The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-06-04


had trusted. He JOHN ZUBlT
was a patriot who suddenly turned
traitor at time when America and
liberty needed every true mans aid.
The colonies had long groaned un-
der British oppression. When they
rose against England, in 1775, 1t was
less with an idea OF breaking loose
from the mother country than OF show
ing resentment by force of arms where
argument and appeal had failed. They
simply wished to bring England to her
senses and TO obtain relief from In
Justice Even George Washington
in later years confessed: The idea
of independence was at first abhor.
rent to me-"
But soon he and all the rest OF the
patriots realized that the time for
halfway measures had passed. There
must be either dumb submission or
open defiance. And, should they choose
defiance they must free the colonies
wholly from the British yoke and de-
clare our country free and independ-
ent.
| It was to discuss this that the con-
tinental congress met at Philadelphia
in 1776.
We are apt to think that congress
was a collection of ardent patriots, pant
ing for liberty at any price. This
was not wholly true. While the ma
jority of the delegates were firm In
their resolve to declare for independ-
ence, several of them threatened to
balk at SO rash a step.
Nor can they be severely blamed
for hesitating. They were men OF
property and importance. They had
more to lose than had most Ameri-
cans. Should the Revolution fail their
goods would doubtless be seized by
the British government and they them
selves would be hanged. AS Benja.
min Franklin said, in grim jest:
I'VE must hang together or we'll
hang separately"
But, to their eternal credit, these
wary delegates at last yielded to the
popular voice. The Declaration Of In
dependence was drawn up and on
July 4, 1776, was adopted (although
it was not signed until the next
month";. The grave step was taken.
The congressman stood committed.
The had CROSSED the Rubicon" and
were ready to take the consequences.
There was one exception to this
band of patriots. He was John Joach-
i'm Zubzy, a Swiss, who had emf
grated to America in early life and
had settled in Georgia. Zubly was
not only prominent as a scholar and
statesman, but was a preacher as
well. He had shown great indigna-
ton at the colonists' wrongs and had
both written and spoken in protest
against tyranny.
So patriotic was he that Georgia
chose him as one of it's five delegates
to congress in 1775. There he worked
hard for the peoples cause and even
drew up petition to King George III.
upon the present unhappy situation
of affairs" Altogether, he was look
ed upon as an ardent patriot. Indeed,
1t is hard to understand the sudden
and terrible change in the man.
AS soon as Zubly found congress
was determined to adopt the Declare
tion, he fought the proposition most
bitterly and utterly refused any part
in 1t. He denounced the idea OF
republic and did everything in his
power to stem the tide OF opinion.
Had this been all he did no great
shame need to have been attached to
him. But he was not content with
refusing to vote for the Declaration.
He actually entered into secret cor
respondence With the enemy betray-
ing TO the British the patriots private
plans and giving warning that the
Declaration was about to be adopted.
What further harm he might have
done the cause of liberty cannot be
guessed, for a fellow congressman
Samuel Chase Of Maryland) found
reason to suspect him. A reasonable
letter from Zubly was intercepted.
Chase exposed the mans whole black
treachery to congress
Zubly fed in hot haste from Phila-
phia to escape punishment. He
went at once to Georgia. There, ut
terly casting away his cloak of patriot
ism, he sided openly with Americas
foes. For this he was banished frem
Georgia and half of Ms property was
declared forfeit. He rushed to the
British for protection. After a few
years Of misery and disgrace he died.
in 1881, with the Revolutionary war
-oo cfil1 NJ tic haiuhy