The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-07-01

jured. but as ambitious, subjects
II shudder before this responsibility.
will be on us IL. relinquishing the grouno
which we have stood so long, and stood
safely. proclaim independence
and carry on war for that object while
these cities burn these pleasant fields
whiten and bleach with the bones of their
owners, and these streams run blood. IL
will be upon us; 1t will be upon us III. faiin8
to maintain this unreasonable and ill-judged
declaration a sterner despotism, maintained
by military power shall be established over
our posterity, when we ourselves given up Dy
an exhausted. harassed and misled people.
shall have expiated our rashness and atoned
for our presumption on the scaffold."
1t is fairly well established fact that one
Of the delegates, lacking prepared speech OF
his own, quoted from Tom Paines pamphlet,
Common Sense" which some months before
had created sensation Tom Paine. as 10
well known, atheist but that made
little difference to the delegate, who was said
to be pious Puritan, when he had chance
TO let his feelings go ripping through sentences
like these: 1T matters very little now what
the king of England either says or does; he
hath wickedy broken through every moral ana
human obligation, trampled nature and con-
science beneath his feet, and by steady and
constitutional spirit of insolence and cruelty
procured for himself universal hatred.
1t has been reported that John Witherspoon
of Princeton, stanch orthodox Presbyterian.
was the man who quoted thus literally from
Tom Paine atheist. Some years afterward the
Scotch dominic, it is said. was taken to task
for quoting Paine, and reverend John said, TX
tradition may be believed that the devils
pitchfork was none too bad weapon to use
in proddng John Bull out of the country.
1t was left, however. for John Adams to
make the great speech that brought to the
side of those favorng independence all the
wavering ones, and strengthened in their posi-
ton those who stood for the signing of the
declaration What Adams said was given ia
substance to the world when there was No
longer any danger of his being hanged for his
utterances. Daniel Webster lent his own elo-
quence and something of his diction to his in
depreciation OF Adams discourse, which, ON
the eventful day, it may be truly said won
for the country the declaration of indepen-
dence.
Adams powerful and electrifying speech
was in part as follows: 1T is true. indeed.
that in the beginning aimed not at indie
pendence But there's divinity which shapes
our ends The injustice of England has driven
us to arms, and, blinded to her own interest
for our good, she has obstinately persisted till
independence is now within our grasp We
have but to reach forth to it and it is ours
Why, then, should we defer the declaration?
Is any man weak as now to hope for
either safety to the country and its liberties or
safety to his own life and his own honor?
Il know there is not man here who would
not rather see a general conhagration sweep
over the land or earthquake sink it than
one jot or title of that plighted faith fall to
the ground. For myself, having ~ months
ago in this place moved you that George
Washington be appointed commander of the
forces raised or to be raised for defense of
American liberty. may my right hand forget
her cunning and my tongue cleave to the roof
of my mouth If hesitate or waver in this
support gi'e him.
MY judgment approves this measure and
my whole heart is in it. All that have and
all that am, and all that hope in this life
l am now ready here to stake upon it,
l am for the declaration. l: is my living SEN
timent. and, by the grace of Goa, y shall be
my dying sentiment. Independence now and
independence forever"
The I'd of July is IN reality Independence
day, for on this date in the year 1875 a ma
Jorlty OF the delegates from each colony voted
Tor the declaration. Two days later the docu-
ment was signed and went into effect and
from that day to this, in fulfillment of JOHN
Adams prophecy, the day has been celebrated
with pomp. parade, games. sports, guns bells.
bonfres, and illumination from one end OF tho
continent To the other"