The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-27
GERMAN DAY
BE CELEBRATED AUG. |
AT JAMESTOWN.
Historical significance of the Day
Pointed Out by National German
American Alliance.

PHILADELPHIA, July 27.-The Nation
al German-American Alliance has issued
the following:
The historical Significance of the day that
furnishes to the German-American Ma
tional Alliance the occasion to arrange a
German day on August l at the jamestown
Exposition Is worthy of being impressed
upon the present generation. and especially
upon the young.
The proclamation sent forth by the Lu-
theran and Reformed churches and the Off
GERS of the German Society of Pennsyl-
vanla on August /. 11I5, wherein the ne
cessity of taking up arms In defense of
liberty is set forth, is one Of the most i'm
portant documents OF the revolutionary
epoch. 1t is a Declaration Of Independence,
urging a separation from British rule, is
sued by a peace-loving people, an appeal
TO their German brothers In various parts
of his country to vlndicate the cause Of
liberty.
1t Is patent. that such a step, taken, as
1t was. by the strong German element ut
a time when the most respectable fam
lilies of Philadelphia still sided with the
English. materially Influenced the entire
Revolutionary movement which culmi-
rated in tho PRONUNCIATION Of the National
Declaration OF Independence.
For these very reasons the National Ger
iadh AiiidtiNf AiAA Nv kttAAtAfa
the giving prominence to such historical
moments and their Incorporation In school
text books ON American history. has
chosen the first day of August for the cello
braticn of a German day at the James
town Exposition.
DIR. Oswald Seidersticker's History of
the German Society of Pennsylvania, fur
nislied further Information concerning the
historical Significance OF that memorable
day.
Says he In the chapter entitled: 1.-THE
Revolution and the War for Independ-
ence."
"The glorious event in the history OF our
country. the separation OF the colonies
from England. took place when our society
had been In existence about a dozen years.
Well may we ask what stand our society
took during the great upheaval. Were
their sympathies with the Tories, to whom
the more respectable families of Phila-
delphia belonged, or did they espouse the
cause OF armed resistance and of the re-
public? Did they unswervingly adhere to
their benevolent purpose. and abstain from
politics, to the end that they might
creep and climb and intereede into a
neutral fold during those troubled and
stormy times?' We shall see there liz but
one answer to this then vital question.
And 1t is given by that German-Ameri
can historian as follows;
prior to the national declaration of
independence the German Society united
with the German Lutheran and Reformed
Churches to take a step that characterizes
them as decided adherents 10 the Revolu-
tionary Congress.
The irrefutable testimony hereof, mir
roring. as It does, the unanimous con-
sensus of the German population of Phila-
delphia with the Wings. is a political
pamphlet, printed by order Of the three
bodies Interested.
A powerful Impetus, an imperative con-
v%lction. are uttered forth, when two
churches and a benevolent society cast
their political vote and advocate taking
sides.
This was lone by means Of the Letter
Of the Lutheran and Reformed Church
boards and of the officers OF the German
society to the German inhabitants of tbs
t provinces Of New York aud North Caro-
lima Philadelphia, 1775."
1t il apparent that the Germans hat
already espoused the cause Of the Pa
triots. Further on we read this striking
passage: Day by day WI behold chat tht
people of Pennsylvania. both rich ano
poor, unanimously approve of the revo-
luton of Congress. The Germans of Penn
%sylvania, especially. have far and near
distinguished themselves by the formation
of militia-corps, and of picked rihe-eOrps
that are ready to march whithersoever
1t may be necessary. And those Germans
that cannot render military service are
universally willing to contribute to the
common good, according to their means.
Nevertheless, we are sorry the
pamphlet continued, ito hear that Congress
has received information that divers Ger
mans In Trion County and a few other
Identities of the colony of New York. an.
pear to be hostile to the common cause,
and that many Germans in North Caro-
lima are similarly inclined.
This deplorable circumstance is ascribed
solely to a lack of acquaintance with tht
true character of the events.
THE Germans in Trlon County may
readily be pardoned. They are remote
from those large cities and seaports where
land and in the colonies are received day
by day.