The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-07-05
adopted. was in these words:

adopted, was In these words:
Resolved That these United Colonies are,
and Of right ought to be, free and indepen-
dent States; that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British crown, and that all
political connection between them and the
State OF Great Britain is, and ought to be,
totally dissolved.
Having passed the main resolution
Congress proceeded to consider the re-
ported draft of the Declaration which
was to give it effect. 1t was discussed
July 2 and 3, and on the FOURTH day
of the month in committee OF the
whole, and on the last of those days,
having been favorably reported by the
committee, it received tie final appro-
baton and sanction of Congress.
Thus the early days Of July, culminat-
ing with the pre-eminent Fourth, re-
ceived their first baptism of political
distinction and became incorporated
into the calendar of Americas great
historic days.
The magnetism of their early his
toric fame appears to have attracted
to these July dates other memorable
events in American history. On the
fiftieth anniversary Of the great day of
national jubilee, July a, 1926, Jeffer-
son and Adams, whose names we're at
the head of the committee congress
elected to prepare the Declaration OF
Independence, and who were chosen a
subcommittee to draft that instrument,
Gin the very hour of public rejoicing,
in the midst of echoing and re-echoing
voices of thanksgiving, while their own
names were on all tongues, took their
fight, together, to the world Of spirits"
July l, 2 and 3, 1868, the Union vic
tories were won at Gettysburg, at the
high tide of the Southern Rebellion,
and on July 4, in the retreat of Gen
eral Lee across the Potomac, the waters
of losing cause began their ebb, &C.
celebrated by the surrender of Vicks-
burg on the same day, which cut the
Confederacy in two and the Mississippi
thereafter allowed unvexed to the sea-"
These great and decisive events, occur.
ing simultaneously on the Fourth of
July, brought vast increment of glory
and interest to the national anniversa.
ry, and aroused the loyal North to an
ecstacy of patriotic joy.
Again, on July 4, 1898, came from
Cuban waters the word that set the
bells to jingling in every steeple, the
guns to roaring over all the land, and
crowned the celebrations of the day
with jubilations of the most JOYOUS
kind. The American fleet had encoun-
tered the Spanish squadron off Santi-
ago de Cuba, and every vessel of Ger
vera's dreaded division was at the
oceans bottom. Not only had the Ma
TONS naval forces won victory that
had completed the extinction of Spain's
Wanted sea power, but the unexpected
tidings were accompanied by the in
credible statement that no ship of the
United States had been lost or serious
ly injured, by the happy story of the
marvellous immunity, in second great
sea battle, of American sailors from in
jury or loss of life. The days of July
had been rechristened with signal fame
and the old anniversary regilded with
national glory.
"The day we celebrate" for it's ade-
quate observance in this year of grace
1899, will make very extraordinary
draughls on the patriotic capacities and
resources of the American citizen.
Thrice "a glorious, an immortal dayl"