Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-04


here in response to that invitation which
has been so cordially received. We meet,
by the courtesy of the President of the
United States, who has taken a personal
interest in our celebration. at the White
House. the official center of the national
capital. the official home of Thomas Jeffer-
son and Johr Adams and every other
who is commemOrated by the uneQualed
shaft which rises near us. and, even more
by the city which he founded
and which bears his name. Just beyond
the White House, in the State Depart
ment, is the Declaration of independence,
the rough draft in Jeffersons handwriting,
with the interlineations of John Adams and
Benjamin Franklin, and the engrOssed copy
still clear. though the autographs of the
signers have so generally faded away.
Nowhere could this day be more approprf-
ately celebrated. We hope that 1t will
never cease to be celebrated in the Ameri-
can capital in the good old-fashioned
American way.
The process Of declaring the independ-
ence of the United States from Great
Britain began in June, 1776, with the adop-
ton of Richard Henry Lees resolution.
and ended in November. when the last sig
nature was affixed to the engrossed decla-
ration. But the Fourth of July Is the off,
cial date at the head of the document it
self, and has been accepted as the day for
celebration because the declaration was. in
fact. adopted and signed by John Hancock
President of the Congress. on that day. 1t
is interesting to know the exact facts Of
the proceeding. but not essential 1t Is
enough to know that on the Fourth of
July. 1778. the great transaction was Off
cially and practically accomplished and
that the bell of Independence Hall that
night proclaimed liberty throughout all the
land.
The fullness of time had come in the
Providence of God for the act which trans
formed the English colonists into American
off flor f1a, Of
revolt against the British government. the
cOlonists slowly and reluctantly changed
from rebels into reVOlut1OniStS and assert
ed an independence which they had not I'M
til recently desired. Even when the hour
came their delegates in Congress were not
unanimous. and 1t is doubtful whether a
majority of the people approved at the
moment what was done. Their consent
was not asked. 1t had to be assumed. The
greatest step in our history was taken
without submission to even the limited
electorate of that time.
1t was the far-seeing leaders Of the revo-
luton in and out of COngreSS-General
George Washington. commanding the army
of the revolution already triumphant in
New England. quite as much as Thomas
Jefferson and John Adams-and the far
seeing men and women who were not lead
ers that transformed the discOrdant colo
MES. in spite of the cautious and the con-
sentative, into the United States. They
were carrying here the fight for gov
wings in England. The Declaration OF
Independence takes it's place naturally In
the series of liberty, documents In which
the forefathers of the American revolution
lists had already recorded the liberties pur-
chased with blood. The Congress wisely
struck out of JefrersOn's draft the refiec-
ton on the English people. for 1t was the
English government and not the English
people. not. we believe. at least. major
ity of the English people, that denied to
the Americans the rights of Englishmen.
Our revolution was part OF the struggle
of democracy. 1t was part or the evolu-
ton of freedom preceded by brave efforts
on the continent as we'll as in Great Brit
ain. and followed by the mighty move
ment which France led and which trans
formed Europe.
1t not only gave US independence of Great
Britain but it made US a nation. 1t was
in the name of the whole people, by the
authority of the good people,. and not In
the name and by the authority OF the colo
MES. that the declaration was made. We
were nation in fact before We were In
dependent states although 1t took CEN
fury and a mighty war to make out OF those
states a nation which should never be
broken.
1t set that new nation. small and feeble
though it was. and desplsed in its day or
small things, upon the path that led to ex-
pansion and power and glory 1t MADE IL
possible for 1t to spread beyond the Allie
ghanies, beyond the Mississippi. beyond the
Rockies beyond the Pacific, and to become
rich and prosperous and influential beyond
the dreams of any of the men of that time.
1t gave the principles which, slowly
wrought out in action. tended to make 1t
worthy to be leader among nations-prin-
ciples of righteousness. as well as OF lid
erty For there was no thought in the
minds of the men who founded this nation
of liberty separated from justice or Of free
dom apart from righteous living. They
were not planning for license ending IN
anarchy. but for the ordered liberty of law.
1t is their greatest glory that they builded
even better than they knew. and that they
would be astonished II they could see what
has been reared upon the foundation which
they laid 1T years ago.
The goodly heritage. spiritual as well as
material left US by our fOrefatherS has
grown to vast proportions. We are free
forever from the fear of foreign tyranny.
We have not only political independence.
but political leadership in the worlds at
fairs. Our flags floats over distant lands of
which George Washington never heard and
millions live under it's beauty and bless
ings who cannot read the Declaration OF
Independence in the original. We have I'M
eXampled prosperity at home, unexampled
authority abroad. But, as Washington
foresaw in his farewell address. we are in
danger from Toes within the tate, from roes
within ourselves. Where there is no vision.
the people perish. Our politial independ-
ence, our material power and wealth. will
not save us from the moral slavery OF
Rome and Greece which ended in their de-
struction. We realize that among the diff
fculties and dangers which confront us,
materialism. nourished by our very pros
perity is the most menacing of all. 1t Is
the duty of every American TO lift up the
standard of the spiritual life. of personal
and civic righteousness. lest that enemy
shall come in like flood and sweep away
our independence. 1t Is not enough to ad-
mire and applaud the heroes of the past
We ourselves must be the heroes. and II
needs be, the martyrs of the present. In
the faith that the patriots of America will
keep alive forever the true spirit of 49,
the spirit of self-sacrifice. of splendid cour-
age. of reverent trust in God and of ODE
dience to His will, we may rejoice in the
glorious prospects Of the republic
The singing Of MY Own United States
by the choir of public school children ac-
ccmpanied by the Marine Band. was a par
ticularly pretty part of the exercises. The
little singers raised their voices with q
vigor that sent their sweet notes floating
far over the lawns in every direction. The
children were led by Mr.. E. d. Tracy.
Cheers for Admiral Dewey.
Admiral Dewey. president of the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Association being in
uoduced. was given a rousing reception.
1.-The most famous admiral in the world. /"
declared Mr.. mcfarland, who could not
continue until he had given the assemblage
plenty of time to applaud the sentiment.
''the admiral whose May-day victory
spread the American flag, the American
h. A IL sIz-r