The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-04
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| THE DAh WIZ O0An<oEtAEE. On this great day. 60 pregnant with meaning ts all the American people. what can be said that has not been said many times already Few events in history are more pregnant with meaning. or led to greater consequences than the one which marked the natal day of American Independence. When. on that July day. one hundred and thir- ty-two years ago. that little band of devoted and ssif-sacrihcing patriots met together and soiemnly severed all connection between the Colonies and the mother country they adventured on an experiment of which history has no counterpart. the result of which only the most ardent optimist could favorabiy predict.
 These foundation builders of . new nation. these corner-stene layers of a new Republic. had little cause to hope for a successful result. The thirteen colonies. sparseiy and scatteringly set- tied by population practically un- used to real war. with an immense area to defend. with . coast line of thousands of miles open to attack from the comparatively great navy of Eng land. and with a savage foe on all sides ever ready to commit outrages on the people--with all these certain ties before them. nothing but absolute certainty of the justice of their cause and an unconquerabie determination to succeed or perish. could have nerved the builders and signers of the Deciar- ation to venture on the step.
 ''when. in the course of human events" began that wonderful paper, and the course of events had rarely. if ever. witnessed such a condition as then presented itself. or such danger ous possibilities as were presented to the minds of the patriots. They knew the odds against them. They knew that England was even then one of the great world powers: that she possessed unlimited means. and that avarice, self interest and ambition would prompt the mother country to put forth all her powers and exhaust all her re- sources in the effort to whip her re- caicitrant progeny back into snbrnis- sion.
 Against these csrtainties what had the colonies to offsr7 They were brave. patriotic and hardy. beyond doubt. They had struggled against nature and savage foes for generations. and each generation had gone forward in the work of conquering obstacles. They had enjoyed such a degree of freedom that they ionged for more and were determined to have 1t. They had fought the savages and the French in their own way and had confidence in themselves. Tn short. they firmly be- lieved that they ought to be free and independent and set their hearts and their faces sternIy to the accomplish ment of that object. Could those who
 met on that fatefuI day have been al- lowed to look forward and foreses the great difficulties, hardships and defeats their people must suffer before their object was gained, would they have persisted in their determination7 Who can tell We know what followed, but none can tell what might have been if the projectors of new nation could have looked into the future.
 The foundation was laid and the Re- public was builded, and for more than century and quarter the benehcia- ries of that unequalled venture and that unparalleled struggle have cele- brated the birthday of American Inde- pendence. Sometimes we feel that our idea of celebrating the day has parted long step from the original intent. and from what 1t should be. It should be celebrated with thanks and sane rejoicings, and with songs of praise and joyful appreciation. Instead 1t has largely come to be looked on as a time for noise and revelry. for danger ous sports and too often calculated to detraet from the real meaning of the occasion. and to cast diseredit on the day itself. But however 1t may be observed. it should be held in revsrsnt remembrance as the beginning point of the freedom we enjoy today. Tn the words of Joseph Hopkinson:
 Let Independence be our boast,
 Ever mindful what 1t cost:
 Ever grateful for the prize.
 Let its altar reach the skies!