Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-04

makes aiivss These and hks questions run
through ths high debate over this great
document like to think that u 10 both
OF our'raos. We are at once tn. most SEN
timental and the most practical people on
earth. Our story as nHtion--ihs msst
prose interviewer. II could not be written
otherwise. And IN spite OF the manifold
material changes Of this century, the OPEN
Ing OF the mechanical age, the Declaration
or Independence stu represents fully our
national life.
- could not write my poem and 80 I
need u said Thorsau. This might well
hsve been -a'd nv tho stern poet. Of 40
ton who published the Declaration Of In
dependence 10 the world. They made no
declaration OF independence until all their
world knew that the colonies were. In fact,
independent. II not free. u was a record
OF what had been accomplished. not an an
nouncement Of what was desired More
Than Year had elapsed since the EN-
battled farmers Of Lexington and Concord
fired the shot heard round thu world IL
was more than year since the American
militia at Bunker IAN won moral victory
over the British regulars. II was moro
than year since George Washington took
command Of an army which In Itself was
an evidence of Independence The thirteen
colonies were governing Themselves, .ndi-
v'dually. and r fedora tlon. In practical
separation from the British government
and the British army was vainly .ndeavor-
Ing To coerce them into subsection befor.
they were Wiling TO put IL ali down in
oIack and white.
Brought Plainly to View.
Nothing is palmer now. as we study the
letters and speeches Of the leaders Of the
revolution, than that they were reluctant
TO press for independence. and that Samuel
Adams was the only one who desired # at
the first, while the majority Of the people
OF the colonies were more faithfully rep
resented by strong minority OF the lead
Z sod 10 II 10 o.,
to say, according 20 the latest and best his
torians. that IL the people had been polled
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 en-
titled TO vote or whether all the adult
population took part. AS a matter OF fact.
of course. the Continental Congress. which
was the government OF the revolution, de-
rived its just powers from the consent OF
the governed without any formal ascer-
tainment of the wishes Of the governed,
and. as Judge Story shows in his Com
mentaries on the Constitution. the wishes
Of the majority OF the governed were not
regarded"
Mr. Maciarland said it is difficult to real
lie how unpopular the idea of separation
from Great Britain was. John Adams,
| writing in his old age, in 1851, OF the ar
rival at Philadelphia in lI94 Of the Massa-
| chusetts delegation to the First Congress.
told Of the strong sentiment against indie
pendence in his own state.
Pushed Forward by Events.
SLOWLY, gradually. cautiously. keeping
step with their colonies the delegates in
Congress were pushed forward by events.
the conservatives yielding only 10 the force
Of destiny ard fighting against independ-
ence 10 the end; even after the appointment
| Of the committee to prepare the Declara-
ton of Independence in June, even after
| It's 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 debater and he
sat silent through the great three days
discussion Of his production. 81 atefully hail
| ing John Adams, who bore the brunt OF its
defense, as tine Colossus OF that debate
But the fight was won on the ID Of July,
| when the Declaration was adopted.
The men who made the Declaration of
Independence, and then made it good, left
us noble heritage, spiritual as well as
material. They freed us forever from the
fear OF foreign tyranny. We dread no for
eign foe. We are now the arbiters, II not
| the masters, OF the world, and where we
| sit at the council of the nations is the
head of the table. Our flag floats over
| countries that George Washington saw
| dimly, If at all, and millions live under its
beauty and blessing who cannot read the
Declaration of Independence in the origf-
| nal. We have not only political inde-
pendence, but political domination in the
Il
Danger From Foes Within.
But, Washington foresaw in his fare
well address, We are in danger from foes
within the state. from foes within our
| selves. Where there is no vision the peo-
| pie perish Our political Independence,
| our material power and wealth will not
| save us from the moral slavery Of Rome
| and Greece, which ended in destruction
| III, in self-indulgence, we yield to the
| Establishments of materialism we shall find
| our strength gone, our limbs bound, our
| eyes put out, the vision ended. the glory de-
| parted. 1t is the duty Of every patriot to
| lift up the standard Of personal and civic
| righteousness lest the enemy come in like
\ a flood and sweep away our real indie
| pendence. 1t is not enough to admire and
| applaud the heroes of the past; We our
| selves must be the heroes. and, IL needs
| be, the martyrs of the present. In the faith
| that the patriots of America will keep
| alive forever the true spirit of TO- the
| spirit Of sef-sacrifice, of splendid Courage
| and of reverent trust in God and obedience
| to His will, We may rejoice in the glorious
| prospects of the republic"
| Rev DR.. Childs pronounced the benedic-
| ton.