The Cairo bulletin., 1912-07-13

udu trusted. tie WIN Zoot- Z
| was a patriot who suddenly turned
traitor at time when America and
liberty needed every true mans aid
The colonies had long groaHed un,
der British oppression. When they
| rose against England, in 1775, ii 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 10 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.
1t was to discuss this that the con-
tinentai congress met at Philadelphia
in 1776.
We are apt to think that congress
was 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 indepeRd.
ence, several OF them threatened 10
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 thew them
selves would be hanged. As Benja.
min Franklin said, in grim JEST
we must hang together or wen
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 OF
July 4,s1776, was adopted talthoug|
it was not signed until the mex
The grave step was takes
The congressman stood committed
The had crossed The Rubicon" an
were ready to take the consequence. |
There was one exception to th
band OF patriots He was John Joach
i'm zubzy, Swiss. who had emf.
grated to America in early life and |
had settled in Georgia. Zubly was
not only prominent as a scholar ana |
a statesman, but was a preacher as
well. He had shown great indigna |
ton at the coonists wrongs and mad I
both written and spoken in protest !
against tyranny.
So patriotic was he that Georgia |
chose him as one of its 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
It is hard to aaaeerrsstand The sudden |
and terrible change in the man
AS soon as Zf'bly found congress
was determined to adopt the Deciara-
ton, he fought the proposition most
bitterly and utterly refused any part |
In 1t. He denounced the idea of a
republic and did everything in his
power to stem the tide of opinion
Had this been all be did no great
shame need to have been attached to |
him. But he was not content with |
refusingS TO vote for the Declaration
He actually entered into secNa 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
tone the cause Of liberty cannot be |
for a fellow congressman
Samuel Chase of Maryland found
reason to suspect him. A reasonable
etter from Zubly was intercepted |
Chase exposed the mans whole black |
to congress. tt
Zubly fed in hot haste from phila-
Dhia to escape punishment He
went at once TO Georgia. There, ut |
erly casting away his cloak of patriot
or ba ciIaI npapIv