Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-03

revolution could ever release themselves
from that instructive certainty Of future
greatness which carried them through all
disaster to the triumphant conquest OF
100000 square miles and a prosperity
which, tho gh temporarily overloaded will
soon again open to a sunlight worthy OF
all of all our hopes.
That they were mistaken in their antici-
pations is history SO we'll known that we
forget how many weary and anxious
months passed away before the truth so
painful to them and so glorious to us
forced itself upon their understandings
the truth that these United Colonies are
and OF right ought to be free and indie
pendent States. When, on the 18th of
June. IT'S, the Congress appointed George
Washington commander-in-chief of the
armies raised and to be raised, and when,
on the next day. he accepted the high duty
imposed upon him in the modest language
which so well befitted his lofty character
and which was Of itself the guarantee of his
great career, a state of war existed which
could have but one ending little as the
famous actors realized the great deeds ard
the great future upon which they were
just entering Most of them lived to see the
inspiring result, though here and there in
the musty old records seldom handled by
this generation, can be seen the falling by
the wayside of aged men who were ready to
offer their declining years with the same
joyous pride as the younger men offered
the years In which flowed the pulsat lions of
a swifter current
The blood Of America was good, whether
1t passed through youths responsive ar
teries or those which already felt the stiff
ness of age.
Even when Washington was made COM
mander-in-chief, ard the major generals
and brtgadiers were chosen and the articles
OF war were discussed and perfected and
all the details of the raising of troops, the
Congress still entertained hopes of such
a readjustment Of their relations with the
mother country characterized their
earlier dreams before blood had been shed
and battles fought. On the 9th day Of
July. ITS, year lacking two days before
the Declaration of Independence-back of
which we seldom go, deeming and right
fully. too, that that was the charter of our
liberties-the Congress perfected and pub
lished an address to the world: "A dec
laration by the representatives of the
United Colonies of North America, now
met In Congress at Philadelphia, setting
taking up arms" This declaration, for its
dignity. its moderation It's appropriateness
and power of diction. its calmness, can
dor and force, is worthy high place in
history. Lest this declaration they say,
SHOULD disquiet the minds Of our friends
and fellow subjects in any part Of the en-
pire, We assure them that we mean not to
dissolve that union which has so long and
SO happily subsisted between US and which
we sincerely wish to see restored.
"In our own native land, in the defense
Of the freedom which is our birthright,
and which we ever enjoyed until the late
violation of it-for the protection Of our
property, acquired solely by the honest in
dustry of our forefathers and ourselves,
against violence actually offered-we have
taken up arms. We shall lay them down
when hostilities shall cease on the part of
the aggressors and all danger Of their be-
ing renewed shall be removed, and not be-
fore"
In like manner and to the same purport
they addressed 1.-THE kings most excellent
majesty" reminding him of their devotion
in times but recently passed and assuring
him that 'our breasts retain too tender
regard for the kingdom from which we de-
rive cur origin to request such reconcil-
ldtlou DIS III uc III duy IIdIiHeT 1uCCU-
sistent with her dignity or her welfare"
They appealed also to the inhabitants Of
Great Britain and to the people of Ireland
and to their fellow colonists. asking only
redress Of grievances and making clear
their unwillngness to divide the empire.
But In five months patience had evidently
ceased to be virtue, and when the king
issued a proclamation declaring that the
colonists were forgetting the allegiance
which they owed to the power which had
protected and sustained them and had
proceeded to an open and avowed rebel
Hon." the Congress, on December 8, did
not refrain from very tart and defiant
reply. AS time passed on and human pas
sions had their sway it became more and
more evident that Bunker Hill and Lex
ington. Concord and Ticonderoga, Quebec
and White Bridge. had raised barrier be-
tween the colonists and their enemies
which no words, however upright and
manly, no grievance, however clear and
apparent, no rights. however Just, no love,
however strong of that freedom SO hon
ored by both sides, could overlap. Then
1t was that our forefathers declared our
country free and independent. and with un-
falteriug hand took the measures which
made that declaration an epoch In the his