Graham guardian., 1900-07-06

i EulIllijlIA &SSfsGllllN said that nation
VlAhlV4lLIiIaIIIItkg WIZ has its beginning N
asort ofprotopiasn
which, BY a SLOW
process OF eYoiutitn. develops intoa thing Of
strength and beauty. The United States
uoes violence to thus accepted theory. based
upon the teaehingi Of history. This country
SHOWS no stages Of progression. As Minerva
. said 10 have sprung full-armed froin the
prcw OF Jove. thitteen small struggling. loy.
a., devoted colonies Of Great Britain. quick
asalightning flash became nation and took
lls pace as such among the independent
soyere'gnties OF earth.
his was brought about by the rhetorical
genus q single man. supplemented, to be
sure with general supporting sentiment
that the time wal come for tbs rifening Of
new fruit upon the tree Of nati0ms Three
oi the brightest masters Of English IN the
colonial congress were chosen a. commit.
ice to draft declaration which Should ex.
press the feeling f congress and d TIC peo.
PIE towards the mother county lriigrson,
yohhh'l g The three, adroit res.pi,sitA,or
Of words. lid bis work so Iaasifif. thar
his associates kept their drafts lyc-. .,sh.
and accepted th,, Declaration oC In,ienen.
dence offered by he youthful Nirginlan.
i Is this Declaration which the Fourth Of
July Is y siehed 10 commemorate The doe
ulnenl rontsins not one doubtfu sciiiaent.
It's knglsh, while sonorous anu rkyihmic,
ls mighty with the strength oi perspituity.
he whai runs may read and understand The
one sularra'lng 'entiment is lhii he op
pressed to.onists were, aud oi right should
be, independent ind a separate peopie.
As time abradts the mountains. smooth.
ing the'i rougher parts, so time tends to
smooth iai lesseii the difficuItis> II former
heroes who laboled 10 accomplish great re.
suits Nothing could appear ea,iff than
that congress tf delegates shoud Same
committee to draft resolutions, aud what
more natural than that body should in.
dorse unanimously the acts Of ats servant.
LegisSlive bodies, from the begnIlng OF
lawmhkinR assemblages, have eyet l,eir free
in adopting all manner of Resolutions. ,aany
OF which reelected no credit upon themselves
and did harm TO those against whom ;hey
were directed
Yet it is not possible to overestimate the
supreme daring OF the members Of that son
tInentai congress which named ii,a com.
mittee, aud which, later, adopted Il. port
England was easily first Of the nailons. The
colonies but handful Of pcof... without ex.
perience IN war and wanting tie mra,.s to
prosecute one. There had been !. iiw en-.
gagemen,s-battles, II one pleaseio ~ .lmtfy
them--ir which American vicorns were
somewhat probltmatical. The adcp.ian Of
the Declaration was an act Of trea.si.. - he
mother country interpreted ii, a,,d :. ,t.e.
gates TO the coilgress so ubd,ts arl IL.
When one member said 10 FraLKlir "kEe
must al! hang together. meaning thd, every
member should sign the document that sage
rel,ned wittily: Yes, or separately"
Still, there wai no faltering, or paIttring.
- give my hand and my heart TO this vote"
said the noble John Adams, and so saving
he voiced the universal sentiment nf the
body of patriots gathered in Independence
hall.
One week later, on a spot of ground Just in
front Of the present city hall in New York
city, George Washington caused the Dec.
laration - be reld to his army
j IS not possible to estimate the effect oi
this extraordinary proclamation upon the
army and the pc 5ple Until It's adoption the
citizens scarcely knew for what they were
fighting That they had grievances lhey
knew; that they had been wrungud and Oh.
pressed, they had experienced in their pcr.
sons or property, or both; bat how their
wrongs should BE- redressed they had not de-
termined Congress told them. They must
be free, an Independent people, and the ei-
feet was electrical From one end OF the
land to the other, the refrain was taken up:
we are free. ard we shall fight to keep our.
selves free"
Thenceforwari there was no hating or
evasion The. people became knitted 10.
yether as one nan.
The nation was born in day. Thisis why
The bells do rinls the bands do play and pa.
riotlsm is ebulient on the Fourth Of July
The fathers in that day cast their defiance
n the face of Great Britain and thenceforth
he United States became an Independent
overeignty, to lie oppressed by no other ma.
ion in the lapse Of the ages.
WILLIAM RossER coBBE