The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-07-04
THE EvENTFUL HOUR
TWO O'CLOCK, JULY a, 1875, MARKED
A NATIONS BIRTH.

Fourth OF July, 177G, American independ-
ence hung in the balance.
How eyes and thoughts were turned
that summer day to the old statehouse at
Philadelphia! Would the body Of men
gathered there take the step9 Would they
dare to do it?
For many months 80 colonists had
been carrying on brave, unequal strug-
gle with the mother country. But that
struggle had been as loval subjects of the
English king, in arms Olly as against GER
tain acts of injustice.
Now that other conception, at first pass
ed in hushed whispers from man to man
and later set ringing through the colonies
by the eloquence of Patrick Henry and the
logic of Thomas Paine, that glorious con-
ception of American Independence was be-
ing finally weighed in the balance against
the claims of George Ill
And yet all knew there were grave diff
culties in the way of independence. Many
would have known it better could they
have stood within the east room of the old
statehouse through the long hours of that
hot July day. There sat the Continental
congress, now pale faced, grim and care
worn
AT the east side of the chamber on a
leather chair Before him was a large
mahogany table, on which a massive ink
stand of silver held a bunch of fresh
quilts. A document then under discus
sion lay beside it. The men who were to
use the quills that day i'll making that
document, Americas Magma Charta,"
were grouped about in n semicircle
They We're not men of the same nation
ality, for among them were two English
men, three Irishmen, two Scotchmen, one
Welshman; the others were born in the
colonies. Not of the same occupation,
either, for 24 lawyers, II farmers, 8 mer-
chants, physicians, l gospel minister
and l manufacturer were there Not rep
resenting the interest of a single state but
of Is separate little governments, torn by
longings, fears and dissensions. On the
right of the chairman sat Benjamin
Franklin, with his soft hair flowing down
his shoulders. Farther on was Thomas
jefferson, the writer of the document on
the table, now busy taking notes of the
proceedings. Directly in front sat young
Richard Lee, who had risen days before to
read to the hushed assembly the daring
resolution, That these united colonies
are and of right ought TO be free and in
dependent states, and that all political con-
nection between us and the state of Great
Britain is and ought to be totally dissolv-
ed >"
Here, in their quaint attire, with pow
dcred hair in cues" knee breeches and
buckles, broad aapped coats and bright
hucd waistcoatS, saS the men who We're to
be known as the signcrs of the Declaration
of Independence.
Inch by inch the ground was gone over,
the chamber now ringing with applause,
now hushed in awe, as fiery words pic
turcd the triumph of liberty or warning
voice foretold humiliation and defeat.
Then came the moment when the last
word had been spoken. Even the plea for
postporeinent because 1.-THE people are not
ripe for a declaration OF independence"
had been finally crushed by the answer in
the broad Scotch accents of DIR. Wither-
spoon: Not ripe, sir! In my Judgment
we are net only ripe, but rotting. Almost
every colony has dropped from its parent
stem, and your own province, sir, needs
no more sunshine to mature it.
1t was , O'Clock when the vote was tax
en-. Secretary Thomas arose and announc-
cd to the assembled congress the final de-
cision and sat down suddenly the cham
ber but now so full of words, of gestures,
of Flashing eyes and ST impassioned figures,
is hushcd, and those within it Inotionless;
almost the rapid heart beats can be heard.
Then, in geographical order, the mem
bers signed the paper And in the relief
OF a decision they made grim jokes.
so big Carter Bruxton of Virginia said
to li;tle Charles Carroll of Maryland as
thc two walked to the table, well, Mr.
Carroll the British say they will hang us
as rebels if they catch us If they do,
VIII have greatly tho advantage, for, as
am heavy, my neck will be broken at once,
while l fear you will dangle in the air and
hang on for some time" Still smiling at
the jest, Mr.. Carroll stepped forward and
signed his name. Then he added ''of Car
rollton, saying, There is my address if
any one wishes 10 find me"
John Hancock, the president of con-
grcss, must have taken fresh quill TO
make his big signature, remarking, as he
wrote, that he guessed John Bull could
read that without spectacles. Then he
added grg1vely that there was great neces-
sity of their all hanging together in this
matter
YES, indeed, said Benjamin Frank
lin, we must all hang together, gentle
men, or assuredly we shall all hang sepa-
r;.tely."
The big bell that had been muf1led to
toll on the passing of the stamp act (Which
the people declared was the death knell
Of liberty') now rang the joyous procla-
nation Of liberty throughout the world.
unto al! the inhabitants thereof" "
SO ulain July came TO be the great
Fourth of July. And though the event
tonk place little late in the day for full
celo brs.tion, Yet good use was made of the
hours that remained, and Of several days
that followed, too, for joyfCI recognition
of Independence day. Philadelphia had
the start in all this and showed her rejoic
ing in illuninations, the ringing of bells
and firing of cannon.
But slowly the glad tidings crept over
the colonies. 50 slowly it seems to us in
this day of rapid communication. Copies
of the declaration had To be sent out by
Iidcrs-men tearing madly through the
colonies upon loan bespattered steeds, yet
unable TO do in days for this great mes
sage what moment will accomplish for
prize fight report today. But it was rapid
work for those times, and "a rider stopping
on his way to deliver one of those precious