The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-30
OLE FIRST
# OURTH

1t required a long time to prepare
for the celebration of the first Fourth
OF July; 1T demanded nerve, courage;
heroism: h man who huzzaed for
liberty then was in danger of putting
his head ina moose, and he who fired
a gun in honor OF the occasion was
shot without trial If caught.
Nowadays. people who wake up on
the morning Of the Fourth of July,
amid the booming Of cannon, the noise
of trumpets, crackle of guns and snap
ping Of fire crackers, and a general
p~andemonium OF free and generous
noise, seldom think of the years OF
anxiety, suffering and bloodshed
through which the colonial Americans
passed before reaching the great day
whcn they could shout for freedom.
There had been long resistance TO
tyranny, oppression and injustice. The
Lexington shot that was heard around
the world" had been fired. Harry Lee
had proclaimed independence, Patrick
Henry had demanded liberty or
DEATH" but the time was not quite
ripe for that day of all days in Ameri-
can history, the Fourth OF July, 1916.
On that day ffty-six determined
patriots assembled in the state house
at Philadelphia. They had a purpose
In assembling, an dthat purpose was Of
grave import to the whole world. Thir-
teen colonies. with their three millions
in assembling, and that purpose was Of
they had sanctioned 1t, approved 1t,
and what the fifty-six men were about
to do they were to do on behalf Of
those three millions of people who had
fought. suffered, bled and starved that
1t might be done. Everybody knew
hat was going to happen, even the
small boy who now makes as much
noise as he can, was there with the
ornNrdo nonnt1b1AI - 1An -. tLA toanfx. -
liberty.
A member of this great congress Of
the people arose. and stopping a mo-
ment, looked at the grave faces before
him, then he began to read from =
paper he held in his hand:
When in the course Of human
events" reading on along down the list
of grievances until he reached the con-
summating words tina. created a new
nation:
I'VE, therefore, the representatives
Of the United States of America, in
general congress assembled, appealing
20 the supreme judge of the world for
the rectitude Of our Intentions, do, in
the name and by the authority of the
good people of these colonies. solemnly
publish and declare, That these United
States are, and OF right ought to be
free and Independent" here came an
Interruption in the person of a small
boy who was blowing a fuse to keep
It burning-he had a small cannon
ready loaded to be the first to celebrate
the very first Fourth of July-he rush
ed to the old bellman, waiting with the
rope In his hand to ring out liberty on
liberty bell. Ring! Ring! Ring!" he
shouted, and the old bellman threw his
whole weight upon the rope and the
.ongue of that liberty bell spoke to the
crowd, and said. 1--WE are free, the life
of a new and great nation has begun.
Rejoice and be glad" And the people
shouted "HuZza! We are free!" Then
they embraced one another, and shout
ed themselves hoarse, and when they
could shout no more they fired guns,
touched off gun powder, and waved
flags. but the tongue of liberty bell
kept on ringing, for two long hours
the old bellman pulled with all his
strength, and when asked why he did
not stop, he answered. Il can't: I don't
want to. l could keep on ringing lib
erty to the world forever" Then the
ffty-six men arose and shouted, and
huzzaed and embraced. the deed was
done, the nation was born, and the first
Fourth of July was inaugurated. We
have been keeping 1t up ever since, and
as we grow larger and stronger, we
make more noise. which is very
natural and quite proper.