men
who come walking up to John Hancock IS
chair?
The tall man, with sharp features, the
bold brow and sandy-hued hair holding
the parchment in his hands, is the Vir-
ginia farmer, Thomas jefferson. That
stout-built man, with a resolute look and
sparkling eye--that is a Boston man. one
John Adams. And the calm-faced man.
with hair dropping in thick curls to his
shoulders, that dressed in plain coat and
such odious homemade blue stockings -
that is the Philadelphia printer one Ben
jamin Franklin.
The three advance to the table The
parchment is laid there. Shall it be
aligned or not?
Then ensues high debate; then all the
faint-hearted cringe in corners. while
Thomas Jefferson speaks out a few bold
words, and John Adams pours out his
whole soul
| The soft-tone voice of Charles Carroll
is heard undulating in sylables of deep
music,
But still there is doubt, and that pale
faced man, shrinking in one corner, speaks
out something about axes, scaffolds, and
a-gibbet
"Gibbet!" echoed a fierce, bold tone that
startled men from their seats-and look
yonder! A tall, slender form arises
dressed, although it is summer time, in a
faded red cloak Look how his white
hand trembles as il is stretched slowly
out; that dark eye burns. while his words
ring through the hall.
They may stretch our necks on all
the gibbets in the land; they may turn
every rock into Il scaffold. every tree into
a gallows, every home into a grave, and
yet the words of that parchment can
never die
They may pour our blood on thou
sand scaffolds. and yet from every drop
that dyes the ak, or drops on the sawdust
OF the block, new martyr Of freedom
will spring into BIRTH
The British king may blot out the
stars of God from His sky, but he cannot
blot out His words on the parchment
there. The work of God may perish; His
word. neverl
These words will go forth to the world
when our homes are in dust, To the
slave in bondage they will speak hope; to
the mechanic in his workshop. freedom;
to the coward kings these words will
speak, but not in tones of fiattery They
will speak like the flaming syllables on
Belshazzar's wall. The days OF their
pride and glory are numbered The days
OF judgment draw near
Yes. that parchment will appeal 10
kings in language sad and terrible as the
trumpet Of the archsngel You have
trampled on the rights of mankind long
enough. At last the voice of human woe
has pierced the ear OF God, and calls His
judgment down. You have waded on TO
thrones through sess-of blood; you have
trampcd on to power over the necks of
millions; you have turned the poor mans
sweat and blood into robes for your deli
cate forms. into crowns for your anointed
brows. Now. KIM 3! Now. purpled
hangmen Of the wot d For you comes
the day OF axes and -ibbets, aud seat
foids; for you the wrath d man; for you
the lighfnings OF God.