The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-04

can announce it as q fact. that it is not
me wish or intent Ct that Government
tAiassachusettsl. or sDy other upon this
Continent. separately Or collectively. to st
up Tor independence. but this you may az
the same time rely on, that none OF them
VIII ever submit to the loss Of those val,
liable rights and privileges which are es-
fential 10 the happiness OF every free sta.e.
and without which. life, liberty. and prop
erty are rendered totally insecure Again
give me leave 10 add as ID opinion that
more blood viii be spilled on this occas-
ION. II the ministry are determined 10 push
matters 20 extremity than history has
ever yet furnished instances Of in the an
nails OF North America, and such = vital
wound viii be given 10 the peace Jf this
great country as time itself cannot cure
OF eradicate he reno rlbrauCe Of
As late as the llth Of February. 1T-6
John Adams wrote from PhiladelDl:a 20
rs wife. There is a deep anxiety. 4 And
o. thoughtful melancholy. and IN some a
4sSness Of spirits approaching 70 deSpon1,
enCy prevailing through the Southern col
olles AT present In this or a similar con
dillon We shall remain. / think. s...tu
late in the spring when some critical event
VIII lake place. perhaps sooner But the
Arbiter Of events only knows which way
the torrent VIII be turned. Judging BY ex-
peTlence. BY probabilities, and by all ap-
81
mlniou and glory. though the circumstances
and consequences may be bloody But be
could still say. with sarcasm. II a post
or tWo more should bring you unlimited
latitude OF trade TO all Nations and M
lite invitation 10 al nations TO trade with
you. take care that you do no: call IL 2r
think !. intependency; no such matter: In
dependency is a hobgobIin OF such fright.
full mien that IL would throw a delicate
person into fits 10 look X IN the fee
Slowly, gradually, keeping step with
their colonies the DELEGATES in Congress
were pushed forward by events. the con
servatives Yielding only to the force Of
destiny and aghting against independence
to the end. Even after the appointment
Of the committee TO prepare the Deegara-
ton OF Independence in June even after
its report they maintained the resistance.
Thomas jefferson. who had written the
Declaration. with slight assistance from
John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. as we
see in the rough draft in the library at
the State Department was no 5ebalsr.
and he sat silent through the greet three
days discussion Of his production. CRATE
fi.ly hailing John Adams who bore tre
DTUnt Of its defence. as the COLOSSUS uf
that debate But the fight was won On
the second day OF July when the Dcel2ra-
.ion was adopted. John Adams WIS able
TO write 70 his wife. on the third. in the
Fourth OF July because we celebrate the
signing and not the adoption of the Dec
aTatiOn:
Yesterday the greatest question
decTed which ever was debated in An. ri
ca, and a greater perhaps never was -
will be decided among men
The second Day of July
The second day OF July I7T6. will be
the most memorable epoch in the history
OF America I am apt to believe that
it viii be celebrated by succeeding gen
erations as the great Anniversary Festi-
val. It ought 10 be eommemorated as the
day of deliverance. by solemn acts Of de-
vOtiOn to God Almighty. II ought to he
SOlemniZed with pOmp, and parade. with
shows games, sports. bells. bOnfres. and
Examinations. from one end of this Con-
tinent to the other, from this time for
ward for eyermOre- You Will think me
transported with enthusiasm. but / am
not l am well aware OF the toll and blood
anf treasure il will cost US to maintain {
this Declaration. and support and defend
these States. Yet through all the gloom
can see the rays OF rayishing light and /
CORY / can see that the end is more /
rIan worth all the means; and that pos
terity will triumph in that days traas&c- !
ton. even though we should rue it, which I
/ trust in God we shall not
Samuel Adams. the agitatOr OF indie I
pendence the arch-reyolutionist the first I
modern politician, the first modern ed tor 4
who did more than any other man TO make .
the public opinion of his time, wrote to .
his friend, John Pitts, of Boston:
1T must be allowed by the iE9artial !
world that this Declaration has not been
made raShly-too much. / fear. has been .
lost by delay. but an accession OF several I
colonies has been gained by it.
This tells the story OF tie evolution. I
through revolution. to Independence ua6e- /
Anglo Saxon methods. And these men, /
who knew how to wait as we'll as how to (
act. knew how to compromise and how 10 4
negotiate with their opponents, as vel as
how to fight. adopted the Declaration of I
Independence with eyes wide open TO the
actual circumstances and conditions. They
knew. for example, that there were slaves /.
in the colonies The Congress actually /
struck out of Jefferson's draft a d5nuuc "a 4
tiol. Of George III for encouraging the slave
trace TO America. by refusing 10 rally eE-
actments of Southern colonies against it. +
They knew, too that besides the AfIi an
slaves there were white Eemi-slaves. re- !
demptioEers' and the like. who were also I
rot equal before the law or in any o.her
way with themselves. to say nothing Ct
the natural inequalities or the then ex-
listing legal differences between men a-d 7
women. which they also fully recognized. !
''All this must be remembered when We 4
read that they declsred1that all men a-e