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

of the people OF the colonies were more
( faithfully represented by strong minor
! ity of the leaders who opposed ii to the
| last
The idea We got from our school his
tories, as children. that the unanimous
/ declaration Of the thirteen United States
! Of America was literally the unanimous
declaration of the people Of those States
or even OF their leaders we know now was
mythical. but even Lexington and Con-
cord and Bunker Hill the leadership Of
Washington and the incessant endeavor.
! OF Jefferson and the Ad2mses overcamy
with difficulty the opposition 10 separation
from Great Britain. Il is safe to say, ac-
! cording TO the latest and best historians
Z that II the people had been pOlied on the
question. the majority would have voted
against independence and that this would
have been true whether the voting was
done by the limited number then entitled
TO vote or whether all the adult population
took part As 4 matter OF fact. o course
I the Continental Congress, which was the
/ Government Of the Revolution. derived its
Just powers from the consent Of the gov
erned without any formal entertainment Of
/ the wishea of the governed. and. as Judxe
story shows In his Commentaries O. the
[ Constitution. the wishes Of the rity
OF the governed were not regard
1t is difficult for US to realize how I'M
popular the idea Of separation from Great
Britain was Listen to this testimony
from John Adams. writing in his old age in
1922 Of the arrival at Philadelphia in 1874
Of the Massachusetts deIegaticn 10 the
first Congress. Bear in mind that there
was strong sentiment against indeDend-
ence n his own State
What John Adams Thought.
" We were met at Frankfort by u
Rush. Mr.. Miflin Mr.. Bayard. and several
other OF the most active sons 4 liberty in
Philadelphia. who desired a Conference
with Us We invited them to tafs tea
with US in a private apartment Ehev
asked leave 10 give Us some information
and advice. which we thankfully granted
They represented to Us that the friends OF
go Ternment in Boston and in the East
ern States had represented US 70 the Mid
die and South as four desperate adventur-
ers-
Mr.. Gushing was a harmless kind OF 4
man, but poor. and wholly dependent upon
his popularity for his subsistence. Mr..
Samuel Adams was a very artful. design
ing man. but desperately poor. and wholly
G pendent on his popularity with the low
es, vulgar for his living.
John Adams and Mr.. Paine were two
young lawyers. Of no great talents. rep
ut2tiOn, or weight who had no other
means OF raising themselves into corse-
quence than by counting popularity. We
were all suspected of wishing independ-
er.ee. Now. said they. you mus. not utter
the word independence. nor give the least
hint or insinuation Of the idea either in
Congress. or any private conversation: II
you do. you are Undone: for independence
is as unpopular in the Middle or South as
the Stamp Act itself No man dares 20
speak of IL. You are thought 10 be
too warm. You must not come forward
with any bold measure; you must ust pre-
tend to take the lead.
You know Virginia is the most popular
State in the Union-very proud-they think
they have a right to lead. The South and
Middle are too much disposed to yield to IL
This was plain dealing but it made
deep impression That converse
tiOn has given coloring to the whole pol
icy Of the Unltes States from that dag TO
this.
You remember that in October, 1875,
six months after Lexington and
even John Adams. writing to his wife.
said:
The situation of things is so alarming
that IL is our duty to prepare our miuds
and hearts for every event. even the worst.
rum cdAlAtSl INTO lie nave
been engaged in the public cause of Amer
ca, ami from first to last / have had upon
my mind strong impression that thirgs
would be wrought up to their present cr.s-
is l saw from the beginning that the con-
troversy was of such nature that ir never
would be settled. and every day Conviuces
me more and more.
This has been the source of all the
disquietude Of my life. 1t has lain down
and risen up with me these twelve years.
The thought that We might be driven to
the SAD necessity OF breaking our connec-
tion with Great Britain, exclusive of the
carnage ana destruction which i: was easy
to see must attend the separation, always
gave me great deal of grief And even
now. l would gladly retire from public life
forever, renounce all chance for profits OF
honors from the public; nay, | wau-d
cheerfully contribute my little property to
obtain peace and liberty. But all these
must go, and my life, too before | car
surrender the right OF my co,1atry 10
free Constitution. / dare not consent to
1t. I should be the most miserable of NOR
tails ever after, whatever honors o. emolu-
mentS might surround me-
George Washington. who knew the Cd n
iSn CT his time more accurately than mo
men. wrote to his friend Captain MacXen-
zie, OF the British Army. In 1i74. what was
PROFESSIONALLY a summary of the most
American sentiment that year:
George washington's Letter.
Permit me, with the freedom of
friend flor you know 1 always esteemed
you). to express my sorrow that fortune
should place you in a service that must
fix curses to the latest posterity upon the
coitrivers. and. IL success (which. by the
by, is impossiblel- accompanies Il, execra-
tioa upon ali those who have been instru-
men.al in the execution.
Give me leave to add, and 1 think